What is “Locally Grown”?

Written by Craig Elevitch | Agroforestry.net | 26 January 2010

Part 1: Infrastructure

What it takes to grow a "locally grown" crop is more than just a geographical location. "Local" also applies to the resources that go into the crop's production and distribution. These two tomatoes were both grown on Hawai'i Island, but one was grown using a vast amount of off-island infrastructure and imported resources and the other relied only on local and sustainably produced resources.

The tomato on the left (15% local) was grown by a large commercial operation using imported synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. These inputs require large quantities of fuel, minerals, and chemicals to produce and transport them. The seed used to grow the plants was imported from a large mainland seed company. The variety might be patented, which means that the seed cannot be legally saved for the next season. Irrigation water was pumped out of the ground, requiring an expensive water infrastructure and imported energy to drive pumps. Also, because the left-hand tomato is grown on a large farm, it requires fossil fuel, vehicles, and many miles of road to transport it to the consumer.

The tomato on the right (100% local) was fertilized using compost and mulch made with organic materials grown where the tomato was grown. In other words, the fertilizers required no imports. This variety has been grown in the same garden for 15 years so it has become locally acclimatized to a specific environment. The seed was saved from last year's crop—it is not patented and therefore is not owned by anyone. Rainwater was used to irrigate the plants, either directly from the sky or from a catchment tank when necessary. Maintaining thick organic mulch on top of the soil minimizes water and nutrient losses. Finally, the tomato is consumed by the people who grew it and surplus tomatoes given to neighbors or sold in the local farmer's market.

The infrastructure used in producing "locally grown" crops determines whether our food system is self-reliant or sustainable. The 15% local tomato requires continuous reliance on farm inputs from outside Hawai'i, and results in a large carbon footprint. The 100% local tomato can be replicated in any garden or farm in Hawai'i and minimizes detrimental impacts on the environment.

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