I see what you mean.
That’s why I emphasized academic. But it’s certainly worthwhile to point out that the knee-jerk reaction to studies based solely on their funding without any further consideration is simply wrong. One needs to take a few minutes to look at their numbers and see how accurate and sensible their results are. The New Zealand lamb study to which you refer is a classic, and if anyone has materially impugned it based on actual economic and environmental facts let me know, but AFAIK the total environmental (and accounting) cost of NZ lamb sold in the UK is considerably more favorable than that of UK-produced lamb. BTW I am a (retired) transportation economist by profession so have a strong interest in this topic. I’ve done similar calculations myself over the years, never for earnings but just general interest in food transportation. IIRC there was never any effort to hide the funding for that study by the NZ sheep farmers association. They were of course well aware of the relative economics going in since they live with it. The real bad actor in that particular drama is more likely the UK lamb producers who, like everybody, don’t like to compete and so tried to discredit the study for their own purposes. Caveat emptor.
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Thank you for the insight!
For laypeople, could you summarize how the NZ lamb shipped far abroad is a better thing than eating local lamb? Genuinely curious.
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Peas are almost a whole different thing when picked fresh from garden. Especially shelling peas. Even ones bought at farmers markets are disappointing in most cases. Even when they claim is was picked that day. I find this even more so than corn which is also worlds better eaten just picked.
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This article made me reflect on a farmer market experience a few years ago. Our closest one is very small with maybe five produce farms and two or three meat and/or dairy farms. All very local. Otherwise it is premade products like wine, honey, soap. It was our first adventure out in public other than for necessary things (covid) and enjoyed being in the community. I think it was my Bday so I was in a good, buy anything that looked like fun mood. I bought some locally made, massively overpriced, Pineapple drink mix. I normally never buy premade mixes like that. It was good enough but as I drank it I wondered where pineapples were being grown in the PNW. Any fool can blend a little pineapple juice with jalapeno and come up with same product. I just got wrapped up in the day. I suppose it can be argued that me buying such a product made locally helps money flow into the local economy* a little more than me buying a can of pineapple juice or national drink mix brand but I think I would be fooling myself thinking I was making any significant impact on anything then my immediate joy and the pocketbook of the maker and seller a little fuller. She was nice. I was having a good time so this is not really compliant. It’s just a reflection on local marketing gimmick. Had I seen this in a market, I never would have bought it. If it had a made local label, I might have looked at it out of curiosity but doubt I would buy.
Good farmers markets are great for buying produce that you might not otherwise be able to buy at most commercial markets. Different types of lettuce, radish, squash etc. There are a few small markets near me that sell those tiny, short season strawberries that start to go bad if not eaten day picked. That is were buying directly from farmer is vastly superior.
*and perhaps there is some other persons local economy worthy of my support. (Shrug)
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Not saying it’s a “better thing”, not even sure what that means, except that NZ produces lots of lamb so it must be a good place to raise sheep. We get lots of NZ and Aussie lamb in the US as well.
The point in my OP and in the study being discussed (NZ lamb to UK – it was a landmark study in the matter of food shipping’s environmental impact) is that long distance shipping can and often does have a smaller environmental footprint than locally produced of the same item. This is due to both transportation and production efficiencies (efficiency = less use of resources, particularly petroleum, in production and distribution). In the case of NZ lamb or California vegetables, shipping to distant markets at scale can use less fuel per unit shipped than small and short shipments from closer sources, including “local” however you define that. You might be interested to know that the fuel you use in your car to go that extra mileage to the farmers market may result in more fuel use per unit of the stuff you buy there than did the entire trip from California in a semi. Transportation is cheap/efficient. But horticulturalists have shown that a much greater reduction in climate impact comes from the reduced need for fuel and other inputs in the production of stuff in places where the conditions are favorable, like NZ and Cali.
So if you insist for whatever reason on buying local, fine, but just be aware that it is not certain (in fact it is flat unlikely) that you are reducing your environmental footprint by doing so. You might be actually enlarging it a good deal.
