The Idea

Food has closer proximity between consumer and producer.

Local resources and industry are exchanged to build a sustainable

food system.

Proximity

Social: Producer and consumer know each other and the product. Trust is built as quality is assured.

Geographical: Product is local to the consumer.

Economic: Money circulates in a local area therefor all transactions are public and transparent.

How is it different?

0 The Conventional Food system is based on economies

of scale, industrialization, global trade, efficiency and

Lower consumer costs.

0 BUT this system exploits the people and the

environment/planet.

i. Overseas production due to cheap labour, few laws or

regulations.

ii. Due to scale of production heavy use of mechanised

agriculture therefore use of cheap fossil fuels.

iii. Chemical fertilisers and pesticides damage local area.

Short Food Supply Chains (SFSC)

0 A short supply chain removes intermediaries.

0 Resistance to the Conventional food system.

0 Producers get to decide their own marketing strategies and in turn receive a better value for their farm (economic and otherwise).

0 Fewer people involved

0 Direct marketing

Farmer

Consumer

Working systems

0 Farmers Market

Producers transport their produce to local areas and sell directly

to their clients.

0 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Local based economic model of agriculture and distribution.

Both producer and consumer share in the risk and reward of the

farm.

0 Farm to School

Schools buy and feature locally made products and take

students to the farmers so they are educated about what they

eat

Advantages of Farmers Markets

0 Less transportation, less cost, less refrigeration, less storage time.

0 More profit for the farmer.

0 Consumers get fresher foods

0 Simple and free from the burden of an organizations politics.

0 Promotes a distinct local culture and is healthy for business

0 Revitalizes a community, great social atmosphere.

0 No burden of parking etc.

0 Better variety.

CSA

0 An association or network that supports local farms.

0 Payment is done at the beginning of the growing season for an expected yield.

0 Produce is delivered periodicallyduring harvest directly to the consumer.

0 Scale can vary from green houses to entire plots of land.

0 Commonly traded items are;Honey, milk products, eggs, vegetables and even meat.

Advantages of CSA

0 Stronger consumer, stakeholder and producer interaction, involvement and relationships.

0 Everyone shares the risk

0 The more a farm embraces whole-farm, whole-budget support, the more it can focus on quality and reduce the risk of food waste or financial loss.

0 More environmentally friendly practices can be initiated

Terms associated with LFS

0 Slow food

i. An alternative to fast food chains

ii. Preservation of local cuisine and culture.

iii. Emphasis on developing a local food systems

iv. Crops and livestock that normally exist in the local ecosystem.

v. Educate and lobby

0 Food sovereignty

i. Idea that local producers and consumers should controle the market and policy.

ii. Protects agricultural areas from over importing.

Disadvantages

0Can lead to narrow inward-looking attitudes or local

food patriotism.

0Price premiums and local food cultures can be elitist

and exclusive.

0Maybe impractical.

Thank You!