Local Food A Sustainable Choice

WHERE DOES YOUR FOOD COME FROM? The Grocery Store? A Box? A Bag? Grown or raised by farmers from the soil, the land, and living animals

So, what do we grow around here? Fruits & Veggies Meat Eggs Dairy Produced Products: Cheese, Wine, Baked Goods, Sauces, Pasta, Preserves… On-Line Farm Guide

Ag in Southeastern Mass Including Bristol, Barnstable, Plymouth, and Norfolk Counties 2,329 farms stewarding over 105,000 acres of land. Market value of ag products sold = $154,200,000. Value of direct sales to consumers = $5,065,000 Mass is #2 in Nation for Direct Sales – Farm to Consumer

When is food available locally? Generally, the season runs from June through October Vegetannual Harvest Calendar

What is Sustainable Agriculture? Satisfy human food & fiber needs Enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends Make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources

Sustain the economic viability of farm operations Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole

3BL – Triple Bottom Line – 3 Legs of the Sustainability Stool PEOPLE: Social Equity & Well Being PLANET: Environmental Health/Protection/ Conservation PROFIT: Economic Prosperity & Continuity

Industrial Farming/Agribusiness vs Industrial Farming/Agribusiness vs. Smaller Family Owned Farms – Massachusetts Farms… Extensive use of pesticides and fertilizers vs. none, moderate, minimal – access to the grower to ask what is used on the crops, safer for farmers/labor

External energy inputs – uses more vs External energy inputs – uses more vs. less energy usage, perhaps more likely to utilize EE/RE High labor efficiency – cheap labor vs. Few workers, just family, getting paid more/a living wage

Confined and concentrated systems in terms of livestock vs Confined and concentrated systems in terms of livestock vs. Free range, grass fed, few animals, little or no use of antibiotics – access to farmer to ask or see what conditions were kept in Bottom Line vs. Triple Bottom Line

Why Eat Local? HEALTH ENVIRONMENT LOCAL ECONOMY

HEALTH Locally grown produce is fresher, has longer to ripen Just plain tastes better & If it tastes better you will WANT to eat it!!! Spend $ on healthy food to stay healthy now – instead of $ on healthcare because you’re not healthy later

Stay in touch with the seasons & get to know your neighbors – a connected person is a happy person, is a healthy person! Access to the farm/farmers/growers – you can get connected to where your food comes from Buying Whole Foods (unprocessed) then you need to cook = family dinners! = healthy, happy, connected families!

ENVIRONMENT Travels less Maintain soil nutrients, crop varieties, rotation, grazing Open space – keep farmers farming Maintain our foodshed

ECONOMY Money spent locally stays local and grows exponentially Local farmers, growers, producers put the money back into the local economy And so it grows…

Where? On-line Farm Guide – www.SEMAPonline.org Farmers Markets Farm Stands CSA/Fs Local & Independent Grocery Stores Restaurants & Bakeries Schools…working on it… Caterers & Private Chefs Your Own Backyard! GROW YOUR OWN!

How? 10% Challenge Localize Your Favorite Recipes! Cook with the Harvest Calendar Farm tours Family Dinners - http://casafamilyday.org/familyday/ - A DAY TO EAT DINNER WITH YOUR CHILDREN – Monday, September 26, 2011

Local is a State of Mind

Local Food is a Sustainable Choice Bridget Alexander Ferreira, Esq. Executive Director Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership, Inc. balexander@semaponline.org www.semaponline.org