Improving Agricultural Production as a Public Health Strategy in the United States
Subject Tags
- Agriculture
- Regenerative food systems
- Health
Introduction
The way food is produced in the United States impacts the safety of our water, the quality of our air, and our exposure to pesticides and disease—especially for children and for people living or working near farms, who face the highest risks. Many farmers are already using agricultural practices that protect our air and water while producing food – and many more farmers want to use these practices but face financial and technical challenges. Coordinating across agriculture, health, and environmental programs can open up opportunities for farmers to adopt these practices at a meaningful scale. In this paper, researchers outline practical ways to speed adoption to achieve healthier communities, stronger ecosystems, and a more sustainable food system.
Abstract
Agri-food management in the U.S.—including crop and livestock practices—directly influences health outcomes through drinking water quality, air pollution, pesticide exposure, and pathogen transmission. The broader food system also shapes nutrition and dietary health. Certain management practices can mitigate environmental and human health impacts by reducing input use or preventing input losses to the environment. Despite these interconnections, policies and incentives remain fragmented across food, health, and environmental sectors. In this policy and practice review, we propose three strategies to scale conservation agriculture practices that benefit human health: (1) interagency collaboration to expand agricultural incentives that advance environmental and public health, (2) public procurement reforms that reward sustainable production, and (3) enhanced traceability linking farm practices to health and environmental outcomes. Cross- and multi-sector policy alignment can accelerate adoption of practices that improve health outcomes, strengthen environmental performance, and support agricultural sustainability.
TNC Authors
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Steve Wood
Senior Scientist, Agriculture and Food Systems
The Nature Conservancy
Email: stephen.wood@tnc.org -
Philip Loring
Global Director of Human Dimensions Science
The Nature Conservancy
Email: philip.loring@tnc.org -
Catherine Machalaba
Planetary Health Scientist
The Nature Conservancy
Email: c.machalaba@tnc.org -
Alison Lovdal
Food Systems Scientist
The Nature Conservancy
Email: alison.lovdal@tnc.org