How Much Food Does Pomona Eat?

Elliott James Popel

3/26/2015

How Much Food Does Pomona Eat…

… in a single year?

… in land area?

Can we visually represent this?

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Data Source US Department of

Agriculture analyzed: The Average

American’s Diet The Average

Farmer’s production

Pomona’s Annual Food Consumption

Food Daily Intake (Cups & oz.)

Oz Equivalent

Days in a Year

Pomona Population

Total Intake (Oz)

Total Intake (Pounds)

Fruits (cup) 1.05 5.43 365 150,006 312,169,611 19,510,601

Vegetables (cup) 1.42 3.66 365 150,006 284,558,082 17,784,880

Grains (oz) 6.46 NA 365 150,006 353,699,147 22,106,197

Protien (oz) 5.68 NA 365 150,006 310,992,439 19,437,027

Dairy (cup) 1.77 9.2 365 150,006 891,584,662 55,724,041

Sum: 134,562,746

134,562,746 lbs. is Equivalent to…

339 Blue whales

55 Giant Sequoias

1% of the Great Pyramid of Giza

How much land does this food require?

Land Area Required for Fruit Production

Fruit Demand (Cup) Weight (Oz) Weight (Tons) Average

Fruit Yield (tons/acre)

Acres Needed

Orange 11,497,960 6 2,156 13.5 160

Apple 11,497,960 4 1,437 14.3 101

Strawberry 11,497,960 6 2,156 25.2 86

Grape 11,497,960 5 1,797 7.68 234

Peach 11,497,960 5 1,797 9.53 189

Total: 57,489,800 768

• Pomona has 14,697 acres of land.

• 768 Acres = ~5% of Pomona

Map

Map

Land Area Required for Vegetable Production

Vegetable Demand (Cup) Weight (Oz) Weight (cwt) Average

Vegetable Yield (cwt/acre)

Acres Needed

Lettuce (Head) 19,437,028 3 36,444 360 101

Carrot (Fresh) 19,437,028 5 60,741 350 174

Tomato (Fresh) 19,437,028 6 72,889 290 251

Potato 19,437,028 5 60,741 315 193

Total 77,748,112 719

719 Acres = ~5% of Pomona

CWT = 100 lbs.

Map

Land Area Required for Grain Production

Grain Demand (Oz) Bushels Average

Grain Yield (bushel/acre)

Acres Needed

Wheat 176,849,574 184,218 44 4,187

Oats 88,424,787 92,109 57 1,616

Rye 88,424,787 92,109 26 3,543

Total 353,699,147 9,345

9,345 Acres = ~64% of Pomona!

Map

Meat Consumed in Pomona Meat Demand (Oz)

Net Meat Available per Animal (Oz)

Animals Needed to Meet

Demand

Pomona Population

Animals per capita

Beef 108,847,354 12,600 8,639 150,006 0.06

Pork 77,748,110 3,120 24,919 150,006 0.17

Chicken 93,297,732 92 1,014,106 150,006 6.76

Fish 31,099,244 72 431,934 150,006 2.88

Total 310,992,439

To raise <1 million chickens with 130 in2 of space, Pomona will need 4,056 acres.

35% Beef, 25% Pork, 30% Chicken, 10% Fish

Map

Summary Although each person is eating normally, collectively

the city consumes more resources than it can create.

Fruits and vegetables requires much less land than meat or grains.

Being totally self-sufficient is not possible unless we change our diet or develop new agricultural technologies.

The End