“Foodshed” refers to the network of producers, distributors, and markets that supply food to consumers. Some prefer to eat locally, but others argue that international spillover is necessary to ensure everyone has enough to eat. The term is borrowed from “watershed” and has been used since 1929.
The term “foodshed” is used to indicate the interconnected network of producers, distributors and markets that supply food to consumers. Thanks to the globalization of agriculture, many food spills include the whole world, and this is a concern for some activists, who would prefer to see people producing, buying and eating locally. People who try to eat inside a local grocery store may refer to themselves as “locavi.”
While “foodshed” sounds like something from the New Age movement, it’s actually a very old word. The first documented discussion of a food dealing occurred in 1929, when it was used in much the same sense it is today. The term is borrowed from “watershed,” a term referring to a connected network of water sources that drains to the sea; in the case of a grocery store, the interconnected resources end up at someone’s table.
The study of food shedding and the culture of food consumption is of great interest to some people. Chances are high that if you were to start rummaging through your pantry, you’d find that your food storage is incredibly large. You might have rice from Asia, chocolate from Africa, olive oil from Europe, greenhouse vegetables from South America, and wheat from North America, for example. As these resources flowed into your pantry, they changed hands several times, and depending on the source, various levels of other resources may have been used to move food to you.
People who prefer to eat inside a local grocery store argue that locally produced foods require less energy to produce, support the local economy, and allow consumers to enjoy a more personal connection with the people who produce their food. Additionally, locally grown produce tends to taste better, because it’s harvested fresh and at peak maturity, rather than being harvested in a green state so it can be shipped safely. However, others have argued that some communities may not be able to sustain their populations with locally available foods alone, making international spillover vital to ensuring everyone has enough to eat. Regional food production can also sometimes conflict with other proposed uses of the land, a major problem in many developed countries.
If you feel particularly interested one day, you might try charting your food business, examining the sources of your food and speculating on the resources involved in getting the food to your home.
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