An über local food system, where food is grown and sold within a city’s limits, has many potential economic, social and environmental benefits in addition to providing fresh quality food products. As a result, there is a strong desire to have more urban farms in Seattle despite the limited number of places it occurs today.
While über local farming makes strides in shortening the distance for a crop to reach a consumer, it is important to recognize that, in terms of carbon footprint, the largest carbon hit is at the end of the distribution route. In other words, more energy is used getting a crop from the grocery store to the table than it takes to get a crop from the field to a store.
When looking at food production, it is impossible to ignore the implications that the transportation of food has on food cost and environmental degradation. Large-scale farming, whether conventional or organic, transports crops a long distance to reach the consumer. In addition, a large component of food price is determined by shipping, packaging and storage. In the growth of a local food system, the reduction of transportation costs can restructure agricultural profits to allow farmers to earn a better living wage and ultimately make urban farming a more viable option.