Veronica Taylor
Dr. Murdock
English 1001
Research Project #2
March 15, 2014
Local Food Movements: Changing Our Future
For the past couple of decades we have been eating foods produced from the
processes of industrial farming. This business has dominated our U.S. food industry, with
its only good excuse being that it maximizes profit and is more efficient. All of this
efficiency and good profit comes though at the expense of a declining environment,
declining health, a declining economy, and a declining culture as a whole. Our culture
has become so caught up in the idea of saving time. This is why farming has been
overrun with the concept of producing as much food as we can, in as little time as we can.
Thankfully, over the past couple of years, the harmful effects of industrial farming have
been brought to light and people are wanting a change. Local food movements all over
the country are starting to rise up and make an impact. These results of these movements
are being seen in restaurants, grocery stores, schools and many other places. Instead of
industrial produced food, people are wanting organic locally grown food that is fresh and
not filled with pesticides and preservatives.
When people talk about locally grown food, they’re literally talking about food
that is organically grown right there on farms nearby where they live. This type of
farming process is the total opposite of industrial farming, and is much like the process
our ancestors used not even 100 years ago. Locally grown food is typically associated
with being sustainable, which means that it is produced in a way that is respectful to our
environment and our overall well-being, and is generally fresh and healthy.
One of the many harmful effects industrial farming has on our society is on our
environment. This is one of the main reasons why local food movements are becoming
popular. Every year in the U.S. it is estimated that 10 billion farm animals are born,
raised and slaughtered for food in the factory farming system. As one can imagine, this is
a lot of waste, and produces a big problem for these farms when it comes to manure. For
example, there are about 100 million pigs in factory farms in our country, so that adds up
to about 650,000 tons of manure excreted each day. And this doesn’t include the manure
from all of the other meat industries that our country has. There is an unimaginable
amount of waste, and one would only imagine, where does this waste go? On most
organic farms, the manure is turned into fertilizers that are spread out among the fields to
fertilize the crops. Although with the huge amounts of manure that are produced on
industrial farms, this process is often not very maintainable, and the manure winds up
being stored in lagoons, which are open-air holding pits (stopfactoryfarms.org).
The problem with these open-air lagoons is, they’re not very sanitary, and are
very harmful to our environment. The waste that is held inside often leaks out, polluting
the surrounding land and water with its harmful chemicals. The waste also pollutes the
surrounding air with gases such as hydrogen sulfide, methane, carbon dioxide, and
ammonia (shadefund.org). The way organic farms handle their waste is much more
effective and healthier for our environment. Waste in turn, is used as a tool to fertilize
their fields. Since organic farms are generally way smaller, they already have less waste,
but with the waste that they do have, they’re respectful to the environment and put it back
into the earth. It has even been found that improved soil fertility and quality are a result
of using these fertilizers, and in turn this produces better quality foods. Taking part in the
local food movement, by buying and eating these organically grown foods helps to
preserve these local farmlands and keep our environment healthy.
When large franchises purchase foods from industrial farms, they measure the
distance in what they call food miles. “Food miles are the distance food travels from
where it is grown to where it is ultimately purchased or consumed” (food-hub.org).
Considering that food is a lot of times transferred from halfway around the world, the
amount of food miles that are used really add up. “In developed nations like ours, food is
traveling farther to reach consumers and international food trade is increasing more
rapidly than increases in population or food production” (food-hub.org). Our culture has
gotten into the mindset that imported foods are better; when in reality they’re not. The
amount of miles that the food has to travel greatly reduces the quality of it. With all of
this traveling, the amount of pollution that is pouring into our environment is very
dangerous. The modes of transport that are used to transport these foods, such as
airplanes and ships, emit a dangerous amount of greenhouse gases into our environment.
It has been found that all of this food transportation over the years has greatly contributed
to global warming. According to a study done in California, out of all of the global
warming gases that were emitted in 2005, 250,000 tons of them are attributed to the
imports of food products. The pollution produced from 40,000 vehicles on the road is the
equivalent to this huge amount emitted (food-hub.org).
The benefits of purchasing locally grown foods far outweigh purchasing industrial
produced foods. The farming processes that organic farmers use greatly reduce the
amount of food miles that are produced. “Locally grown food reduces the present average
of 1,300 miles food travels from ‘field to plate’” (observer.com). Just by purchasing
healthier foods at a grocery store or farmer’s market, one can greatly reduce their carbon
footprint.
