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How are we defining LOCAL?

We've started each meeting with a discussion of sustainability and local—not trying to reach consensus, but rather bringing all the associated values and meanings to the table.

Poster: Defining Local & Sustainable Food System
Describing local and sustainable

Here's what's being said:

A Local Food System is/means:

  1. Money at home
  2. Resiliant and adaptable, improves over time
  3. Willing farmers, produced and consumed in one locale
  4. Minimal waste: efficiency; conserves resources
  5. High quality; fresh
  6. Diversity of products and of markets
  7. Not genetically modified; heirlooms and open-pollinated
  8. Energy-efficient produce and transportation
  9. Environmentally friendly; not petroleum-dependent
  10. Four definitions, local and sustainable system, local and sustainable food
  11. Education, awareness, knowledge of value and access
  12. Economic awareness of cost
  13. Soil: clean; building more

A Local Sustainable Food Economy is/means:

  1. COMMUNITY-BASED
    • Local gardens—everybody working together in a web to support farm to fork.
  2. CONSUMER EDUCATION
    • cooking differently
  3. DIVERSE
    • multiple products: vegetables, meat
    • varieties
  4. UNDERSTOOD: TRANSPARENT
    • information available to everyone
  5. INTEGRATED DECISION MAKING
    • public policy, education solutions
  6. WELL-ROUNDED DIET
    • broad range of foods locally
  7. HEALTHY
    • nutrient-dense food
  8. AFFORDABLE ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE
    • all levels, diversity
    • needs to get to you
  9. FLEXIBLE
    • adaptable
    • new strategies to deal with financial crisis
  10. SUSTAINS LOCAL FARM FAMILIES
  11. PROFITABLE
    • everybody involved
  12. PERMANENT
    • sustainable, supports future members of family
  13. PROTECTS LAND, WATER, WILDLIFE

 

The phrases thrown out:

  • Good for farmers
  • Good for consumers
  • Good for the environment
  • Strong network that bridges
  • Health benefits; good health
  • Collaboration (working together)
  • Inclusive, all walks of life can access; not just for the wealthy; also accessible by location
  • Heritable tradition for production; sustainable for farmers
  • Measurable system for reducing energy use, producing as much as your consumer
  • Independence; self-sufficient (not dependent on foreign government)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Benefits to bottom line; builds local economy
  • Education/awareness for children
  • Culturally appropriate food available
  • Provides for and demands community investment
  • Future-oriented; taking care of future generations
  • Resilient to natural disasters
  • Aesthetics beautiful to the consumer
  • Aware consumers who understand where food comes from
  • "Sweat equity" blending farmers and consumers
  • Living wage and sustainable livelihood
  • Define local: What is it?
  • Any size as long as consumer and producers have a relationship
  • Depends on how much farmer produces; small, more local needs
  • Proximity to where grown and sold: county collards vs. North Carolina apples vs. Peruvian coffee
  • Kids know where food comes from
  • Farmers' markets everywhere
  • Healthy environments
  • Farming practices that nurture the land
  • Nutrient and soil conservation
  • Ecosystem balance
  • Not "Big Ag"
  • Organic agriculture
  • Good food
  • Food safety
  • Accessible food
  • Fewer miles to market
  • Victory gardens; peace gardens
  • Stable food supply
  • Fewer miles to market
  • Direct marketing
  • Food for all
  • Apprenticeships
  • Minimum dependence on fossil fuel
  • Fairness; affordability
  • Protects biodiversity
  • Everybody eats
  • Fair to workers
  • Culturally appropriate
  • Monetarily fair and socially just
  • Includes everyone and supports farms and farmers
  • Correlations between health/food/obesity
  • Culturally effective and relevant
  • Food from the food shed
  • Thriving community
  • Stewardship
  • Manages waste, resources and clean water; "don’t throw away"
  • Long-term commitment
  • Fewer consequences, know the impact
  • "All produce and meat grown/raised within a radius of 100 miles. If the produce cannot be grown within 100 miles at a reasonable price (in the fullest sense of that word), then it is the closest reasonably priced produce."
  • Good for seventh generations
  • Independent
  • Food that is nutritious
  • Economically viable
  • Profitable for public
  • Resourceful
  • Sustainable
  • Community-building
  • Buy-in from community
  • Energy-efficient
  • Resilient to crisis or unforeseen
  • Abundant
  • Eating more sunshine, less petroleum
  • Attractive quality of life
  • Restorative
  • Supported by local policies
  • Children know plants and want to grow them
  • Apples over candy bars: irresistible
  • A necessity
  • Value for money
  • Accessible; can physically get to purchase point
  • Know who grew it—really local
  • Healthy ecosystem
  • Rooted in local history and culture
  • Local as in 100-mile radius or two hours' drive
  • Local depends on the product; native
  • Buying as close to consumption as possible
  • About relationships with farmers, earth
  • Shaking hands with the grower
  • Growing a satisfaction with foods that are native and seasonal

What do you want to add?