Produce from your local grocery store chain (whether it is organic or conventional) travels on average 1500 miles from the farm to your plate. There are several reasons this is a cause for concern: In most cases, the farther your produce travels the less nutritious (and tasty) it is by the time you eat it.
How far does the average food travel?
It is estimated that the meals in the United States travel about 1,500 miles to get from farm to plate. Why is this cause for concern? There are many reasons: This long-distance, large-scale transportation of food consumes large quantities of fossil fuels.
How far does most produce travel to consumers?
Studies estimate that processed food in the United States travels over 1,300 miles, and fresh produce travels over 1,500 miles , before being consumed.
How far do your fruit and vegetables travel?
As Michael Pollan explains in The Omnivore’s Dilemma, an illuminating looking at our troubled food system, the average fruit or vegetable on an American’s plate travels roughly 1,500 miles to get there, and is “frequently better traveled and more worldly than its eater.”
How far does food go to grocery store?
Produce from your local grocery store chain (whether it is organic or conventional) travels on average 1500 miles from the farm to your plate. There are several reasons this is a cause for concern: In most cases, the farther your produce travels the less nutritious (and tasty) it is by the time you eat it.
What food travels the farthest?
- 1 Apples. From the USA, a journey of 10,133 miles. ...
- 2 Sugar snap peas. From Guatemala, a journey of 5,457 miles. ...
- 3 Asparagus. From Peru, 6,312 miles. ...
- 4 Pears. From Argentina, a journey of 6,886 miles. ...
- 5 Grapes. From Chile, a journey of 7,247 miles. ...
- 6 Lettuce. ...
- 7 Strawberries. ...
- 8 Broccoli.
How far does lettuce travel?
If it’s like most conventional produce in this country, it comes from an average of 1,500 miles away . 39% of our fruits and 12% of our vegetables traveled from another country. Is the lettuce in that salad good for the environment?
Why does food travel so far?
Why does our food travel so far? Food travels further nowadays mainly for three reasons: we buy seasonal food all year round ; we buy more processed food; and, we like to pay as little for it as possible.
Why is food transported over long distances?
Why food is transported long distances. ... Transporting food over long distances can allow a region’s farmers to focus on what they do best . The types of production best suited for a region depend on qualities like climate, topography, and soil.
How many food miles do onions travel?
An onion grown in Iowa travels an average 35 miles to the Iowa supermarket. An onion from the usual sources in other states treks an average 1,759 miles to the Iowa store. Thought you might want to know. We’re talking “food miles,” a growing concern of governments, environmentalists and gourmets.
Why is it bad that food has to travel long distances before it reaches your table?
Choosing foods grown closer to home makes for more nutritious and better tasting foods , reducing air pollutants and helping the local economy. As you sit down to your next meal, consider how many miles the food you are eating had to travel to arrive on your plate.
How far does chicken travel?
How far will free range chickens roam? As long as chickens know where their shelter, food, and water is, they don’t tend to roam far. Even with acres of space to roam in, they’ll often forage within 100-350 yards of their coop.
What qualifies as a food desert?
“Food deserts” are geographic areas where access to affordable, healthy food options (aka fresh fruits and veggies) is limited or nonexistent because grocery stores are too far away. Run a food drive (outside your local grocery store!) to support a food bank.
What are the disadvantages of food miles?
- Global Warming.
- More drought in places like Africa.
- More extreme natural disaters.
Why is food miles Bad?
Food miles refer to the distance that food travels to get to a consumer, and they’re an indication of the resulting emissions that can affect the environment. Why are food miles bad? Transporting produce thousands of miles via truck, rail, ship and especially air will result in more emissions .
How many food miles do carrots travel?
In our global food system, a typical carrot has to travel over 1,800 miles to reach your dinner table.
