One of the more interesting modules for me was Module 8 which discussed the various levels of food systems. One in particular, the local food system, has become a hot topic when discussing agriculture and the food industry. The “farm to table” and “local” movements have really increased the idea of consumers interacting with the farmers, understanding where their food comes from, and taking pride in local products and promoting the local economy. “A recent U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report to Congress reports that local and regional food sales in the United States totaled US$6.1 billion in 2012—an increase from the reported US$4.8 billion in 2008” (Wright 2015). The health kick that America has started has increased a desire for healthier foods, particularly an emphasis on fruits and vegetables, and the increase in demand is reflected in the USDA’s report. Local and regional markets have now started to take root in the consumer’s lives as an alternative to the large-scale global food systems where many products come from.
In Module 8, there was discussion about whether the environmental impact of a global food system was comparable to the local and regional food systems, and whether farm size was a large factor. This mirrored the arguments made in previous modules about the environmental impacts of local vs. industrial organic/large-scale organic crop harvesting. I think those ideas play into the decisions made by consumers and that is something I want to consider investigating in the future. We looked into the energy footprint of the small-scale vs. large-scale farm operations in other modules, but with this Foodtank article, my mind is drifting towards the conversation of if and/or how that information affects the consumer. Since there is an increase in local and regional food systems activity by consumers, is that a societal movement that is dictating this shift, or are there other factors like the arguments about footprints, economics, and hometown pride that sway people?
For future questions about this article, I noticed a line that said “Farmers’ market sales might be down, but local food systems are making a notable impact on increasing access to healthy food for all” (Wright 2015). There was a small section about “the USDA report also indicates that between 2007 and 2012, there was a decrease in the value of DTC [direct to consumer] sales, while sales through intermediate marketing channels exhibited great returns” (Wright 2015). I was confused about this notion because I have seen a surge in the number of farmer’s markets in my area and the article did mention in urban areas as well, but I am wondering if this has changed since the article was written in 2015, or if these “intermediate markets” are going to become the new fad.
Works Cited:
Wright, Jessica. “USDA Report Offers Insight on the Impact of Local Food Systems.” Food Tank RSS. Food Tank, 11 Mar. 2015. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.
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