The Food and Energy Connection

Abstract

Energy from fossil fuel is now used both directly and indirectly at multiple stages of the food production and supply chain, including primary production and post-producer processing. In primary production, energy inputs into arable crops vary depending on the crop and amount of fertilizer required and for livestock the major energy input relates to provision of feed. Post-producer processing encompasses energy use in retailing, transportation, and food preparation, as well as storage and use by the consumer. Studies from the US illustrate a growth in food-related energy use since the late 1990s, caused largely by a shift from manual food preparation and clean-up, to energy-based machinery systems employed by food processing industries.