From the Ground Up

GROWING OUR LOCAL FOOD

ECONOMIES SUSTAINABLY –

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

THE FIRST SASKATCHEWAN FOOD SUMMIT

VIKI SONNTAG, PHDMARCH 2, 2011

From the Ground Up

HINT: WE ARE NOT TALKING PB&J

SANDWICHES HERE

What Makes Local “Local”?

“Going Local” Drivers

HealthEnvironmentEconomySocial JusticeCommunity

Locally Directed Spending Doubles Income

2/18/2008Workshop on Sustainbly Growing the Local Food Economy

$31 – or 24% – is re-spent locally for a total impact of $131.

$79 – or 44% – is re-spent locally for a total impact of $179.

$25 – or 20% – is re-spent locally for a total impact of $125.

$52 – or 34% – is re-spent locally for a total impact of $152.

$62 – or 38% – is re-spent locally for a total impact of $162.

Healthy Dollar Flows

Are associated with a greater number and diversity of local linkages that build on the small-lot variety that is characteristic of sustainable agriculture.

LFE Category Pattern of LFE Linkages

Institutional Food Service

Weakly linked – indirect linkages only.

Distributors Weakly linked – small number of weak linkages.

Manufacturers and Processors

Range of weak to strong linkages.

Groceries and Home Delivery

Many weak, mainly buy-sell linkages.

Farmers and Fisher Folk

Strong linkages involving additional resource exchanges.

Restaurants and Food Service

High multipliers; Many and strong linkages.

A Web of Relationships Rooted in Place

OR: WHY WE ARE STILL EATING PB&J

SANDWICHES?

System Dynamics

Path Dependence and Transitions

SystemOptimization

System InnovationChange Costs

Fence:

Need to develop “volume” local markets for mid-sized farms

Trap:

Dependence on low-cost commodity foods for school lunches

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costs benefits

Fences are short-term costs that prevent the realization of long-term benefits.

Traps are short-term benefits that come at the expense of

long-term costs.

Distribution: Scaling Up versus Spreading Out

Jobs: Living Wages vs Meaningful Work

Health: Who Pays vs Who Benefits

NOT YOUR OLD PB&J SANDWICH

Real Possibilities

Hopworks Urban Brewery Portland, OregonFirst Eco-Brew Pub

Photo Credits: Alicia Carrier, 350.org, and mdog under Creative Commons licenses

Food Cart PodsPortland, OR

Photo Credits: Robyn Lee and Grant under Creative Commons licenses

Rhizomes!

Thank You!