Emily G's Profile

podcasts, teaching, LS
23 minutes ago by Page Lennig

IF you’ve stood in line at a farmers’ market recently, you know that the local food movement is thriving, to the point that small farmers are having a tough time keeping up with the demand.

Dodd was basically telling the Iowans that every night they should decide whether to accompany their pork with creamed corn, corn on the cob, corn fritters or corn bread.

Or a fresh California date, crispy with tart honey that I can get only for a few weeks in Southern California.

But consumers who would like to be able to buy local fruits and vegetables not just at farmers’ markets, but also in the produce aisle of their supermarket, will be dismayed to learn that the federal government works deliberately and forcefully to prevent the local food movement from expanding

Large food service providers like Sodexho and Aramark, having already introduced organic products, are now experimenting with local sourcing

Large food service providers like Sodexho and Aramark, having already introduced organic products, are now experimenting with local sourcing.

Instead of measuring a product’s carbon footprint through food miles alone, the Lincoln University scientists expanded their equations to include other energy-consuming aspects of production — what economists call “factor inputs and externalities” — like water use, harvesting techniques, fertilizer outlays, renewable energy applications, means of transportation (and the kind of fuel used), the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed during photosynthesis, disposal of packaging, storage procedures and dozens of other cultivation inputs.

Given these problems, wouldn’t it make more sense to stop obsessing over food miles and work to strengthen comparative geographical advantages? And what if we did this while streamlining transportation services according to fuel-efficient standards?

Nearly a quarter of American shoppers now buy organic products once a week, up from 17% in 2000.

"Should I assume that I have a God-given right to access the entire earth's bounty, however far away some of its produce is grown?"

Food miles are more significant than we previously thought, and much now needs to be done to encourage local production and consumption of food."