Buying from local farms supports local economies.
As issues surrounding agricultural methods, the origins of foods and the quality of food come to the forefront of the social consciousness, one topic of concern is whether to choose locally grown food over food shipped from other states or countries, or frozen foods over fresh, seasonal foods grown locally. The conundrum may be centered on the quality of food, sustainable farming practices and supporting local economies. Does this Spark an idea?
Food Source
Locally grown food is loosely defined as food produced within a 100-mile radius of the point of sale. Freshly picked produce spends a minimal amount of time in transit, retaining its nutrient value. If the farm from which the food is obtained, however, uses pesticides, herbicides and synthetic fertilizers, people who buy local and organic foods are faced with another conundrum: buy local to support local farmers or buy organic to support organic farming. To further complicate the issue, frozen produce may be grown organically, but shipped from a distance outside the local area. It may be grown locally and organically, but if the consumer feels the freezing process reduces the nutrient value, he may still feel he is getting an inferior product.
Local Economics
Local agricultural industry may conjure up images of family-owned farms and green-pastured ranches, but whether the farms are as pastoral as this imagery or larger, corporate agricultural farms, they are tied to the local economy. Production of produce, dairy products and meat products as an industry produces jobs, supports other industries such as food outlets and agricultural tool and supply outlets, along with numerous other industries. A consumer who chooses products produced by local farming enterprises supports the local economy.
Personal Economics
Agriculture in the United States has changed from a predominately family-structured business to one of corporate-scale production. One of the results of this shift is the cost of produce, dairy and meat to the consumer. Small, family-owned or co-op farms, particularly ones certified organic, need to charge more for their products than their corporate counterparts that are able to produce on a considerably larger scale. To buy locally, then, may mean paying more than for food produced in another part of the country and shipped to the consumer's local supermarket chain. Consumers on a limited budget need to consider the cost of the locally produced product compared to one shipped or frozen.
Sustainable Choice
For some, the heart of the matter lies with a moral choice. Sustainable methods for farming and ranching take into account such factors as how the methods used affect the environment, how farm workers are treated and if animals are raised and, in the case of meat, butchered humanely. A consumer may feel the need to research the source of food products to ascertain whether that farm practices acceptable and sustainable methods. The eggs in the cooler may come from a local farm, but if the consumer knows those chickens are caged and abused, he may decline to purchase those eggs, even if they cost less and have spent less time in transport.
Tags: food produced, from local, grown food, grown locally, local economies, local economy