This is a re-posting of localvore organizer Helen Labun Jordan's response to a Burlington Free Press editorial. 

 

 

On August 15th, the Burlington Free Press ran an editorial on

“Advantages, price of eating local” which concluded that, while an eat

local movement has advantages, it is best left to those with extra

money to spend.

It's true that much remains to be done to help Vermonters make local

foods a major component of their daily diet. Still, it's important to

have a better understanding of today’s local food prices. Data is

difficult to find. We do know that, just as imported food prices can

range from Wonderbread to caviar, local foods also have a range of

prices. Shoppers can often find deals on local food in season that

costs less than its non-local equivalent, some food has a small premium

(usually matched by better taste), and some might best be saved for

special occasions. 

A quick comparison of local farmers’ market and supermarket prices on the Saturday after the editorial appeared supported the idea that the price comparison is not as simple as some portray it to be

(unfortunately, neither is comparing prices so see the notes below).

 

 

 Farmers' Market                                   Supermarket                       

Beets    $3 / bunch w greens  C            Beets            $4.50 / bunch w/ greens  C

Cabbage $1 / lb  O                              Cabbage  $0.69 / lb  C

Chard  $2 / lb  O                                      Chard            $2/lb C

Corn    $0.50 / ear O                           Corn            $0.33 / ear C

Cuke    $0.35 / each C                         Cukes            $0.67 / each  C

Green Beans $2 / lb   O                       Green Beans   $1.5 / lb  C

Japanese                                              

Eggplant $1.50 / each O                      Local Eggplant $1.5 / lb C        

Purple Pepper $1.50 / lb O                   Green Pepper $1.50 / lb C

Radish $1.25 / bunch O                       Radish $1.80 / bunch C

Red Onions $1.75 / lb * O                    Red Onion  $2 / lb C

Tomato  $2/lb O / C                            Tomato  $2.50 / lb C

Zucchini $0.35 / each large  C              Zucchini $2.50 / each large C

 *Yellow cooking onions were not at market at the time this info was taken.

 

Explanation of the Table:

       ·        The farmers' market prices are the lowest available price with no distinction for organic vs. conventional, although these options are marked with an O and C.

·        Some of the farmers’ market and supermarket units for price were different – for example a large bunch of radishes at the farmers’ market vs. a small bunch at the supermarket or paying by each v. paying by the pound. This table does its best to standardize to the farmers’ market units (so, for example, taking 1.5x the small bunch price to equal the large bunch or weighing a large zucchini to compare to the per-each price).

·        Clearly, this table doesn’t cover all cost saving possibilities for local foods -  like CSA’s, farmstands, gardens, and buying in bulk.

      ·        These prices were taken in peak season. 

 

 

 

Another key component of food is our food assistance programs. This

year, 10% of Vermont citizens will need to visit a food shelf. The

number of families accessing food shelves has increased 23% since 2003.

The fastest growing demographic is the "working poor". And

transportation often represents 100% of the costs of bringing food to

these programs (click here to find out how the Vermont Foodbank sources

its food).

 

 

Food assistance programs are beginning to develop more partnerships

with local producers. These partnerships allow them to avoid high

transportation costs and to bring in fresh items that they can send out

to clients the same day they arrive (particularly important for

organizations without large refrigerator space). Strengthening local

food businesses through purchasing their products places them in a

better position to donate back to the community.

 

 

These numbers and ideas are a rough snapshot. But they illustrate the

fact that more needs to be done to understand, and overcome, the true

obstacles to Vermonters’ access to local foods.