One of the most popular local food movements that is going on in our society
today is led by the First Lady, Michelle Obama. This movement is called Let’s Move!,
and it’s goal is to solve the growing problem of childhood obesity that has become a
serious issue. The First Lady’s initiative believes that it is important to start tackling this
problem in a child’s early years. She is doing this by providing parents with helpful
information and by encouraging healthy environments for kids and their families. By
making sure that healthier foods are provided in schools, and that every family has access
to getting these healthy and affordable foods, Michelle Obama believes that we’ll start to
see a change. When this movement was launched, President Obama signed a Presidential
Memorandum, which created a Task Force on Childhood Obesity that will conduct a
review on all programs and policies that relate to childhood nutrition and physical
activity. After doing this, a national action plan will be set to ensure that the U.S. reaches
the First Lady’s goal. This movement focuses on five key pillars, which are: “Creating a
healthy start for children, empowering parents and caregivers, providing healthy food in
schools, Improving access to healthy, affordable foods, and increasing physical activity.”
(letsmove.gov). Local US towns, cities, and counties that sign up to take part in this
initiative must implement these 5 pillars.
To make sure that access for families to healthy and affordable foods is improved,
local government officials commit to making sure that in all municipal and county venues
that serve food, sustainable food service guidelines that align with the Dietary Guidelines
for Americans must be enforced. This movement also focuses on increasing access to
space for children to play; so local government officials must commit to develop an
action plan to have this implemented. To implement this change in schools, local
government officials commit to participate in programs such as the National School
Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP), which focus on
providing healthier foods in schools. A big part of this change must start in the child’s
home, so local government officials are committing to advertise “MyPlate” in all county
and municipal food venues, which is a website that helps monitor intake of food and
provides tips for a healthy lifestyle. Lastly, local government officials are teaming up
with early education and care providers to help them implement the best practices for
physical activity and nutrition into their programs (letsmove.gov). Local food movements
like Michelle Obama’s are really enforcing the change that’s starting to happen in our
society. Healthy eating is a choice, and it’s important that parents and schools instill these
habits into children at a young age. Our society needs more local food movements like
these to stir up change and get our society moving. If this movement of healthy eating
continues, our future could look much different.
An area where the local food movement has really started to catch on is in
restaurants. Since people are starting to want fresher, sustainable, and healthier foods,
restaurants are starting to serve them. There are even restaurants that base their whole
theme/menu’s around this concept. Chef Ryan Hardy, who is the head of a restaurant in
Aspen, CO, called Montagna at the Little Nell, focuses on serving raw, fresh ingredients
to his customers. He installs this method into his restaurant so much so that him and his
business partner even purchased their own family farm, and this farm is now the source
of all the restaurants chicken, lamb, pork, and eggs (epicurious.com). Restaurants like
Chef Hardy’s are starting to pop up all over the country and are becoming a big
campaigner for the local food movement. According to the National Restaurant
Associations national survey that was conducted in 2012, local food grabbed 3 of the top
five spots in top menu trends by chefs. Chefs are becoming very serious about
understanding where their ingredients are coming from so they can meet consumers
growing demand for fresh, local foods (eaf.uchicago.edu).
There are a few big trends that consumers are expected to see growing over the
next few years in restaurants, and a couple of those are reasonably sourced animal
products, and organic ingredients. Cage-free eggs, free-range chickens, sustainable
seafood, and gestation crate-free pigs are the definition of reasonably sourced animal
products. Nine states have now banned harmful practices in response to animal rights
groups that have harshly protested against them. Many large restaurant chains such as
McDonalds, Wendy’s, and Burger King have committed to eliminating these harmful
practices from their food production in response to this movement.
Organic ingredients are another big trend. Consumers are becoming very
interested in what goes into their food. “Organic food is certified for meeting specific
standards, including being produced without most conventional pesticides, synthetic
fertilizers, antibiotics, and growth hormones” (eaf.uchicago.edu). Now 75% of U.S.
families are purchasing organic products, and actually prefer them to conventional made
foods. With this growing demand, a lot of restaurants have made the switch to serving as
much organic foods as they can. The fast growing restaurant chain, Chipotle, is one of
those. Since they’ve committed to using organic products, their business has been soaring
through the roof. People come to restaurants like Chipotle specifically for that reason.
Organic, sustainable eating is very much a growing trend that will most likely continue to
rise.
Another big trend in the local food movement that’s on the rise is Meatless
Monday’s. Many people have made the decision to cut meat out of their diet one day a
week. This is a trend that has been around since World War I, but not till recently gained
its popularity again. During the war the U.S. Food Administration encouraged families to
cut down on the consumption of meat to help aid the war effort, and in response, 13
million families signed a pledge to do so. A man named Sid Lerner, who is part of Johns
Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, later revived the movement in 2003. Lerner
really drove the campaign to make people aware of the major health benefits Meatless
Mondays has. The amount of meat that is consumed is over excessive, and cutting it out
of one’s diet one day a week has been found to cut down on many food-prone illnesses.
