Farm to Table

Eye on the Environment

Dena Rose, CMP, CMM

A&M Meetings and Incentives

Farm to table means different things to different people. It started as quite literally meaning going straight from the farm to the table. Over the years it has evolved to encompass much more. Wikipedia defines Farm-to-table as:

Farm-to-table (or farm-to-fork) refers to the stages of the production of food: harvesting, storage, processing, packaging, sales, and consumption. Farm-to-table also refers to a movement concerned with producing food locally and delivering that food to local consumers. Linked to the local food movement, the movement is promoted by some in the agriculture, food service, and restaurant communities. It may also be associated with organic farming initiatives, sustainable agriculture, and community-supported agriculture.

Built on the idea that the freshest food is the best for the body, it encouraged people to replace over processed fast food with healthier alternatives. Over time, there was the realization that farm to table had a positive financial impact on the local small to medium size farms. It was also discovered to decrease the environmental impact and carbon footprint of factory farms and mass food production.

In a study by Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, the average fruit and/or vegetable travels approximately 1500 miles before being sold to a consumer. Additionally 39% fruits and 12% vegetables were imported from other countries. To keep food from spoiling during these long trips, some produce is picked before it has had a chance to fully ripen – and absorb nutrients from its surroundings.

This practice allows the fruits and vegetables to ripen in transit and ensures that consumers get fresh, ripe produce year round, but according to the United States Department of Agriculture, it causes the produce to lack in the nutrients that would be present if it was allowed to ripen on the vine.

In addition to being healthy for you, getting your food locally is healthy for the environment. The average 18-wheeler gets roughly five miles to the gallon. To move produce 1,500 miles would burn around 500 gallons of diesel fuel. Because so much food is transported from up to 1,500 miles away, and much of it is imported from outside the country, local economies don’t always benefit from the sale of farmed food. Many restaurants are also getting involved in growing their own gardens within urban city limits. The restaurant gardens are beautifying neighborhoods by providing green spaces in otherwise barren concrete landscapes. The plants also provide oxygen and clean the air.

To find Farm to Table restaurants in the Philadelphia area, this website provides a comprehensive list.