Localizing the Regional Food System

Root Words returns with a special five-part series to take a closer look at the growing effort to localize our food system. Localized food systems are gaining regional and national attention for the benefits that go beyond food production and consumption. Rural and urban communities across the United States and the world are building local food networks for greater resilience, stronger local economies, better health, and social well being.

Vermont Farmers Food Center is a food hub that’s creating an alternative to the existing food system by rooting food production and access in a particular place. In this series we’re going to explore how a focus on local food builds relationships with people and the environment, and we’ll discuss how a local food center can contribute to the regional and global impact that localization may have on our economic and environmental sustainability. 

Localizing the regional food system is the Vermont Farmers Food Center’s stated mission. In our first episode in this special series, we are taking a deeper dive into why localizing the food system is important and why it’s so important now.

The Cambridge English Dictionary defines localization as, “the process of organizing a business or industry so that its main activities happen in local areas rather than nationally or internationally.” Today’s guests will help us understand why localization is needed now and how it creates change to the existing nationalized food system. 

A localized food system, built at the community level that balances the strengths and needs of the community creates more economic autonomy, empowered civic participation, and community well-being.  On the next episode of Root Words we’ll explore a local alternative to global consolidation, the community food web. 

This episode was produced by Stephen Abatiell and Julia Anderson. 

Special thanks to Steve Gorelick, Shane Rogers, and Ellen Kahler. 

To learn more, check out Steve Gorelick’s films and books at Local Futures, www.localfutures.org/ 

This Root Words series has been underwritten by Windswept Farm and Rutland Fluoride Action. 

 

Barry Cohen of Windswept Farm strongly supports VFFC and is very encouraged with the Food Hub plan. Barry says, “My farm as well as my partner, The Squier Family Farm, expect to use the food hub facilities with it benefiting our process and profit.”

 

The folks at Rutland Fluoride Action are dedicated to ending fluoridation of the Rutland City water supply, learn more at RutlandFluorideAction.org.

Root Words is produced in the heart of Rutland County Vermont and is made possible by generous support from listeners like you.  You can support Root Words by visiting us Online