When you think of climate change, you most likely envision melting polar ice caps, violent ocean waves and hurricanes that devastate the coastline.
But local, independent restaurant owners want you think of them too — the seafood they can no longer serve because it can’t survive the warming waters in the Gulf of Maine or droughts that kill the crops they rely on for farm to table meals.
To raise awareness for chefs, farmers, consumers and members of Congress, the James Beard Foundation launched an initiative in February called the Climate Solutions for Restaurant Survival campaign.
The campaign came to Portland Friday where restauranteurs and others gathered at Bar Futo on Fore Street to share challenges and learn more about the importance of lobbying Congress for change.
“I think it should be a priority for everyone, not just restaurant owners or businesspeople,” Jordan Rubin, chef and owner of Bar Futo, said. “I think it’s going to be affecting everyone. I feel responsible as a human to protect our Earth and do whatever we can.”
Rubin said his restaurant relies heavily on seafood and a changing climate is affecting his ability to get certain types of fish.
“We’re seeing certain species of fish that are no longer in the area, they’ve moved away to colder waters,” he said. “That’s definitely a big one.”
The foundation, which honors restaurant excellence with annual awards, spearheaded Friday’s discussion. They offered a letter signed by nearly 600 chefs from across the country calling on Congress to preserve $20 billion in funding and keep protections in law designed to support innovations in agriculture.
“These historic investments maximize the economic impact that food producers have on supporting the U.S. economy,” they wrote in the letter. “This funding is crucial in combating climate change, centering soil health, protecting businesses and the supply chain that restaurants rely on, and ensuring the affordability of produce for consumers.”
U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-1st District) said she continues to fight for climate change legislation in Congress, working to convince some members that it is real and that the impacts are felt by Americans every day.
A member of the House Agriculture Committee, Pingree urged the chefs and farmers at Friday’s roundtable to contact others across the country to put pressure on Congress to pass the Farm Bill. Negotiations will pick up again in November when they return to Washington, she said.
“We’re in the throes of fighting over the Farm Bill,” she said. “There’s a good chance we may move forward on it. We love having the support of people who are interested in this.”
For the Beard foundation, it’s important to make it clear that rising temperatures and extreme storms are driving up costs for what they describe as “an already vulnerable industry.”
In recent weeks, several restaurants in Portland have announced they are closing their doors for good, including The North Point, Salvage BBQ, Local 188 and Slab Sicilian Street Food.
Anne McBride, vice-president of programs at the foundation, said it’s important for the public to understand the connection between climate change and the restaurant industry.
“Your favorite dish might disappear from the menu,” she said. “It’s really that simple. If nothing happens and if nothing is done, you will simply not be able to eat what you’ve loved.”