Local food is trendy, but is it really more eco-friendly? – USATODAY.com

Who pitched this story?
Who did this “research?”

Who paid for these books to be written?

I find it very suspect that a large farm, growing the same genetically modified crop over and over again in the same increasingly less fertile soil is healthier than something grown on a small farm where crops are more likely to be rotated, the fertilizer used is more likely to of a natural substance (as opposed to chemical solutions which do not improve the quality of the soil in the long term,) the crops more likely (and let’s be honest about this) to be of a local origin and and of a heirloom rather than genetically modified strain and the product is more likely to ripen on the vine so to speak are not much healthier than the chemically laden, unripened when picked corporate farm products that grace the majority of supermarket shelves.

I’d like to see the bias for the assertion that larger farms use less energy than smaller farms.

Desrochers refers to non-corporate farmers as “hobby farmers” thereby betraying a huge prejudice or at least assumption on his part and implying that he did not approach the subject without a lot of bias.
  He also think that kids (and one would assume) should be discouraged from learning about their food is produced. Anyone who advocates ignorance about what we put into our bodies seems to have a an agenda very different from one of putting our nutrition first.

In the short run buying cheaper food without much nutritional food is easier on the wallet. Unfortunately poor nutrition leads to huge doctors bills so any long term economic benefits are completely negated. Desrochers must come from a lying to stockholders is good business economic model because the economic gains he mentions will not benefit the consumer ib the long run.

I’d be interested to see what think-tanks and PACs Desrocher is connected with, as well as who the major donors to University of Toronto-Mississuga are.

Obviously a smaller footprint is better for the environment but the major benefits to the consumer are in nutrition and and the benefits to the community is to encourage local job security for smaller food producers.

(um, duh?!)