local food

Yesterday I attended a regional meeting on developing local food systems. Attendees were from a diverse community, including Extension people, farmers, people from faith communitees, nutritionists and people in public health, and more. What brought us all together was a passion for developing access to fresh, local, healthy food grown and produced by our neighbors. This meeting was one of six which are taking place across the state. There are many hurdles to overcome as we work toward making locally grown food more available to consumers. However, there is a reason that the Oxford Dictionary "word of the year" for 2007 was "Locavore"...more and more people are realizing the value of purchasing fresh, nutritious food directly from their neighbor or fellow North Carolinian, as opposed to buying from a faceless individual or corporation hundreds or even thousands of miles away.

Some interesting facts associated with local food production:

• North Carolina is the 8th largest agricultural state in the nation
• North Carolina is one of the most diverse agricultural states, growing everything from apples to zucchini
• Agriculture is the largest industry in the state, with 20% of the labor force working in agriculture or agribusiness.
• North Carolina is tied for first place in the nation for loss of farm land to development
• If every person in the state spent a mere 0.55 cents on locally grown food, it would create 1.7 billion in revenue.
• Money spent on locally produced food stays within the state and has a "mulitplier effect", as it continues to circulate within the state without leaving North Carolina.
• A strong local food system reduces reliance on fossil fuels: studies have shown that food on average travels 1500 miles before reaching the consumer.
• Just as we are striving for energy independance, we should strive for food security through a strong local food system. We do not want to be dependant on foreign countries for the ability to feed ourselves.

These are just a few of the reasons developing a local food system is important to North Carolinians.

As this endeavor develops and progresses, I will continue to provide updates. In the meantime: be vocal at your local grocery store and restaurant about your interest in locally produced fruit and vegetables. Business responds to the desires of the consumer, so share your feelings with the businesses you support and encourage the same in friends and neighbors!