Local vs. Industrial Agriculture

Increasing concerns with drought, water shortages, and energy has led America to reevaluate the sustainability of all sectors of the economy. One means of counterattacking these issues may lie in the support of local versus industrial agriculture. The benefits of buying local produce significantly outweigh those of industrial agriculture and may prove to be a vital element in meeting needs for the future.

According to The Union of Concerned Scientists, the benefits of industrial agriculture are obvious: "low food prices for American consumers, cheap feed for animal factory farms, a potential energy source to replace foreign oil, and substantial exports to foreign markets." However, large-scale production of agriculture has many perverse impacts on the environment that are not reflected in its artificially low prices. A study by Jules Pretty, a professor at the University of Essex in England, found that negative externalities from industrial agriculture included: "water pollution from farm waste, soil nutrients, erosion and pesticides; loss of landscape and biodiversity; food-borne diseases; air pollution from gaseous emissions; unnecessary transportation costs of food; human dislocation from rural to urban areas; rural community decline; poor human diets and obesity; and the cost of direct government subsidies" ⁴.

Local agriculture significantly reduces many of the harmful impacts on the environment that is seen in industrial agriculture. The Sustainable Table points out that "on average, produce sold in grocery stores travel nearly 1,500 miles between the farm where it was grown and your refrigerator". Minimizing the distance food travels by supporting local agriculture decreases the use of fossil fuels by reducing transportation and packaging. Other ways local farmers tend to practice sustainable agriculture is by rotating a diverse assortment of crops, preserving the soil, and maintaining the rural landscape⁶. Along with many environmental benefits, supporting local agriculture also benefits the local economy by "contributing to the growth of strong small businesses, generating local jobs, raising property values, and leading to strong health care, education, and entertainment sectors" ⁶. A study by the United States Department of Agriculture determined that "farmers earn 37 percent more from sales at local farmers markets than they would if they sold to a wholesaler."

Strong leadership and government policy and planning will be a critical element in the growth and sustainability of future agriculture. Government subsidies currently tend to support industrial agricultural practices. An example of an effort to support local farms is with the Community Food Security Coalition Policy Program (CFSC). Through the CFSC, "over a hundred projects have received funding to strengthen local food systems, increase low-income food security while supporting local farmers, and develop local food planning and policy organizations through this program" ³. I would especially like to see small agricultural towns (such as Blacksburg) become more supportive of its local farms.

1. "Agricultural Marketing Service - Wholesale and Farmers Markets." Agricultural Marketing Service - Home. 23 Mar. 2009 <http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateA&navID=WholesaleandFarmersMarkets&leftNav=WholesaleandFarmersMarkets&page=WholesaleAndFarmersMarkets&acct=AMSPW>.
   
2. "Buy Local, local food is sustainable - The Issues - Sustainable Table." 23 Mar. 2009 <http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/buylocal/>.
   
3. "Community Food Security Coalition - Policy Program." Welcome to the Community Food Security Coalition. 23 Mar. 2009 <http://www.foodsecurity.org/policy.html>.
   
4. Cozart, Thayne. "Industrial vs. Sustainable Agriculture." Untitled Document. 23 Mar. 2009 <http://www.acresusa.com/toolbox/reprints/Indust%20vs%20sustain_dec03.pdf>.
   
5. "Hidden Costs of Industrial Agriculture | Union of Concerned Scientists." Homepage | Union of Concerned Scientists. 23 Mar. 2009 <http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/science_and_impacts/impacts_industrial_agriculture/costs-and-benefits-of.html>.
   
6. "Oxfam America: Buying Local Food: The Smart Alternative." Oxfam America. 23 Mar. 2009 <http://www.oxfamamerica.org/whatwedo/where_we_work/united_states/news_publications/food_farm/art2564.html>.