This movement has become very popular and even gained global coverage. Schools,
restaurants, hospitals, and worksites have joined on, and are really powering and bringing
popularity to this trend. Meatless Monday campaigners believe that Monday is the perfect
day to start fresh and make healthy changes (meatlessmonday.com).
In the past decade, our country has experienced a major downturn in the
economy. Many people have lost jobs and have had trouble finding them. One of the
reasons why the local food movement has been so popular is, is because it’s helped foster
a lot of new jobs for people. The local food movement has brought back the importance
of having a local community, and many small family-owned organic food businesses are
prospering because of this. “When you purchase more of your food locally, more of the
money you spend remains in the local community. On average, it is estimated that buying
local keeps approximately 65% of your dollar within the community, whereas shopping
at large chain stores keeps only 40%” (extension.usu.edu). Since most of the food sold in
large chain stores is industrially produced, people have started to abandon them.
A trend in the economy today where business has been booming is in farmers
markets. These are local markets where small businesses can come and sell their fresh
and locally grown fruits and vegetables, and other foods. “According to the USDA’s
National Farmers Market Directory, there are 7,864 farmers markets operating
throughout the United States, a growth from 7,175 this past year” (wholesomewave.org).
This business trend is providing easy access for people to by locally grown foods. Foods
that they could not get at large chain grocery stores. Farmers markets have become so
popular mainly because they allow the consumers a direct link to the farmers who harvest
these foods. Consumers get a chance to know farmers and producers on a personal level,
which is something you most likely won’t find in large chain grocery stores.
By purchasing local foods, people are helping to grow and protect rural
communities. With the introduction of industrial farms, the number of family-style farms
has been greatly downsized. According to the American Farmland trust, it is estimated
that every minute more than an acre of farmland goes into development
(sustainabletable.org). Unfortunately, our society has let industrial farming take over for
the last couple of decades, and we’re now reaping the costs of that choice economically.
The local food movement has been greatly successful in doing its part by helping to put
an end to this harmful practice. By choosing to purchase local foods, we’ll start to see
more of the classic U.S. family-style farms come back. If the local food movement
continues to grow like it has been, the number of organic farms will greatly increase. It is
projected that by 2015, there needs to be at least 42,000 organic farms to meet the
growing demand of this market.
When factory farms enter into a community, they often claim that there will be an
increase in employment opportunities, which is actually not the case. The working
conditions on factory farms are so unhealthy and dangerous that local workers wind up
actually taking a pay cut in their income. “The percentage of the rural work force
employed on farms dropped by about half throughout the 1980s and 1990s and continues
to fall in 2008 to under 2% of the US labor force” (sustainabletable.org). Luckily since
2008, the local food movement has helped increase the availability of jobs on farms.
Industrial farms moving into communities also affect other local businesses that aren’t
associated with farming. Since local farms are not as big, they can buy their supplies at
local feed and hardware stores, whereas large factory farms can’t due to the much large
amount of supplies needed.
One of the main reasons the local food movement has gained so much popularity
is in response to the increased health risks that have been brought about by industrial
processed foods. When workers on factory farms plant their crops, they plant so many
that they have to spray fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides on the crops to get them to
grow quickly. The use of these chemicals have been linked to many food borne illnesses
and diseases. Psychological and neurologic problems are a few of these dangerous
diseases that can come from this practice. It has also been found that children are more
susceptible to the dangerous effects of chemical use in farming because of the fact that
they have lower body masses and the higher amount of processed foods that they eat.
These chemicals can cause disruptions to the endocrine, reproductive, and immune
systems; delayed development; and damage to other organs in the body. Unlike factory
farms, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is used on sustainable farms as an alternative
to the overuse of pesticides. Integrated Pest Management uses a variety of techniques to
eliminate the pests that attack crops while minimizing damage to the environment.
Natural and chemical pesticides are only used as a last resort on sustainable farms
(sustainabletable.org).
To avoid consuming pesticides, it’s best to purchase organic meats,
fruits/vegetables, and dairy products. When buying foods it’s also safe to check that there
is a USDA-certified organic label on the items, which ensures that it was indeed
organically harvested. Washing fruits and vegetables, and peeling them also helps to
remove some pesticide residue. With the rise of the local food movement there is hope
that eventually people won’t have to worry about taking these extra steps to ensure that
their food is fresh.
