Buy Local Food: Revitalize the Health of Local Economy and Locals

By Anne Williams

Recent food scares as well as skyrocketing costs of fuel, energy, and healthcare have piqued interest in organic and locally produced foods.

Betsy Johnson, University of Minnesota Extension educator, agrees with the parents and doctors who have indicated that fresh food is best. She explains, “Fresh is better. Mass-distributed foods are trucked a long way. Food is picked before it’s ripe and doesn’t have its full nutritional value,” she said.

Food hauled across the miles may have another negative attribute associated with it. Toxins. To accommodate a large quantity of food, farms that distribute on a mass, international level are more likely to use fertilizers or pesticides, which may lead to health and environmental impacts. On average, smaller-sized farms use smaller amounts or no chemicals at all, depending on the regional demand.

Unfortunately, oftentimes, smaller farms produce foods that seem more expensive than larger farms. Paul Kivi, economics professor at Bemidji State University indicates the simplicity of this phenomenon. “It’s about economies-of-scale. The bigger you are, the cheaper you can make stuff. A larger farm of 500 acres can produce cheaply, because it can produce more at a fixed cost of equipment,” he said.

Even though crops can be produced inexpensively on the large scale, by the time they reach the produce department at the local grocery store, the cost is comparable to the locally grown, healthier option. Because the price of fuel and energy becomes part of the fixed cost of food, quantities can be deceiving. “A pickup truck full of corn is cheaper than a large container full of corn that is shipped,” said Kivi.

The price of produce isn’t the only aspect of a smaller scale that is worth taking notice of. U of M Extension educator Betsy Johnson described the benefits of processing meat in smaller batches. “When you butcher cows one-by-one, they are individually handled,” she said. “With less numbers you are much more likely to properly sanitize the area, therefore leaving a less chance of bacteria contamination and a potential food recall,” she said.

Tony Loosbrock, food inspector for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture has been dealing with food recalls first hand. When he first started his food inspection job 30 years ago he never predicted it would change so dramatically. Lately, instead of routine food inspections, Loosbrock dedicates most of his time on product recalls, one food crisis after another. “We depend on a global food supply, but it’s becoming more difficult to know where food is coming from,” said Loosbrock.

Locally grown foods are rarely recalled. If locally grown food does happen to be recalled, it has only affected a very small, contained area of a population. Farmers’ markets and local food co-ops are popular these days. University of Minnesota Extension educator Terry Nennich notes, “Farmers’ markets are in demand. Even with all the food scares that have been happening, there have been zero food recalls from farmers’ markets, including meat.”

Food co-ops and farmers’ markets have understood the value of buying local for generations. These markets are helping to lead the buy-local movement. Lisa Weiskopf, produce manger of Harmony Natural Foods Co-op in Bemidji feels keeping money in the local economy is essential for economic and physical health. “We feel ‘local’ means community revitalization,” said Weiskopf. “It’s investing in long-term health and keeping the dollar circulating in the community,” she said.

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Picture Note: All pictures of produce were taken at Harmony Food Co-op in Bemidji.