Opinion

POSTED: Friday, Jul. 25, 2008

Buying local produce helps Whatcom farmers and a sustainable lifestyle

We have recently seen a shift in food buying to buying local instead of buying food from across the country or around the world. “Buying local” is a new trend, supporting rural production while pleasing our gastro-conscience. In fact, a recent survey of patrons at several Bellingham grocery stores and alternative markets concluded that people thought purchasing local was even more important than purchasing organic. Though, given the choice, they would prefer to do both.

Buying local creates many benefits for the community, farmers and the earth.

When we buy food at the Bellingham Farmers’ Market or from the new local sections at the grocery, we multiply the benefits beyond the simple exchange of money. In supporting our local farmers, we actively prevent the negative side effects associated with centralized, large-scale agriculture. Choosing “local” supports more sustainable food systems throughout the region and country.

The cost of getting food to market comes immediately to mind. But, the benefits of buying local go beyond saving the gas consumed in transportation. According to researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, only 11 percent of the carbon footprint of the food you eat comes from the transportation of that food. The remaining footprint rests with the production of the food itself. Fertilizers, pesticides, and production of most of our food come from fossil fuels, petroleum and natural gas.

Agri-business farms use a tremendous amount of fossil fuels to grow large quantities of food with fewer personnel costs and little put back into the soil. They trade-off the presumed efficiency of growing crops as if the land were a huge factory with great expense to the environment, community and even long term economic good. Too much efficiency strains the natural environment and it requires increasing amounts of petrochemicals for consistent yields. In the U.S., as a sector, the agriculture industry uses more petroleum than any other, 10 percent of which goes to preventing soil depletion, which is caused in part by the use of petroleum in the first place. It is becoming a cycle that is costly to maintain, both economically and environmentally.

By contrast, smaller-scale agriculture is very hands-on. This type of farming, where farmers use crop diversity and fewer petrochemicals, is more productive and creates more jobs. Smaller farms have smaller carbon footprints because close interaction with the land requires less mechanized operations, resulting in better use of resources, capturing soil nutrients, and even storing carbon into the soil. If we can “de-intensify” our agricultural model to be more sustainable, it will create more jobs, make our food supply more secure, and preserve and improve our natural environments and soil ecosystems.

This means there is a critical link between buying the local food and supporting sustainable, small-scale agriculture. When we make the connection between small-scale farming and our well-being, we make a huge step towards creating sustainable and secure food systems.

Buying local food turns out to be a wonderful and tasty way to support a style of farming that is much better for the earth and the future we leave our children.

In Bellingham, groups such as Las Margaritas at the Bellingham Farmers Market as well as the sustainable farmers of Whatcom County make it possible to enjoy local and sustainable food. Supporting these farmers also works for farmers in Snohomish and King Counties. Connecting our preferences for Bellingham local helps to spread the idea of sustainable farming supported by urban consumers beyond our own appetites. The success stories travel farther than the food, enabling other communities to engage their farmers for better nutrition and environment.