Comments on: The Fallacy of Locally Grown Produce http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/28/the-fallacy-of-locally-grown-produce/ The official blog of the Skeptologists Sun, 12 Feb 2012 15:44:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: tre http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/28/the-fallacy-of-locally-grown-produce/#comment-17447 tre Sat, 30 Jan 2010 14:22:38 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2667#comment-17447 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farm_subsidies Any article on the 'fallacy of farming' with out talking about Farming subsidies provided by US tax dollars is a fallacy unto itself, because people are never paying for what the food would actually be worth if the farmer's didn't get subsidies. If governments didn't give farmer's subsidies, farmers would be at the beck and call of the same market forces that drive other types of businesses. By giving them subsidies, it also insulates them from making rataional choices, because they are getting paid to do whatever the government tells them. Rather than respond to changes in demand as neccesary, they respond when the government tells them what they should or shouldn't grow. For example, corn farmers are given subsidies to grow corn solely for ethanol manufactuing for fuel, and the government places tarrifs on importing fuel from other countries to curtail competition. This ensures a steady supply of cheap fuel, paid for by US taxpayers to pay for fuel used by other US tax payers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farm_subsidies

Any article on the ‘fallacy of farming’ with out talking about Farming subsidies provided by US tax dollars is a fallacy unto itself, because people are never paying for what the food would actually be worth if the farmer’s didn’t get subsidies. If governments didn’t give farmer’s subsidies, farmers would be at the beck and call of the same market forces that drive other types of businesses. By giving them subsidies, it also insulates them from making rataional choices, because they are getting paid to do whatever the government tells them. Rather than respond to changes in demand as neccesary, they respond when the government tells them what they should or shouldn’t grow. For example, corn farmers are given subsidies to grow corn solely for ethanol manufactuing for fuel, and the government places tarrifs on importing fuel from other countries to curtail competition. This ensures a steady supply of cheap fuel, paid for by US taxpayers to pay for fuel used by other US tax payers.

]]> By: Brika http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/28/the-fallacy-of-locally-grown-produce/#comment-14943 Brika Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:33:51 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2667#comment-14943 I found this post while searching key terms "the buy local fallacy" and this couldn't have been more dead-on! Thank you for this, especially the last 2 paragraphs. I'm linking you to my small-time blog. http://brika.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/no-farms-no-food-no-logic/ Thanks! I found this post while searching key terms “the buy local fallacy” and this couldn’t have been more dead-on! Thank you for this, especially the last 2 paragraphs. I’m linking you to my small-time blog.

http://brika.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/no-farms-no-food-no-logic/

Thanks!

]]> By: Pierre http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/28/the-fallacy-of-locally-grown-produce/#comment-14838 Pierre Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:15:04 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2667#comment-14838 (6 months later) slippery slope ? (6 months later)
slippery slope ?

]]> By: illumin8 http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/28/the-fallacy-of-locally-grown-produce/#comment-14795 illumin8 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:36:13 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2667#comment-14795 This is an interesting post. It reconfirms to me that focusing on how food is grown is more important that where food is grown. It also seems that the local model is just not scalable. At least if you want to build an empire of chain stores it isnt. If the projections on growing city populations is correct, we would do well to focus on growing methods, and efficient distribution. This is an interesting post. It reconfirms to me that focusing on how food is grown is more important that where food is grown. It also seems that the local model is just not scalable. At least if you want to build an empire of chain stores it isnt. If the projections on growing city populations is correct, we would do well to focus on growing methods, and efficient distribution.

]]> By: JMM http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/28/the-fallacy-of-locally-grown-produce/#comment-14128 JMM Sun, 18 Oct 2009 15:46:10 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2667#comment-14128 Why don't we just eat what tastes good? Find some good heirloom tomatoes at a farmer's market? Buy them and eat them. Find good apples at Walmart? By all means, buy them. Why don’t we just eat what tastes good? Find some good heirloom tomatoes at a farmer’s market? Buy them and eat them. Find good apples at Walmart? By all means, buy them.

]]> By: Wendy http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/28/the-fallacy-of-locally-grown-produce/#comment-10013 Wendy Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:52:28 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2667#comment-10013 I try to support local growers because I enjoy living in a community with small farms and green fields. It probably is more energy efficient to import asparagus in January than to grow it in local green houses, but it's even more efficient to eat foods when they are in season. I try to support local growers because I enjoy living in a community with small farms and green fields.

It probably is more energy efficient to import asparagus in January than to grow it in local green houses, but it’s even more efficient to eat foods when they are in season.

