There has been a significant marketing push in many communities across the country, recommending that consumers purchase produce from nearby farms. It makes sense and it is likely to continue. There are numerous reasons why, and I will lay them out for you. However, there are a few things to be careful of. Just because a farm is around the corner doesn't mean it's your best option.
First, it's likely that local food was picked more recently than produce coming from across the country or another country, meaning it's fresher and more nutritious. Local food will likely last longer and have more nutrients. Many produce items lose nutrients quickly. Frozen and canned food are often more nutritious than some products on the shelf at the supermarket, although most would consider the latter to be fresher.
You also support your neighbors and local economy while helping to reduce transportation costs and the fossil fuel impact on the environment. All else equal, why not spend your money in your own area? Your community will benefit from the trickle-down multiplier effect. The more local dollars that circulate through local businesses, the more disposable income is created. Furthermore, it means more taxes collected and spent in your community on schools, roads, and other public goods.
Eating local produce, particularly if your community as a whole is focused on it, can help out greatly in emergencies. When disaster strikes, as it did with Hurricane Sandy in 2012, there can be significant issues in the supply chain. Many grocery aisles in the Northeast were bare with new deliveries days from arriving. This happened with gasoline as well. Although it is not a guarantee at all, eating local produce could help in times of need. To me, this is a bonus to all of the other positive benefits I already mentioned.
Local produce can have negatives, though, that must be considered. If a farmer uses genetically-modified organisms (GMOs), all bets are off and the previously-mentioned benefits are negated. These types of crops should be avoided. Research suggests there are significant negative effects of continually ingesting them. I have also never seen an independent report that supports the use of GMOs.
The second area to be careful of is pesticide usage. Buying local does little for you if the food you are buying was doused in cancer-causing chemicals. I highly recommend purchasing only from organic farms. They don't necessarily have to be USDA certified, but it helps, particularly if you don't have a relationship and established trust with the farm.
The benefits of buying local produce are significant if you avoid the dangers of genetically-modified seeds and cancer-causing chemicals. These dangers are too great to consider local products. It would be better to buy organic or non-GMO produce from greater distances.
First, it's likely that local food was picked more recently than produce coming from across the country or another country, meaning it's fresher and more nutritious. Local food will likely last longer and have more nutrients. Many produce items lose nutrients quickly. Frozen and canned food are often more nutritious than some products on the shelf at the supermarket, although most would consider the latter to be fresher.
You also support your neighbors and local economy while helping to reduce transportation costs and the fossil fuel impact on the environment. All else equal, why not spend your money in your own area? Your community will benefit from the trickle-down multiplier effect. The more local dollars that circulate through local businesses, the more disposable income is created. Furthermore, it means more taxes collected and spent in your community on schools, roads, and other public goods.
Eating local produce, particularly if your community as a whole is focused on it, can help out greatly in emergencies. When disaster strikes, as it did with Hurricane Sandy in 2012, there can be significant issues in the supply chain. Many grocery aisles in the Northeast were bare with new deliveries days from arriving. This happened with gasoline as well. Although it is not a guarantee at all, eating local produce could help in times of need. To me, this is a bonus to all of the other positive benefits I already mentioned.
Local produce can have negatives, though, that must be considered. If a farmer uses genetically-modified organisms (GMOs), all bets are off and the previously-mentioned benefits are negated. These types of crops should be avoided. Research suggests there are significant negative effects of continually ingesting them. I have also never seen an independent report that supports the use of GMOs.
The second area to be careful of is pesticide usage. Buying local does little for you if the food you are buying was doused in cancer-causing chemicals. I highly recommend purchasing only from organic farms. They don't necessarily have to be USDA certified, but it helps, particularly if you don't have a relationship and established trust with the farm.
The benefits of buying local produce are significant if you avoid the dangers of genetically-modified seeds and cancer-causing chemicals. These dangers are too great to consider local products. It would be better to buy organic or non-GMO produce from greater distances.
About the Author:
Please see my website for more information dangers of food additives and preservatives or my blog at FDA food label guidelines
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