Agriculture: Local vs. Organic

What is better, local or organic food?  This question has been posed time and time again.  Why can't we enjoy locally grown organic food?  There are numerous health, environmental, and economic reasons to consume local organic food.

Organic foods are produced without using synthetic pesticides or chemical fertilizers, and do not contain genetically modified organisms.  They are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.  However, organic food today is produced on more of an industrial scale.  Much like conventional farming, food comes from less than nutritious soil, produce is picked before it reaches its peak nutrition, and fossil fuels are used to produce, package, and transport organic food.


I recently made a trip to Whole Foods Market located in Arlington, Texas.  Several people told me about the store and that they carry mostly organic foods.  As I was looking at the produce and meat sections of the store, I began to look at the origin of the food.  The vast majority of the food was from countries outside of the United States.  This requires the food to be picked early enough so that it does not spoil in transit to the US.  Transportation to the US also consumes a great amount of fossil fuels.  Anyone who has eaten a peach or nectarine that was picked prematurely can attest to the inferior taste.  When I go to the store to buy fruits and vegetables, I want to be able to consume the food the same day.  Otherwise, I would purchase frozen or canned food.  I shouldn't have to place the produce in a brown paper bag to aid in its ripening.  I have also noticed that prematurely picked fruits and vegetables ruin much faster when attempting to ripen them off the vine.  


Local food on the other hand keeps local farmers in business.  Farmers all over the US are losing their farms due to industrial giants.  They are not able to price their food as competitively or provide the quantity as say Monsanto Soybean Company.  Food produced locally also tastes better because it is picked at its peak ripeness.  Local farms allow the consumer to develop a working relationship with the farmers.  Doing so allows consumers to know where their food is coming from and the farming methods used.  Local Harvest  is a website that you can locate farmers and co-ops in your area.  It is an invaluable resource that empowers the consumer to take control of the food that their family consumes.  


For those of you wanting a complete hands on experience that can be both local and organic, you should consider starting your own organic vegetable garden.  You can control what is grown and how it is grown.  It does not require massive space and many individuals choose to grow in their windowsills or in raised beds.  Urban Organic Gardener has some tips for getting started in limited space.


Resources: Organic and Local Food, Local Harvest, Organic.org, Whole Foods Market, Urban Organic Gardener