Food That Travels Well

I just read an interesting article entitled "Food That Travels Well" from The New York Times, in reference to food and how far it travels. Environmental groups are pushing for labels to show how far food has traveled. The article points out that that eating locally would significantly reduce fossil fuel consumption. A typical carrot from Iowa has traveled 1,600 miles before we purchase it from our grocery stores. Potatoes, 1,200 miles and a chuck roast 600 miles. Seventy-five percent of apples, in New York, travel from the West Coast. "In this respect eating local joins recycling, biking to work and driving a hybrid as a realistic way that we can, as individuals, shrink our carbon footprint and be good stewards of the environment." Who does this sound like Dr. Allen? There is a flip side to this article that states, "... wouldn't it make more sense to stop obsessing over food miles and strengthen comparative geographical advantages." Maybe, but we have to be realistic that some crops are seasonal and the environment is not always prepared to grow local foods. Diets are different in different areas. Food, at some level, will always travel.