To the Editor:

I am writing out of concern of a pertinent issue impacting Northern New York. I am a graduating senior at St. Lawrence University and a Conservation Biology Major.

I recently completed a semester long research thesis in regard to food miles and the role of food miles in North Country. Food miles are defined as the distance that food has to travel to get from where it is produced to your plate. Because of industrialized agriculture, most food is produced in a centralized region and is then distributed across the country and around the world. Therefore, the practice of distributing food far distances from its production or growing site, has negative impacts on the global climate because of carbon emissions.

This research has led me to believe that is it important to the health of our society that we advocate for initiatives that reduce food miles of food products in the North Country.

Food miles are a nationwide issue, but are felt acutely in the North Country. In the United States food items travel approximately 1,300 miles from farm to table. Because agriculture has been industrialized, large-scale farms monopolize the market and make it difficult for local, small-scale farms to compete in the same market. For instance dairy is the number one sector of the New York State agricultural industry, but ironically it is difficult for a consumer to purchase local milk in regional grocery stores. Wouldn’t it be nice to support local dairy farmers with local dollars?

We as consumers have the ability to choose local options, which reduce food miles and have beneficial implications for the local economy. You can help to decrease food miles by supplementing your food basket with goods and produce from farmers markets or Community Supported Agriculture, when possible. If you are interested to learn more, one community organization, called GardenShare, works to connect consumers with local producers and farmers. You can visit their website for specifics (GardenShare.org).

If you share in this concern, I suggest contacting the manager of your grocery store to inquire about providing more local options. I also encourage readers to be more conscious of where their food is coming from and the consequences of their food miles. Thank you for your consideration.

Nina Serach

Canton