Local Food: What is Possible?

In our popular discussions of local food, it seems to have become increasingly common to claim what is not possible with local food. It is often that we hear about how there is not adequate capacity within local farms to feed populations. Multiple articles have crossed our desks over the last couple of months, speaking to the inadequacy of organic farming systems to feed the world’s growing population. There is validity in all of these arguements – but they often overlook or mis-state many of the truths that drive our belief in local agriculture. Here are four reasons – and two nice little articles – that talk to what some of the benefits to local agriculture are:

1. Local agriculture builds stronger communities and creates greater awareness of what goes into growing great food

2. Most hunger today is – by a signficant margin – a byproduct of waste in the food system rather than under-production

3. As we learn more about organic farming, it continues to promise greater yields with less environmental impact over time

4. The relative costs and investments required to build stronger local agriculture systems are minimal compared to what we currently spend on commodity crop production

What else is possible with local food? Why do you eat local?

“Will Organic Food Fail to Feed the World?” from Scientific American

And from the Union of Concerned Scientists: