Locavore
A locavore is an individual who prioritizes consuming food that is produced locally, typically within a specific geographic radius, often defined as a hundred miles. This movement, which began in 2005 when chef Jessica Prentice and others in the Bay Area challenged themselves to eat only local foods for a month, promotes awareness around food sustainability, the environmental impacts of food transportation, and support for local economies and farms. While locavores focus on sourcing local produce, they also acknowledge that it may not always be feasible to obtain all food items from the immediate area. In such cases, they are encouraged to choose products from organic or family-owned sources, even if these sources are outside the local radius.
The locavore movement is often praised for its potential health, environmental, and economic benefits; however, it faces criticism for being elitist or naive, as it may be more accessible to those with disposable income and proximity to food producers. Critics argue that not all communities have equal access to local food options, and the movement may overlook broader socioeconomic issues within the food industry. Overall, the concept of locavorism invites a thoughtful consideration of food choices, promoting a deeper connection to local agriculture and community.
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Subject Terms
Locavore
A locavore is a person who chooses to eat primarily foods grown, raised, caught, or otherwise produced locally. Definitions of local vary from individual to individual; however, the group that coined the term originally challenged prospective locavores to eat foods produced within a hundred-mile radius of their homes. In addition to locally produced food, locavores may also support local small businesses that sell nonlocal food as well as nonlocal organic farms and family-owned food companies. While many locavores argue that eating locally has health, environmental, and socioeconomic benefits, some critics have characterized the movement as naive and accessible only to the economically privileged.
Overview
The term locavore, sometimes written as localvore, originated in 2005, when it was coined by chef Jessica Prentice. In the spring of that year, Prentice and several other residents of California’s Bay Area began a month-long challenge to buy and eat food produced within one hundred miles of San Francisco rather than imported from other states or countries. The group sought to increase awareness of food sustainability issues and the fossil fuel use required to import food as well as to promote local farms and businesses and support the local economy. The challenge was successful, and during the following years, challenges and locavore groups sprang up throughout the United States, popularizing the movement.
While the locavore movement focuses primarily on locally produced food, the group that popularized the concept recognized that in some cases, eating locally is impractical or even impossible. Some staples—such as flour, for instance—may not be produced anywhere nearby. Rather than adhere to a strict locavore ethic in such cases, locavores are encouraged to make thoughtful decisions when choosing which foods to purchase. For example, if locally grown vegetables are not available, produce grown outside the local radius but farmed using organic methods or on a family-owned farm is preferred over nonorganic produce imported by large corporations. Similarly, in the case of products that may be impossible to grow locally, such as coffee beans, locavores are encouraged to buy such products from locally owned shops rather than chain stores.
While the locavore movement is considered by many to benefit the environment and the local economy as well as the health of its members, the movement also has its fair share of critics. Some have deemed the movement well intended but naive, arguing that it does not take the complex socioeconomic ramifications of the food industry into account. Critics have also noted that the buying and eating habits promoted by the locavore movement are possible only for individuals who live near food producers and have the disposable income necessary to purchase local food, which can often be more expensive than the imported food found in most supermarkets.
Bibliography
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Mikulak, Michael. The Politics of the Pantry: Stories, Food, and Social Change. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s UP, 2013. Print.
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