Preview

Local Food Movement

Best Essays
Open Document
Open Document
3326 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Local Food Movement
The Local Food Movement and Local Food Initiatives
In recent decades, with great growth along the way, more people have gravitated towards purchasing local foods. As a grassroots movement, the local food movement has been an influence that has become an everyday thing in North America. Although most of what the human population consumes is produced on rural land, the local food movement has entered urban areas of North America with many individuals participating in urban farming. This paper will describe and discuss the growth of the local food movement in North America with an emphasis on urban farming practises that have arisen in many cities across the continent.
The local food movement contributes to a global industry, with much of local food sales taking place in the United States. In a study that was performed in 2008 detailing local food numbers in the U.S., sales “were estimated to have grown from $4 billion in 2002 to $5 billion in 2007 and were projected to reach $11 billion by 2011” (Ikerd 50) To add to the growth in local food sales in the U.S., 2007 Census of Agriculture data determined an increase in small farms, which is the first sign of growth in decades. Between the period of 2002 and 2007, the U.S. saw an increase of 14,631 small farms. (Starr 479)
The local food movement is recognized for its growing popularity and has even broken into a market of its own. The movement dates back to the 1960s when certain people began to identify themselves as hippies, distinguishing themselves as different to most Americans. Ikerd speaks of the rise of a different community of people after “Rachel Carson’s…Silent Spring, had awakened public awareness to the environmental risks of agricultural pesticides.” (Ikerd 50) The new community responded to Carson’s publication by growing their own foods and purchasing locally at farmers markets.
The movement gained momentum throughout the 1970s and 1980s when people outside of the hippie culture were becoming more



Cited: “2012 Farm Fact Sheet.” Eagle Street Rooftop Farm. 2012. Web. 27 Mar. 2013. “Brooklyn Grange|Organic Urban Rooftop Farm|Brooklyn Farm.” Brooklyn Grange, 2012. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. Canadian Co-operative Association Davies, Richard. “Here’s how to make a farm.” Minnedosa Tribune 8 June. 2013: 8. Print. Elton, Sarah. “The farm on top of the city.” Maclean’s, 22 Oct. 2012: Vol. 125, 41. Print. Hage, Mohamed. “Beyond the Green Roof: Greenhouses Grow Possibilities for Urban Building Owners.” Greenhouses Grow Possibilities for Urban Building Owners. Meeting of the Minds, 18 Feb. 2013. Web. 26 Mar. 2013. Hage, Mohamed. Lufa Farms|Our vision is a city of rooftop farms. Lufa Farms, 2013. Web. 26 Mar. 2013. Ikerd, John E. “Local Food: Revolution and Reality.” Journal of Agricultural & Food Information. 12.1. (2011): 49-57. Web. 28. Mar. 2013. LaBadie, KT. “Residential Urban Chicken Keeping: An Examination of 25 Cities.” University of New Mexico. 7 May. 2008. Print. Pontanilla, Bernice. “City decision on urban chickens runs afowl, says activist Louise May.” Winnipeg|Metro. Free Daily News Group Inc., 10 Jan. 2013. Web. 27 Mar. 2013. “Rooftop Farming- FarmRoof.” FarmRoom, 2011 Sinnema, Jodie. “Bylaw officer arrives to find chickens have flown coop.” Edmonton Journal. Postmedia Network Inc., 23 Jan. 2013. Web. 27 Mar. 2013. Starr, Amory “To Make a Farm.” Orangeville Road Pictures Ltd., 2012. Web. 26 Mar. 2013. “What is CSA?” Just Food. 2010. Web. 26 Mar. 2013.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The smell of warm, baked bread and fresh apples fills the air and sends crowds drifting towards it. Swarms of people immediately hustle to find the target of the scent in a rush to purchase the food. The locavore movement is a movement based on food that is produced locally, and has not traveled long distances to markets. It is gingerly reforming how food is being flourished and provided to people in America. The locavore movement is beneficial to economic and environmental associations; therefore, the practice of locavorism should be espoused nationally.…

    • 631 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Locavore Dbq

    • 728 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The circumstances surrounding the locavore movement have been continuously debated over the past decade. Pro-locavores insist that locally grown produce just naturally tastes better. They claim that purchasing local products ultimately protects the consumer from bio-terrorism. However, the benefits of becoming a locavore are still undefined from a statistical standpoint. Because it has been proven that food miles are insignificant during the food handling process, and the definition of “local” is still unclear amongst supporters of the movement, it’s easy to see through a larger scope how becoming a locavore is highly impractical.…

    • 728 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The locavore movement helps the local economies by spurring it on and generating growth within the communities. Jennifer Maiser argues that “eating local means more for the local economy” by stating “a dollar spent locally generates twice…

    • 562 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Locavore

    • 764 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Locavore movement started in San Francisco when four women decided to promote the idea of eating foods that were only grown or produced within a 100-mile radius. In 2005 these four women challenged themselves, others in the Bay area, and the world to eat only local foods for one month. (Trimarchi) Since then this movement has become a developing trend throughout several cities around the world. By a decision to eat locally grown or produced products as much as possible, locavore advocates claim that buying local products consist of fresh seasonal food with a higher nutritional value that leads to a healthier life, reduces pollution that transportation creates, and helps grow the local economy.…

