> $100 spent at a big box retailer generates only $14 in local spending by the retailer. $100 spent at a locally owned business generates $45 dollars in local spending
> Vegetables travel an average 2,000 miles to their final destination, requiring 70,000 truckloads and 20 million gallons of fuel per year. Upon arrival, 25% of the produce is spoiled or otherwise discarded.
> The United States has 4% of the world’s population but emits 22% of the world’s greenhouse gases, mostly due to our electricity and transportation choices.
> Hawaii imports 90% of its food.
> In 1866, 1,186 varieties of fruits and vegetables were produced in California. Today, California's farms produce only 350 commercial crops.
> Communities reap more economic benefits from the presence of small farms than they do from large ones. Studies have shown that small farms re-invest more money into local economies by purchasing feed, seed and other materials from local businesses,6whereas large farms often order in bulk from distant companies. Large factory livestock farms also degrade local property values because of the intense odors they emit and other environmental problems they cause.
> A typical carrot has to travel 1,838 miles to reach your dinner table.
> In the U.S., a wheat farmer can expect to receive about six cents of each dollar spent on a loaf of bread—approximately the cost of the wrapping.
> Farmers' markets enable farmers to keep 80 to 90 cents of each dollar spent by the consumer.
> About 1/3 of all U.S. farms are located within metropolitan areas, comprising 18% of total U.S. farmland.
Sources
• Heller, Martin C., and Gregory A. Keoleian. "Life Cycle-Based Sustainability Indicators for Assessment of the U.S. Food System." Ann Arbor, MI: Center for Sustainable Systems, University of Michigan, 2000: 42.
• Leopold Center. "Food Facts: Results from Marketing and Food Systems Research." Iowa State University. March, 2008. p.11 (accessed online 8/16/08)
• 3 LaSalle, Tim, Hepperly, Paul, and Diop, Amadou. "The Organic Green Revolution." Rodale Institute. p3(accessed online 1/4/09).
• Meter, Ken. "A brief history of the 'Finding food in farm country' studies." Crossroads Resource Center. September, 2005. p2 (accessed online 8/17/08).
• Meter, Ken. "Finding Food in California: local gains, systemic losses." Crossroads Resource Center. January, 2005. p.8 (accessed online 8/17/08).
• Flore, Jan L., Carol J. Hodne, Willis Goudy, David Osterberg, James Klienbenstein, Kendall M. Thu, and Shannon P. Marquez, "Social and Community Impacts," in Iowa Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Air Quality Study: Final Report. Environmental Health Sciences Research Center, University of Iowa, 2003: 148.
• Herriges, Joseph A., Silvia Secchi, and Bruce A. Babcock. "Living with Hogs in Iowa: The Impact of Livestock Facilities on Rural Residential Property Values." Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University. Ames, Iowa, 2003.
• Pirog, Rich, and Andrew Benjamin. "Checking the Food Odometer: Comparing Food Miles for Local Versus Conventional Produce Sales in Iowa Institutions." Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, July 2003.
• Pretty, Jules. "Some Benefits and Drawbacks of Local Food Systems." Briefing Note for TVU/Sustain AgriFood Network, November 2, 2001.
• Ibid.
• Ibid.
• Environmental Protection Agency. "Ag 101, Land Use Overview." EPA. January 2004.
