I see the myth continues. Somehow, the myth that local animal foods are more eco-friendly than similar conventional foods will not go away.

Such operations claim to be more eco-friendly, but based on what information? Do we have documentation that the cow manure is properly handled? That the streams on the property contain less fecal pollution than streams adjoining conventional dairies? That they consume fewer precious water resources? That any forested areas are on the property are protected from conversion to pasture? That they consume less feed per gallon of milk produced? That steeply sloped areas are protected from grazing?

There's a lot more to eating green than simply buying local, and there is zero research indicating otherwise. There are significant studies that suggest eating local is little more than window dressing. No one is entitled to a free pass, regardless of how local they are.

There certainly is a lot more to eating, living, and being "green" than simply buying local, and the CSBA panel series is intended to explore that to some capacity. If you're local, Mark, I suggest you attend the event and ask these questions. Of course, given that each food item in a typical U.S. meal has traveled an average of 1,500 miles from farm to plate (see p.5 of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle) I'd say that buying local has the inarguable benefit of reducing our carbon footprint(s). We also know more about the quality of what we're eating because we know the people - farmers - who are producing it. Not to mention, supporting local growers beats buying into faceless agribusiness...

Christy,
The research would, in fact, argue your
"inarguable" point. According to a study published in 2008, a food's transportation contributes 11% of its total carbon footprint.

In contrast, 83% of a food's environmental impact is in production. So whether your milk comes from a local dairy or from Butte, Montana matters little---about 11%. Therefore, the "inarguable" reduction is but a tiny piece of the carbon footprint. Dairy is, by definition, a resource intensive industry. While there may be differences in pasture-fed vs feed-fed, the differences in miles transported matter in only cosmetic ways.

Do local economies benefit? Sure.
Is it healthier? Possibly. But that is not the topic of the presentation. The topic is sustainability, and local foods have gotten a free pass based on little more than speculation and conjecture.

And I have attended one or two CSBA events, and I see little reason to expect that the current focus will change.