rebecca LANDO

http://tinyurl.com/qpk5lf

Frito Lay, which is owned by PepsiCo., is calling their chips local now because they have processing plants distributed throughout the country. So your saturated fat-riddled, chemically-flavored, additive-filled potato chips might be processed in your home state, but the actual potatoes? They could be grown as far as 1,000 miles away from you. Is this what “local” means?

“Local” doesn’t just mean “nearby.” It doesn’t just mean shaking the hand of the farmer who grew or raised your food. “Local” is a commitment by the farmer (note that I did NOT say executive or corporation or parent company or even processing plant) to raise, grow, and sell to you the best possible food s/he can - which, in itself, means that the food must be raised in the must humane, sustainable way possible, because the better the growing practice, the better the result. “Local” is an unwritten contract of accountability between consumer and producer: the consumer holds him or herself accountable by where they spend their money, and, in turn, the farmer holds him or herself accountable for the quality of the food they’re growing and the impact their farming has on the environment. Why does sustainable agriculture matter in local farming? Because the farm’s environment is as local as you can get; the soil that vegetables are sown in, the feed that livestock are raised on, are the very foundation of everything anyone buying “local” relies upon, no matter what your definition of “local” may be. Harming the environment the food is raised in only undermines the entire purpose.