Buying Local Produce Saves!

Consumers are demanding healthy, environmentally friendly groceries, and they are making a concerted effort to eat natural foods. The organic movement has grown considerably in recent years—almost 20 percent annually since 1999—and industry experts expect this growth to continue. More grocery chains are stocking foods produced without toxic and persistent pesticides and have devoted whole sections of their stores to organic options.

From this “green” trend emerges another breed of consumer: the locavore. This term is used to describe people who eat predominantly locally produced food. Locavores are committed to knowing the origin of their food. And why shouldn’t they? Buying local has both long-term and short-term benefits.

Conservation

Conventionally grown food travels an average of 1,500 miles before it’s consumed. That means that after it’s picked, packaged, transported to a store, purchased, and served, much of our food has expended a great deal of energy. With widespread concern over rising gas and oil prices, now is a great time to start thinking differently about food. Buying local can help prevent pollution of the air and water. Industrial-style farms depend on a large amount of fossil fuels to transport their products, and they may use packaging that can be difficult to recycle.

Environment

Conventional farms, which use chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and growth hormones, can take a toll on the environment, adding persistent and toxic substances to soil and water. By supporting small, sustainable farms, you can do your part to reduce damage to the environment and to lower dependence on fossil fuels. Many local farms, though they may not be certified organic, employ environmentally sound farming practices. Guillermo Payet, president of Local Harvest, a national organization that connects growers with consumers, explains that buying local foods helps assure customers their groceries are safe: “If the farm is really damaging the environment and people in the area are informed, they’re going to find out and they’re going to protest.”

Quality

Owners of small farms take pride in their products and the land, so they grow food for its taste, rather than focusing on its transportability. Local foods may have more nutrients than their conventionally grown counterparts, which are often picked before they ripen so they can be processed and shipped. And because they don’t travel far, local foods are usually fresher. Fresher food may mean healthier food because some produce loses nutrients over time. Local foods don’t require preservatives to extend their shelf life, since they’re in stores sooner.

Economy

Though its produce may cost less, an industrial farm can’t support the community’s economy the way local farms can. The money consumers spend on locally grown food circulates within the community since these farm owners are more likely to purchase seed, feed, and other materials from neighborhood businesses than conventional farm executives, who order from large and distant corporations.

Security

A significant portion of our produce is imported—about 40 percent of the fruit in American grocery stores comes from overseas. In the event of a disaster (natural or otherwise), it’s important to have a sustainable source of food close to home. Shipping lanes may become blocked due to international conflict or inclement weather. Keep local farmers in business. Supporting small-scale agriculture now may bring large rewards later.