Big Ag Says, "Hey, We're Local Food Too."

The NY Times has an interesting article on how big ag is co-opting the local food movement's mojo to sell Lays potato chips and other junk food. Jessica Prentice, San Francisco based food writer and inventor of the term, "locavore", has the following choice quote;

“The local foods movement is about an ethic of food that values reviving small scale, ecological, place-based, and relationship-based food systems,” Ms. Prentice said. “Large corporations peddling junk food are the exact opposite of what this is about.”

Food companies are getting the message that people want to know where their food comes from, and who is involved in bringing it to market. The true test would be if a rep from Frito Lay could sign up to sell Lays Potato Chips from potatoes grown in Othello and processed in Moses Lake at Washington Farmers' markets. Technically they would qualify but there is an intangible piece that is missing that makes it seem ridiculous.

So what is it with local food? What's the big deal? Why are people so interested? Why does a Farmers' Market resonate and a Lays Potato chip leaves us flat?

Comments

[jreighley]

I think there is something about the Quaintness of the farmers market that makes it seem like a more ecologically sound option than it really is..

The simple fact of the matter is that you could transport food hundreds of miles in a semi truck for the same amount of fuel that you spend transporting it tens of miles in a pickup. I think that that message needs to be pointed out.

I don't think that Lays are going to go over very big in the farmers market though. No matter how hard they try, they will never be quaint.

I see some junk food being manufactured and peddled quaintly, and it sells just fine in the farmer's market. I think the real appeal is quaintness, not any tangible benefit.

[Craig]

I think there is the quaintness factor but it goes deeper than that for me. In a post a while back I responded to the question of fuel use to get food to market. Go here to see that - www.yearofplenty.org/2008/06/the-locavores-d.html

Fuel is not the only measure that should be looked at but it's important to remember that there are layers of the fuel debate that are note recognized in the simple equation of transportation costs. In addition to that there are the fossil fuel based fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides on which industrial sized ag is so dependent that need to be factored in. There are also issues around the degradation of soil that need to be considered. It's complex.

Thanks for your comment.