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News

Supporting Local Food Production
Posted June 9th, 2008 in Agriculture & Food

Local food and sustainable agriculture promotion have become popular recently, prompting the emergence of “ the 100 mile diet” and “locavores,” both of which are terms to describe the practices of people who eat only foods produced within a specified radius. As trendy as it might sound, consumers who grow their own food and purchase locally grown produce are helping to strengthen regional food systems.

What can you do to support sustainable agriculture?
If you care about how your food is produced, become an active participant in the food system. As a consumer, your food-buying dollars become your leverage to vote for or against food production methods.

Support the Tailgate Market on Saturday mornings at the County Administration Building. Farmers markets provide an opportunity for consumers to talk directly with the people who grow their food. Farmers, too, can learn more about their customers.

Start a Garden in your yard or in your neighborhood. Community gardens can provide an important source of fresh produce, particularly for under-served populations in low-income areas. They become a good source of information about growing food as well as places for community gatherings.

Gardening is also a key to improving health by providing exercise, stress reduction and relaxation. Research has found that people who interact with plants recover more quickly from everyday stress and mental fatigue.

Pick-your-own farms provide access to fresh produce directly from the farmers who grow it. Prices for pick-your-own are reduced in exchange for your labor, and the trip to the farm provides an excellent outing for groups and families, particularly children.

Buy a share in a farmer's harvest. Often called a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), shares can be purchased in the early spring, providing funding to farmers for seeds and other expenses. In exchange for their investment, "shareholders" receive fresh fruits and vegetables, weekly throughout the season.

Talk to the source of your food to learn more about how it is grown. Join and patronize food co-ops, ask grocery managers to buy from growers and processors who are local and use sustainable methods, and ask for food origins on restaurant menus. If you express interest in eating sustainably produced food, chances are that your suppliers will respond.

Why Buy Local?

Fresher, More Nutritious Foods: Locally grown fruits and vegetables are usually harvested within 24 hours of being purchased by the consumer. Produce picked at the height of freshness tastes better and is more nutritionally complete.
Reduce Energy Consumption: A full tractor-trailer hauls about 32,000 pounds of produce. On average, according to the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University, this food travels about 1,750 miles from farm to market, in trucks that get approximately 5.5 miles per gallon. That's 320 gallons of fuel to transport 32,000 pounds, or about one gallon of fuel for every 100 pounds of food. Locally produced foods do not require significant transportation or storage, both of which are very energy-intensive and pollute our air and water.
Increase Regional Economic Health: Food prices, on average, have increased by 20 percent this past year, largely due to the rising price of fuel required for transportation. Buying locally grown foods keeps money within the community, contributing to the health of local economy, increasing the local quality of life.
Preserve the Rural Character of the Land:Supporting local farmers means maintaining local farmland. Local consumers can serve as the lifeline for local farmers because they create direct marketing opportunities where sellers can receive fair prices for their crops.
Avoid Post-harvest Contamination:Foods sold in local markets without the need for extensive storage and transportation will likely contain minimal or no waxes and/or fungicides applied to protect the product after harvest.

More Benefits of Local Food Production

Provides a catalyst for neighborhood and community development
Stimulates Social Interaction
Encourages Self-Reliance
Beautifies Neighborhoods
Reduces Family Food Budgets
Creates opportunity for recreation, exercise, therapy, and education
Reduces Crime
Preserves Green Space
Creates income opportunities and economic development
Reduces city heat from streets and parking lots
Provides opportunities for intergenerational and cross-cultural connections

From Carolina Farm Stewardship Association
Take the "Eat Carolina Food Challenge"! Agree to eat ONLY Carolina-produced food for one week, July 7-13 2008. For more information, or to take the challenge, go to http://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/

From the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) “Thousands of Miles Fresher”
Get your 2008 ASAP Local Foods Guide at http://www.asapconnections.org/
The Buy Appalachian Local Food Campaign promotes locally grown and raised foods.

Resources:
http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/
http://www.thefoodproject.org/
http://www.slowfoodusa.org/
http://www.sare.org/
http://www.sustainabletable.org/
http://www.localharvest.org/

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