Breast cancer is a disease that is unfortunately very common in our society today,
and the chemicals in processed foods have been found to link to this and many other
types of cancer. The local food movement has gained so much popularity largely because
of the risk of cancer. Human’s exposure to endocrine-disrupting compounds and
environmental carcinogens has been increased with modern food production. The
pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics that are used on our meats and produce become part
of our body when we consume them, and this type of exposure can increase one’s risk to
getting breast cancer.
Some of the harmful chemicals found in food that increase breast cancer risks are,
Phytoestrogens, Zeranol, and Zearalenone. Phytoestrogens are estrogen compounds that
are often found in a lot of plants and plant products. There is scientific evidence that
these compounds have some health benefits, but the data that links phytoestrogens to
breast cancer is much more conflicting and concerning. In industrial farming, Zeranol is
one of the most popular chemicals used in the beef industry. Significant increases in
cancer growth were found when scientist exposed cancer cells to zeranol-treated beef. In
response to these findings, the European Union has banned the use of this hormone in
their meat production and has even banned imports of hormone-treated meats from
outside countries. Zearalenone is a chemical compound that is naturally produced by a
fungus that grows on grains, and Zeranol has been found to promote the growth of this
fungus. This chemical also stimulates the growth of breast cancer cells
(breastcancerfund.org). Scientists and medical researchers have found that eating organic
foods can help to improve cancer treatments, reduce the risk of cancer, and can help
avoid the recurrence of cancer.
The growth of the local food movement is very important for the future. The
practice of industrial farming has pushed society into many years of harmful living, and
it’s our responsibility now to turn that around. The implementation of the local food
movement has greatly helped to do so, and a brighter future is already in sight. Many
different programs and movements are popping up all over the world today to help
enforce this change. One program that has helped to enforce this change is Slow Food
USA. This program is part of a network with over 150,000 members in more than 150
countries that have committed to making a cleaner and fairer world by changing what we
put on our plates. “Our mission as an international grassroots membership organization is
good, clean and fair food for all” (slowfoodusa.org). The USA part of this network has 40
campus chapters and 170 local chapters produce projects and events to help implement
changes. Slow Food USA helps to develop leaders in the U.S.’s many different
communities to help bring local foods, customs and recipes into restaurants, markets,
farms and homes.
Many new businesses have popped up in response to the local food movement,
with owners who are dedicated to implementing healthier eating and lifestyles. One that
has become very popular is chicken rental businesses, which allow customers to oversee
the growing process ensuring the high quality of their eggs. Mr. Tompkins, who is the coowner of “Rent the Chicken,” provides rental chickens to families who want farm fresh
eggs and need assistance in doing so. The company provides a couple of chickens, a
supply of food and water, and a coop for a rental period that lasts several months. This
gives families a chance to try out healthier eating practices themselves and decide if they
want to further implement them into their homes. Rental chicken businesses like these
have a growing category in the economy that is now estimated at $3.5 billion in profit
(nytimes.com). The local food movement continues to restore our economy.
The business of Industrial farming has dominated our food-industry for the past
couple of decades causing harm in many different aspects. This food production process
has hurt our economy, our culture, our health, and our environment and people are
demanding a change. In response to this demand the local food movement has helped to
restore healthy eating and healthy lifestyles. Fresh food practices are being seen all over
the country in restaurants, schools, and grocery stores. By implementing these changes
we are ensuring ourselves a healthier future.
Works Cited
"Explosion of Farmers Markets Popularity Continues to Grow."
Wholesome Wave RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
"History." Meatless Monday. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
"Let's Move." America's Move to Raise A Healthier Generation of
Kids. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.
"Menu." New York Observer. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
"Restaurants: Trends in Sustainable Food Sourcing, by Nancy
Himmelfarb." Environment Agriculture and Food Working Group.
N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
"ShadeFund." Want to Know the Economic Benefits of Organic
Farming? N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
"Stop Factory Farms." Stop Factory Farms. N.p., n.d. Web. 01
Apr. 2014.
"The Top 10 Farm-to-Table Restaurants." Epicurious. N.p., n.d.
Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
"Chemicals in Food." Chemicals in Food. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar.
2014.
Martin, Claire. "Rentals That Let You Fly the Coop." The New
York Times. The New York Times, 26 Oct. 2013. Web. 01 Apr.
2014.
"Slow Food USA." :. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
“Food miles: How far your food travels has serious consequences
for your health and the climate.” 2007. [pdf] Natural Resources
Defense Council. Available through: http://food-hub.org
Brain, R. 2012. “The Local Food Movement: Definitions, Benefits
& Resources.” [pdf] Available through: https://extension.usu.edu/