Supermarkets
control the food distribution in cities and towns. Everyone knows where the
nearest supermarket is and which one is their personal favorite, because of its
price, distance, quality or repertoire. Most of us prefer going to such places
than to a local market that may be crowded and less clean than a big store. We
are only promoting the production of massive amounts of food through altered
crops and animal industries. The concept of local or regional food system refers
to food produced and distributed close to consumers’ homes. There are many
benefits to this system, some of which I will describe briefly.
Locally
grown food isn't transported for long distances, which in turn means less
conservatives and chemicals used to keep the food fresh. These products keep
the food from rotting soon but are also deleterious to our health with chronic
ingestion. These reduced timing between farm and table brings other benefits,
the first being that the crops are picked at their peak, having the best
quality available. Since local farmers don't produce massive amounts of foods,
we can say that their crops are ‘hand crafted’ for best flavor. This applies to
vegetables and animals, which are fed correctly and kept in open spaces, not in
closed disease-promoting spaces that animal industries use. Since quality is
placed over quantity, the genetic diversity in plants is preserved, contrast
with the large and transgenic products we find in supermarkets. When we buy
products we now the brand and maybe the location where the food is grown but we
never know who really grows the food. Local farmers aren't anonymous, they are
real people that can be contacted and spoken to, ensuring the safety of the
food. We live in a globalized world where the rich are getting richer and the
poor, poorer. Buying locally grown food helps local economy and supports the
needing families because they will receive fair prices for their work, not the
misery they receive from supermarkets. This boosts the economy and prevents the
effluent of money to big companies that in many cases are foreign. This local
families can retain their properties and preserve open spaces, which turns
beneficial to wildlife and the environment since big companies aren't building
big factories and buildings that are deleterious to life.
I know it
can be difficult to find these kind of markets and products in big cities, but
if we only open our eyes we will realize that they are everywhere. Markets are
numerous and local food growers can be found in small stores, markets, and even
in the streets. We should make an effort and buy all the food we can from local
farmers. There will be products that are only found in supermarkets fulfilling
their essence, to sell food that cannot be found in local markets.