]]> By: investments http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/28/the-fallacy-of-locally-grown-produce/#comment-9991 investments Mon, 20 Jul 2009 08:22:05 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2667#comment-9991 What template are you running on this site ? I really like it. Could you post where you got it from ? What template are you running on this site ? I really like it. Could you post where you got it from ?

]]> By: lvleph http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/28/the-fallacy-of-locally-grown-produce/#comment-9256 lvleph Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:24:57 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2667#comment-9256 I see the problem being the store. If everyone had a grow co-op in their local neighborhood then there would be no issue with fuel usage. The only problem is getting it started. I see the problem being the store. If everyone had a grow co-op in their local neighborhood then there would be no issue with fuel usage. The only problem is getting it started.

]]> By: Kevin http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/28/the-fallacy-of-locally-grown-produce/#comment-9211 Kevin Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:27:21 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2667#comment-9211 Most of the families in my neighborhood subscribe to a community supported agriculture. We pay a flat rate at the start of the season for a box of fresh organic vegetables once a week from early spring to late fall. Once week I drive my truck out to the farm and load up the shares for twenty families. The shares sit in my kitchen until they are all picked up by the families. Every family walks to my house to pick up their share. Locally grown produce doesn't have to be inefficient. Once you add a community aspect things begin to change rapidly. Most of the families in my neighborhood subscribe to a community supported agriculture. We pay a flat rate at the start of the season for a box of fresh organic vegetables once a week from early spring to late fall. Once week I drive my truck out to the farm and load up the shares for twenty families. The shares sit in my kitchen until they are all picked up by the families. Every family walks to my house to pick up their share. Locally grown produce doesn’t have to be inefficient. Once you add a community aspect things begin to change rapidly.

]]> By: Ken R http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/28/the-fallacy-of-locally-grown-produce/#comment-8926 Ken R Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:06:38 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2667#comment-8926 My take from this is that when you choose to buy, whether from a farmer's market or from Wal Mart, make informed decisions. It frustrating to see so such strong support for 'locally grown' based on the environmental impact of long-distance transport of produce when about twice as much fuel (per pound) for the farmer to transport the produce to a farmer's market that to transport that pound of produce 1500 miles. For heaven's sake, if you have to go 6 miles round trip further than your Safeway store in a 35mpg hybrid to pick up 10 lbs of produce you have just used 5 times as much fuel per pound as it would take to transport the same produce 1500 miles!!!* If people really believe they are helping the environment when, in fact, they are damaging it more, the what have we accomplished? I am a small food producer. We simply cannot produce or transport our product without burning more fuel that the big guys. We don't have the access to capital or the need for the big, fuel efficient, GPS guided tractors or other efficient equipment. It is not even a close call.... But, we can produce a better tasting niche product. If that is what you want, go to your farmer's market and buy-up (but first make sure you know what you want and are getting what you want). If you want to save the environment, as much as it hurts to say it, buy from the big, efficient producers and retailers. *Big trucks can transport 80,000 lbs @ around 5mpg: For 1500 miles that equates to .4 oz of diesel fuel per pound; Driving your 35mpg hybrid 5 miles with your 10 lbs of produce will use 2.2 oz of gasoline per lb. My take from this is that when you choose to buy, whether from a farmer’s market or from Wal Mart, make informed decisions. It frustrating to see so such strong support for ‘locally grown’ based on the environmental impact of long-distance transport of produce when about twice as much fuel (per pound) for the farmer to transport the produce to a farmer’s market that to transport that pound of produce 1500 miles. For heaven’s sake, if you have to go 6 miles round trip further than your Safeway store in a 35mpg hybrid to pick up 10 lbs of produce you have just used 5 times as much fuel per pound as it would take to transport the same produce 1500 miles!!!*

If people really believe they are helping the environment when, in fact, they are damaging it more, the what have we accomplished?

I am a small food producer. We simply cannot produce or transport our product without burning more fuel that the big guys. We don’t have the access to capital or the need for the big, fuel efficient, GPS guided tractors or other efficient equipment. It is not even a close call….

But, we can produce a better tasting niche product. If that is what you want, go to your farmer’s market and buy-up (but first make sure you know what you want and are getting what you want). If you want to save the environment, as much as it hurts to say it, buy from the big, efficient producers and retailers.

*Big trucks can transport 80,000 lbs @ around 5mpg: For 1500 miles that equates to .4 oz of diesel fuel per pound; Driving your 35mpg hybrid 5 miles with your 10 lbs of produce will use 2.2 oz of gasoline per lb.

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