A few caveats in reference to this discussion:
There’s a great deal of arbitrariness in reference to what a specific locale is or isn’t. Modern political lines were quite literally drawn on a map to divide territories for the purposes of government. Granted, geography could have come into play at some point, but we all know that cities, towns, districts (especially school districts) have an element of the arbitrary.
More of the arbitrary: What does “local” mean? Its literal definition is “belonging or relating to a particular area or neighborhood, typically exclusively so” (Oxford Languages). But in the practical sense? I don’t really know. I’d like to think that a particular “area” or “neighborhood” forms somewhat naturally around common natural features, common needs, common desires, common goals, common culture. It’s difficult to say exactly what “local” means in terms of “local food”.
My working sense of “local”: For the purposes of this conversation, it seems to me that there is a common notion of the Northshore in Louisiana (Covington, Mandeville, Madisonville, Bush, Folsom - and the surrounding areas) and, correspondingly, the Southshore (Metairie, Kenner, New Orleans, Jefferson, Algiers, etc.). The larger locale that encompasses these areas is considered Southeast Louisiana (the toe of the boot). Let’s keep things simple and deal with two smaller locales fitting within one larger locale.
So! In the world of Southeast Louisiana, what is local? Personally, if I can’t reasonably get to the source of the particular goods that I need and back home within a few hours, I’m not going to think of that producer as local.
Modern transportation allows for a slight expansion of that idea. For instance, I can take a morning drive to New Orleans in under an hour, do what I need to do there, and return home to Bush before noon. 150 years ago, I don’t think I would have considered New Orleans “local” to me.
This has led to a bit of intellectual and cultural laziness.
Instead of researching where I might find high quality mushrooms in my general vicinity of +/- 10 miles, I might just drive to Whole Foods (20-25 miles) just because I know I can get some halfway decent mushrooms there. Is that a morally righteous choice? Probably not, but it’s the easy choice, and sometimes, in our busy lives, easy wins.
I know, I know. I’m preaching somewhat to the choir here, but hear me out. The real danger is when the moral and cultural ideal of “local food” becomes subservient to profit and convenience, even if ever so subtly.
And yes, of course I have an example, because I’ve witnessed this first-hand, second-hand, and third-hand.
Exhibit A: A few local Southshore restaurants advertise dishes featuring “local pork”. Said “local pork” is actually from a fairly large farm 300 miles away in another state. Now, this is nowhere near to being in the same category as the false advertiser who calls CAFO pork “local” merely because it’s produced in the US of A, but it’s a slippery slope. Because, guess what? Local pork actually exists in this case. There are not one, but at least two local pork producers (both actively working to expand their operations) that are located within 100 miles of these restaurants (and which actually exist within the same locale of Southeast Louisiana).
Exhibit B: A few local Northshore restaurants encourage patrons to “eat local” and “support local businesses”, but essentially do not do either of these things, because the food they serve does not come from local farms. It comes off of a SYSCO delivery truck. God bless capitalism, but at least practice what you preach … or have the guts to preach what you practice!
Exhibit C: I’ll even pick on farmers this time around. A local Northshore farm advertises seasonal meats, which they buy in from an out-of-state farm even when another farmer less than 30 miles away in the same locale regularly raises the livestock they plan to offer for their seasonal special. THAT AIN’T LOCAL!
To what can we attribute all of this baffling tomfoolery? I don’t think we can pen it down to one vice or the other. I’m certain we could all name a few vices … But here are some virtues we all need to work on for the benefit of our local food economy (which makes this endeavor other-serving, but ALSO self-serving):
Make An Effort: Before making a large purchase of food for your family or your business, ask around, look around, do some research, visit your local farmers’ markets (all of them), visit your local specialty foods stores. Don’t settle for good marketing.
Practice What You Preach: If we’re going to give “local food” lip service (more of which is currently given than actual patronage), then we need to buy into the local food economy. Coca-Cola is never going to produce a local product, so instead of wasting money on stock that will only later be sold to pay for medical bills from a life of eating COSTCO plastic, invest in locally-produced, nutrient-dense, health-amplifying foods.
Don’t Be A Jerk: If you’re a business-owner, the reality of competition can often seem like constant warfare, but it doesn’t have to be! A little good will and cooperation with your neighboring businesses can go a long way, and actually lead to more diversity in the marketplace (through communication/collaboration) than the traditional notion of constantly trying to find a way to kick your competitors in the teeth.
So what isn’t local food? Local food isn’t “local restaurant” fare, per se, unless the food that the local restaurant serves is also local food. In other words, it ain’t local just because it was purchased locally. If the second half of the dollars from that purchase are sent off to an industrial food aggregate in Iowa, of what value was the first half?!
One final note: It’s not just about money. Money is important, of course. “Money makes the world go ‘round” and all that. But the local food economy is also about the economy of resources and fertility. We have to think about how things are done and whether they are done well or poorly, because human health depends on 1. quality food, 2. produced with sustainable and regenerative methods, 3. that increases the overall health of the local ecology and the human and animal populations as time goes on.
It’s nigh impossible to know exactly the origin and living conditions of that white, antiseptic-looking, triple-sized chicken breast wrapped in plastic at the restaurant supply story, and you might not want to guess.
Get to know your local farmers. Get to know your local farms (ask for a tour)! Eat what local food IS.