Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Sustainable Local and Regional Food Systems

Rooting Local and Regional Food Systems in Sustainability


ecotrustAt Food Alliance, we think it’s great that people are rediscovering the bounty and beauty of foods grown closer to home. Local food gives people a sense of place, connects them with the broader community, and creates important economic opportunities for small and beginning farmers.

But we must not let our love for “local” eclipse other important questions about our food. Localizing food production and consumption can have very positive benefits,  but regional growing conditions, population density, and land use patterns must be taken into account when considering the sustainability of local food.

Most consumers want to buy and eat a wide variety of foods throughout the year. That means domestic shipping and international trade are here to stay. Given all this, we must consider not only where all our food comes from, but how it is produced, processed and distributed. Through this broader lens a more complete picture of our food comes into focus, giving us information needed to make purchasing decisions that support all of our sustainability goals and concerns.


Following are a few great resources for local/regional/sustainable food and farm advocates:
Find Food Alliance Certified Producers & Handlers in Your Region
FA-map-March2011

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TWITTER.COM/LOCALFOODWINE

FACEBOOK/LOCALFOODANDWINE

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Posted via email from Local Food And Wine

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