Faster, Fatter, Bigger, Cheaper!

I. I will be writing about the advantages and disadvantages of local food vs factory farming. I feel as though there are many people that do not know the environmental impact of not eating locally grown food. Oil, coal, and natural gas are collectively known as fossil fuels. Today, eighty-five percent of all energy produced in the United States comes from burning these fuels. Most of this burning fuel comes from the United States Transportation system. Did you know, most food that the average American consumes travels over 1,500 miles before it reaches their plate? (Laker). Eating locally would drastically decrease the amount of burning fossil fuels that are polluting the atmosphere.

II. Corporate owned monocultures cause both health and environmental problems. They note that by supporting food produced by local farmers automatically reduces harmful health and environmental effects while promoting a sustainable agriculture process that provides various benefits (Hamilton). Even though not all regions have the natural resources to produce a thriving local food system, the ideas of sustainable agriculture, fresh seasonal food, and fair-trade operations could easily be adapted so long as there is willingness to change. One of the most obvious benefits of buying locally produced food is putting consumer’s money back into the local community (Macias). The average items you buy at a chain grocery store travels far distances, most of the time being across the country or even the ocean. Because local food doesn’t have to travel long distances when it is grown locally, the producers are able to use less gas and fossil fuels as well as decreasing CO2 emissions in their transportation.

Chicken Farming: Dirty Secrets.

III. There are numerous health benefits that come from eating locally produced food. Because many small farmers depend on a diverse rotation of crops, they don’t have to rely on the use of pesticides and chemicals (Center for Informed Food Choices). The take-over of agriculture globally by factory farms has allowed a larger number of animals to be produced more quickly and for less money. "Faster, Fatter, Bigger, Cheaper." Factory farming ruins family farms, increases food-borne illness from pesticides, causes damage to the environment and is the main factor behind animal suffering.Anemia, influenza, intestinal diseases, pneumonia, and scours are only the beginning of a long list of ailments coming from eating animals in raised factory farms (HFA). The audiences that I am trying to reach with my proposal of eating more locally grown food is mostly to the common person. I am going to make an informational poster to put up around campus for students and faculty to read. The other audience that I believe is important to reach is local farmers. The numbers of local farms and family farms are rapidly decreasing due to the overwhelming growth and consumption of factory produced food. Whats more important to you; saving a few dollars on a cheaper groceries or your health?

IV. So, what can you do? Community-supported agricultures allow individuals and families to buy a share of local farms. In return for the base fee for the share in the farm, shareholders receive a certain amount of food each week, usually enough for a family of 4 (Macias, 2008, p. 1092). With more and more towns implementing ideas such as community farms, more people will have healthy and locally grown food more readily available. As consumers, we have the most control of which industry to support; we have the money. Spending it in the right place not only helps out the local faming industry but it's pumping money back into your local economy.

V.

Food Inc.

VII. I have chosen to present this issue to Champlain College students first. I feel as though the more people knowledgable on this issue will think twice when buying all their groceries from corporate chain grocery stores. I hope this not only will be shared with the students, but anybody who is on Champlain campus. For my other audience, I am hoping to be able to interview a local farmer and ask them thier thoughts about the importance of buying locally grown food. I have yet to be able to set that up but i'm sure I will find someone who is willing. After the interview, I want to publish the interview to a local newspaper so the public can hear a local farmers voice.

Works Cited

1. Laker, Susie. "How Far Does Your Food Travel?" Green Community Project. 25 Mar. 2008. Web. 31 Oct. 2011. .

Most food that the average American consumes travels over 1,500 miles before it reaches their plate. It's important to try not and eat or eat less of the things that we clearly can not make in this country, things like: bananas, avocados and mangos. Locavores learn to be content with shopping for and consuming seasonal foods.

2. Hamilton, Morgan. "A Rotten Food System: How the Local Food Movement Is Creating Alternatives." Goldstein Report 2. Http://easybib.com/cite/form/journal/pubtab/pubdatabase. University of Louisville. Web.

Advocates of the local food movement argue that a food production system based on corporate-owned monocultures, or large scale farms specializing in certain products cause various health and environmental problems for the entire world. They note that by supporting food produced by local farmers automatically reduces harmful health and environmental effects while promoting a sustainable agriculture process that provides various benefits.

3. Macias, Thomas. (2008). “Working Toward a Just, Equitable, and Local Food System: The Social Impact of Community-based Agriculture.” Social Science Quarterly. Volume 89, Number 5. (pp. 1086-1101).

Community farms have many benefits such as supporting the local economy and eating fresh, healthy food. To implement this idea: having a local farm would make it so many people can plant and grow their own food.

4. Center for Informed Food Choices. FAQ page. www.informedeating.org (October 21, 2008).

There are numerous health benefits that come from eating local produce and dairy. Because many small farmers depend on a diverse rotation of crops they often don’t have to rely on the use of pesticides and chemicals.

5. Humane Farming Association. "Wildlife Rescue." Welcome to Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation! Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, Inc. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. .

Anemia, influenza, intestinal diseases, mastitis, metritis, orthostasis, pneumonia, and scours are only the beginning of a long list of ailments plaguing animals in factory farms.

6. Berry, Wendell, and Michael Pollan. Bringing It to the Table. ; On Farming and Food. Berkely: Counterpoint, 2009. Print.

Markets for alternative kinds of food - local and organic and pastured- are thriving, farms' markets are popping up everywhere. Now, the country is not well farmed. The local farms are very few and far between, and the gap is increasingly getting larger every year.

7. Kurlansky, Mark. The Food of a Younger Land: a Portrait of American Food : before the National Highway System, before Chain Restaurants, and before Frozen Food, When the Nation's Food Was Seasonal, Regional, and Traditional : from the Lost WPA Files. New York: Riverhead, 2009. Print.

Support Farmer Dave!

i. Throughout the semester, I plan to explore the advantages and disadvantages in eating and buying local food. Local foods systems provide several advantages over conventional and global markets. Buying locally strengthens regional economies, supports family farms, provides delicious, "fresh-from-the-field" foods for consumers and preserves the local landscape.

ii. Did you know? The Center for Disease Control estimates that every year 76 million Americans get sick, more than 300,000 are hospitalized, and 5,000 die from food borne illnesses (CDC 2002). With the explosion of interest in local food, consumers now have more choices of products, labels, and ways to shop, so, many people are left wondering where to start. Food choices can be overwhelming, and changing where and how we shop can be stressful. On the other hand, the benefits of buying local can be great. With global warming as the biggest environmental issue of our time --and the threat of consuming the world’s oil within our lifetimes, it’s important to note that the average food travels 1,500 miles before it reaches your plate. I will explore where our food around Burlington comes from, the benefits of buying local, and the health affects that comes from local vs. global food. Buy Local, Buy Vermont.

iii. I do not know what exactly is going to be my main focus: health issues may be more prevalent than where the food comes from for example. After researching and exploring more, i may choose to write/make a video to different audiences. Here are some ideas I have so far:

1. Write a letter to Seven Days newspaper to promote the benefits of buying local food versus going to chain grocery stores. In the article it will talk about the side affects from mass produced food to get people to realize the dangers of buying global.

2. Design a poster to put up around campus about the benefits of buying local and its benefits to the environment and to health .

3. Interview a local farmer and ask them questions about what is most important to them about buying local/people buying there food and post it on my blog/facebook/twitter/youtube (as long as permission is granted) to get people to hear what the farmers have to say.

Here is something to think about..