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I have to drive into the city to go to the best farmers market in my area. Some of the farmers drive by me on their way there (a few perhaps literally). Not the most efficient way of doing things when it comes specifically to me, I’m sure. Makes sense that the farmers prefer to drive to city than our more local tiny markets (one has only 6 or so booths). I buy local lamb and NZ. The NZ is cheaper. The local I buy is between 15-70 miles depending on who I buy from. I would assume the local is more environmentally friendly but there are so many factors to consider I can’t say for certain.
Thank you! A lot for me to look in to. I am in California, between the San Francisco Bay area and the California central valley, and next to Dixon, which is in my county and nicknamed “Lamb Town”. I like to support the Dixon Mayfair, the oldest state fair in California, and their lamb growing efforts, especially the kids in FFA and 4H. I would like to know if supporting them makes things worse environmentally.
We share our Master Gardener program via UC Davis with Yolo County, and wonder what is thought about “shopping locally”. I know there is much support for “local food” . I’ll try to check it out.
Last year there was a story about tomatoes on the freeway.
https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/article265038619.html
I have always ( 30 plus years) planned to get to the Sacramento State fare, but it usually seems too hot! Maybe this year.
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The last time we went was in 1999 and it was the best fair I had been to, bar none. The ag displays were so wonderful and delightful. It was hotter-n-ell, but worth it. Go early, keep hydrated, check out everything and cool off as much as you can.
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There are some vegans who don’t use any animal products whatsoever. No wool sweaters, no leather shoes or wallets, etc.
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Well, to live in California and buy vegetables locally, that’s a slam dunk.
Come July I buy local tomatoes (from the actual farmer) where I am (NC) by the 20 lb box. Over the years the price has varied from $10 to $20 for the box. We eat tomato sandwiches daily for most of July and August. Local corn too of course. Very cheap that way and of course good, but only for the season.
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My sister lives in NC; Raleigh /Durham, research triangle.
Learned about Duke’s mayo and order annually for my home grown tomato sandwiches.
I hope to visit and eat more frequently in the south, now that I have retired.
My dad was from Alabama and inlaws are near Atlanta, so it won’t be all new.
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Dukes is excellent. Also Blue Plate and JBK. All of those use egg yolks not whole eggs. Hellman’s (Best where you are) uses whole eggs, which helps explain why it is in fact an inferior mayonnaise in spite of how many folks think it’s the best there is. Even Burman’s (Aldi’s store brand in the US) is egg yolks only.
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Dukes is special, but I appreciate Hellmann’s/Best Foods most of the time. Blue Plate, JBK, and Burmans, I will look for; thank you.
Here in California, Kewpie is also popular.
All good if you’re into mayo, and I am!
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Sorry JFG. My bad. Made by the same folks who make Blue Plate, but different origin cities (Knoxville and New Orleans respectively). Probably hard to find on shelves in Cali but can be mail ordered of course.
Kewpie is fine, but pricy. Same with Sir Kensington. SK is now a Unilever brand like Hellman’s, but said to be still run by the founders. It uses egg yolks only.
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Good to know about Burman’s. I shop at Aldi a lot for staples, but am fairly brand-loyal. How would you say it compares to Duke’s? And what do you think of the other Burman’s products (not to take this too far OT)?
Okay; thanks.
I buy just about everything I can from Aldi, and only go to “regular” markets for things I can’t get otherwise. I find their store brands are uniformly good quality. Some things are better – I switched from Frito-Lay’s Tostito’s to Aldi’s Clancy’s Restaurant style corn ships long ago for example, although recently I switched again to On the Border Cafe Style, so there’s that. Certainly anything Burman’s is good, although I admit I generally rotate among Duke’s, Blue Plate, and JFG for mayo. I’m also cheap and mayo is one of those things that is often on sale so I grab when I can. Life is complex.
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Nuthin’ like a fat tomato sandwich!
