For a while now, many people have been pushing the “eat local” theory, including me. After all, eating foods that were grown locally taste better, are better for you, and help local farmers stay in business.
If you go by the numbers, it seems as if the whole concept is taking off. The U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) just released some astonishing numbers about local markets. American farmers, who once seemed destine to become extinct, are making a great comeback. The USDA estimates that American farmers are bringing in $4.8 billion for products grown locally. There is some dispute as to what exactly defines “locally,” but for this survey, the USDA included sales to intermediaries like restaurants, but also sales to consumers through places like local farmers markets.
Since 1998, the number of local farmers markets has doubled, but that isn’t where all the revenue is coming from. Most of the new sales, between $2.7 and $3.8 billion, are coming from purchases made by supermarkets and restaurants. The USDA didn’t include schools, hospitals, or prisons in their survey of local farmers, but let’s hope those markets, especially schools and hospitals, are increasing their intake of local produce. The USDA is estimating that about forty perfect of farmers produce is now being sold locally.
It’s a bit murky as to how much impact the “eat local” push has had on these numbers, as this is the first year the USDA has included numbers for local food markets. And before you get too impressed by the almost $5 billion amount, know that that is only 2 percent of what American farmers sell. Most of the sales come from larger crops like soybeans and corn.
Still, these are last year’s numbers and the USDA is estimating that the numbers will continue to rise – to almost $7 billion next year.