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How Far Does Our Food Travel?

Explore the environmental and health impacts of food traveling long distances from farm to plate, including CO2 emissions and pollution. Learn about the benefits of buying locally and supporting sustainable food economies.

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How Far Does Our Food Travel?

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  1. How Far Does Our Food Travel? 11/17/13 By David Segan

  2. Overview • Food Miles: The distance your food has traveled from where it was grown to where it is purchased. This transportation represents only approximately 11% of life-cycle GHG emissions of agricultural products • In the 21st century, food travels an average of 1,500 miles from farm to plate in the global food economy – PBS / Worldwatch Institute / NRDC • 2,000 miles is CA – TN, Approximately 3,000 across the United States • Environmental Impact: CO2 Emissions from means of transport, refrigeration, and packaging. • Health impact: Smog forming pollutants and diesel soot particles (NRDC) • Facts: • The typical American prepared meal contains on average ingredients from 5 countries outside of the U.S. (NRDC) • Raw sugar is grown and processed in Hawaii, refined in San Francisco, packaged in New York, then sent all across the country – Specializationis the norm (CUESA) • In 2009, 16.8% of U.S. food consumption by volume is imported. From 1990-2009, share of fish that is imported has gone from 56.3% to 85.2% and Fruits and Nuts have gone from 28% to 38.5% (USDA) • For every $ we spend on food, ~16 cents goes to the farmer. 84 cents goes to diesel, driver, processing, storage cost, middle men, cooks, logistics, and final grocery stroesales expenses (Where does your grocery money go? CNN) • Walmart sells 25% of the food bought in the U.S.!! (ibid.)

  3. Consumption Assessment U.S. and non processed foods: Truck GHG emissions because trucks dominate the CO2 emissions by supply chain. (Even though by weight, trains and international cargo ships are comparable) Trains 10x less CO2 emissions than truck. (CUESA and U.S. Energy Information Administration) Ship 200x less CO2 than Plane

  4. Why Are We Moving Food Farther Than Ever Before? • Transportation costs are small relative to other production costs • Policy encouragement of international supply chains • Difficult to internalize external environmental costs • Big corporations with power and money can supply identical products on opposite sides of the world • Consumers: richer, culturally diverse, individualistic, and demand cheap food • Future: Trend shows that food supply will continue to globalize • How quickly and how strongly will climate change concerns change this trend?

  5. Policies, Regulations, Initiatives • “Buy Local” Movement: Promotes more locally based, self serving, sustainable food economies • Healthier, less emissions, better farming methods, strengthens local economies • Farmer’s Markets, Community/Urban Gardens • 10% Campaign: North Carolina, Colorado, Illinois • Community Supported Agriculture programs, Farm to School programs • Questions: • Does specialization make up for travel CO2 emissions with efficiency? • Tariffs on imports: Good or Bad? • Most vegetables ~ 20%, Shelled Peanuts ~131.8% (USITC)

  6. How You Can Eat Locally • Eat with the seasons • Shop at Farmer’s markets • Use grocery stores with locally produced foods • Join a Community Supported Agriculture program www.localharvest.org

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