    • 764 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Locavore Movement

    • 231 Words
    • 1 Page

    The locavore diet is about building a strong local food system and a healthier community. Many locavores find that their diet helps them learn new things about the food they eat and the community where they live. The locavore movement impacts our local community and the financial stability. According to Jennifer Maiser, “When businesses are not owned locally, money leaves the community at every transaction.” The locavore movement strengthens the community; however, it also hurts farmers in other parts of the world (Source C). Locally bought food supports farmers and small businesses in the communities (Source A). According to the UK-based International Society for Ecology and Culture, one of the leading lights in the localvore movement, “Such…

    • 231 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Over the last decade the increase in consumer concerns regarding food origin, have changed the landscape of consumer purchasing decisions and contributed to the growing demand for local produce and products. The locavore movements are people and environments who have decided to eat locally grown or produced products; in fact it has become widespread over this past decade. Communities have considered whether a locavore movement is beneficial in changing a population’s nutrition while maintaining the local producers’ businesses.…

    • 781 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Locavore Research Paper

    • 534 Words
    • 3 Pages

    A new agricultural movement has emerged and has become widespread in the past decade called “locavores”. These locavores advocate the consumption of only locally grown foods. This healthy movement would not only change a person’s nutrition but also the sustainability and economics of our world.…

    • 534 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The warm sun rays beaming down on the emerald stalks of corn, the bright light radiating on rolling fields of amber grain. Children screaming in delight throughout the country sides and cities. During those sensational, amiable months of summer, tucked inside practically every newspaper are calendars touting seemingly endless opportunities to attend weekly farmers markets. A new movement, deemed locavorism, is digging its spurs in the ground and taking root in communities worldwide. Instead of relying on mass-produced, far-shipped foods for sustenance, a profusion of people are instead turning to foods grown/produced locally (about a 100 mile radius).…

    • 705 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The locavore movement is a movement encouraging the localization of food production and consumption, or in other words, it is encouraging people to buy straight from the farmers’ market. This idea of closing the gap between producer and consumer proves to be very helpful to many different communities when it is taken seriously and with tactic. A community would largely benefit from an organized locavore movement because locally grown food strengthens the local economy, it is fresher and more nutritious, and provides equity between producer and consumer.…

    • 705 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Food Politics

    • 7535 Words
    • 31 Pages

    Paarlberg, Robert. 2010. Food Politics:What Everyone Needs to Know: What Everyone Needs to Know. New York, New York: Oxford University Press.…

    • 7535 Words
    • 31 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The most devastating and eye-opening topic that Foer writes about in this week’s reading is the treatment of chickens. This topic stood out most to me because I had inadequate previous knowledge of this issue. Foer writes that there are sheds that house over thirty thousand chickens in one single room. These sheds are forty-five feet wide and four hundred and ninety feet long. This results in a very limited space for the chickens; Foer reports that each bird gets less than eight-tenths of a square foot. The chickens are forced to grow fast on as little feed as possible. The muscles and fat tissues are engineered to grow significantly fast that the bones itself resulting…

    • 425 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Locavore Movement Essay

    • 598 Words
    • 3 Pages

    For a community, the opportunity to provide alternative food sources, that are healthier for both its inhabitants and the environment, is invaluable. The locavore movement, which involves only consuming locally produced food, seems to do all this and more. However, this is only at first glance. The health, environmental and economic benefits of only eating locally all appear infallible on the surface, but when they are inspected closely they become almost inconsequential.…

    • 598 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    References: Baranski, M. (2013, February 12). Local Food Systems. Retrieved from United States department of Agriculture: http://www.ers.usda.gov…

    • 2259 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Buying local foods

    • 1158 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Have you ever wondered why the produce you find in a grocery store comes from all over the country When there are local farms that sell the same produce grown in your backyard? My family buys our produce from our local C.S.A.(Community Supported Agriculture), farmers markets, and produce stands. There are thousands of places like these across the country that get overlooked by consumers every day. An individual’s choices regarding food purchases can positively influence our world house by supporting our local farmers, reducing fossil fuel emissions and promoting better farming practices.…

    • 1158 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Communities across the United States are enjoying healthier food grown by local farmers; and farmers are reaping better returns and helping to revitalize rural and urban communities by selling close to home instead of through distant markets. Local marketing has expanded beyond farmers’ markets and farmlands, although these are still popular and the number of US farmers’ markets is growing rapidly. New regional supply networks are linking farmers with their customers in innovative ways and taking advantage of opportunities for marketing to institutions such as public schools, hospitals and universities. In the process, they are bringing a host of other benefits to communities within the networks. But significant barriers must be overcome to increase the potential of these new marketing mechanisms and expand them to meet the needs of underserved farmers and customers.…

    • 625 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays

Related Topics