Think Globally, Eat Locally

Many of you have seen a variation on the above headline on bumper stickers. I tweaked the slogan because these days an awful lot of people believe they can make an impact on the world in choosing what they eat. Now, I’m not ordinarily a very “with it” guy. In fact, I wasn’t initially sure the sustainability movement wasn’t much more than a trend. But the move toward sustainability has proved to be, well, sustainable. And so it is, it seems, with the movement toward eating locally.

In fact, many sustainability proponents argue that eating locally is a key component to sustainability. It’s something everyone can do, every day. By eating locally, a person can help cut down on shipping, thus reducing the amount of fuel burned and shrinking one’s carbon footprint. I really knew this concept had arrived, however, when a new word was coined to describe such a consumer: locavore. The term, which was thought up by a group of four San Francisco women who proposed that local residents should only eat what’s grown or produced within a 100-mile radius, was chosen by the New Oxford American Dictionary as Word of the Year for 2007.

Then, just in the past week, a couple of news items popped into my inbox that drove home the notion. First, the Food Marketing Institute released its 16th annual Shopping For Health survey, which showed that eating organically has taken a back seat to eating locally. When the cost is the same, 50% of consumers said they would choose locally grown produce vs. organic, 28%. Only 9% would choose a store-packaged alternative.
The second news item, which appeared in numerous newspapers in Great Britain, centered on the remarks of a Scottish chef, Gordon Ramsay. I have to confess I’d never heard of Ramsay, but he’s apparently quite well-known here in the U.S., as his reality-television cooking competition, “Hell’s Kitchen,” recently debuted its fourth season on the Fox network. (In case you think he’s just one of those reality TV crackpots, further research revealed the man is one of only three chefs in Britain whose restaurant is rated at three Michelin stars.) In an interview on national radio, Ramsay called for a ban on out-of-season fruits and vegetables.

Eat A Banana, Go To Jail

Ramsay didn’t just urge consumers to boycott restaurants serving, say, Kenyan strawberries in March. He wants to see legislation, with hefty fines for restaurants that violate the rule. “There should be stringent laws — licensing laws — to make sure produce is only used in season,” he said. “The quicker we get legislation pushed through the Houses of Parliament, the more unique this country will become in terms of sourcing and level of inspiration.”

Unlike many locavores in the U.S., whose primary motivations appear to be environmental preservation and more healthful eating, Ramsay’s motivation is clearly culinary. But whatever the purpose, this locavore movement has legs. Fruit growers would be wise to give it more than just passing consideration.

It might be different if you were like most farmers, who can switch crops and varieties year to year or even, here in California, season to season. But when you plant a tree or a vine, it’s going to stay in the ground for (hopefully) many years. No, I don’t think most Americans are going to stop wanting apples in the winter — not to mention oranges and bananas — but I do see some potential impact, especially for niche growers.

Take advantage of the locavore movement. For example, what varieties are considered local in your area? You might gain an edge by emphasizing them. Also, you might want to consider more carefully when certain varieties are harvested. If you’re one of the few growers who can offer a certain type of fruit locally, you’ve probably got a winner on your hands. Don’t forget, there’s a reason the crops you grow are often referred to as “permanent,” after all. The locavore movement is just one more factor to take into account — and hopefully use to your advantage — when making those critical “permanent” planting decisions.