Local Food - What Is It And What Is It Not?
There are many controversies involved with the concept of local food development. One of the most perplexing to many is exactly what food qualifies and what does not.
One of the problems with understanding the issues involved in the Local Food Movement is that there seems to be a great number of definitions for just what constitutes local food. The Local Food movement is a grassroots type of thing and like most relatively unorganized ideas there are almost as many definitions and opinions as there are advocates. In many ways, it would seem a simple concept. It states that it is better to purchase and consume foods produced locally. There are many reasons given for this, but the definition problems stem from just what is meant by locally.
Some people would take the view that local refers to a very small community. It is thought of as more in terms of a city or town. This type of local thinking would favor such things as farmer markets and food co-opts. Obviously, the smaller the local area, the less likely that it could produce all of the food needed by the inhabitants. Even so, the local food concept would include making local selections in every area where they are available.
Other people would view the term local in more of a regional way. This might include a certain geographic region that does not necessarily conform to political boundaries or it might be a political subdivision such as the State of California. This thinking might even extend nationally and support consumption of food produced only in the United States.
Another way of viewing the definition of local is based on the distance traveled by food from point of origin to point of sale. This is important because of the variation in size between political entities. Local Food grown in the State of California is a much larger concept than Local Food produced in the State of Rhode Island simply because of the larger size and more diverse ecosystems. Distance traveled has some problems of its own, however, as food often travels from local farms to distance processing facilities and back to the local area for sale.
So, what is the answer? In many ways, Local Food is a concept that does beyond distance and size. It is more an attitude that leads us to look at our own community and the interests of our local area before we look globally for solutions to food issues. It is also concerned with the environment and the environmental impact of the massive distribution networks that have developed. It respects variety and the idea that food habits are one of the marks of a distinctive culture.
Aazdak Alisimio writes local food articles for http://www.LocalFoodCompanies.com
Tags: co-op, community, economic, food, globalization, insecticides, local, politica, pollution, transport