Local vs Organic--Which one do you prefer?

[Julie]

I just read this article about making a choice between buying locally or organic, and now I'm curious. Ideally, we'd all have locally grown organic food at our fingertips. If not, what's more important to you: local or organic? Share your thoughts...

[sabelmouse]

tricky. i would by local first, organic second. ideally local free range organic but not certified, as i know farmers who do what they can, but are not officially certified.
other than that it's confusing. our options are limited and as for organic veg in supermarkets; i don't know if they are trust worthy.

[Rob Harrison]

Fortunately, we get both around here. And since the legal standard for "organic" is owned by the government, organic means less to me. The farm we volunteer on is certified "natural," meaning no chemicals. The soil is tested by the certifying agency annually. I am discovering through the many local farms and gardens that as we move away from chemicals, the food products reduce in size, but make up for in taste and nutrition. And really, we don't need to consume so much food. So if I could, I would be all local. I am however, looking at moving to vegetarian at the same time. That might make things easier.

[Vipul Seth]

In order of preference:
Local Organic (We are members of a local CSA Farm as well)
Local
Regional Organic
Commodity Organic

[Luane Todd]

Assuming a choice between imported organic and local...
I vote local to keep as much of my money in the local economy as I can.

There are a lot of backyard growers like myself who use no chemicals unless all h**l breaks loose so I am not terribly concernced about residues. (None required by myself this year)
I am passionate about supporting my neighbors.
In the long run that may be the most important thing we can do.

[NodeDog]

I prefer Organic food that is locally grown. We shop at a farmers market that is near by. Not all produce is certified as organic but if you ask the grower whether it is sprayed, and what kind of fertilizer you can be confident that it is okay.

I like the phrase voting with your dollar. I don't vote for pesticides, gmo foods, or chemical fertilizer. Every dollar counts.

Both local and organic are important. The time may come when all there will be is local food so we should get used to it now. Of course the most local food is the food that comes out of my own yard. This year we hardly buy any veggies. I like the organic roasted chili and I don't grown that. I have delicious blue corn. You can eat it off of the cob if you pick it just after it turns blue. It is different from soft sweet corn but the natives say that blue corn is medicine. I believe it. Grow your own food!

[Kameshwari-kate]

For my sensibilities, local always trumps commercial organic.

[Kerrie]

It's an anti-intuitive proposal! No more either/or scenario-thinking. Local typically has meant organic. This IS where the connection and the sustainable contact point starts. If that is not common in areas of the country then greater education is needed and the farmers who struggle to grow organically in these same kinds of areas need to to be heard by the national organic growing community, and supported in ways that engage everyone on every level from growers to sellers to buyers.
No! It is not either/or_ but both/and, and the ways of looking at HOW to make this scenario more accessibly realistic in local real-market economies; accessible and supportive in ways that provide more choices to more communities across this country.

[Bo Atkinson]

I tend to agree with most posts here... Yet such sentiments are so easily derailed with 1984-ish 'double speak', or so it seems... I just received a call to action (or to attention) and a call very related to the sentiments here-- The only action i am able to afford is to pass on the info, so that at leasts a few more people can be alerted to powers which might defeat one's best intentions. (Intentions like organic and ultimately even effect local food sources).

Quote follows--
"In the most ambitious power grab we've ever seen, corporate agribusiness is trying to write itself into the Ohio constitution- and if it succeeds there, you can be sure that this greedy play will be made in other states. I'm working with small farmers and other concerned citizens to prevent that threat from becoming a reality- and we have less than two weeks to defeat this ballot initiative. Can you help us fund radio ads to defeat this terrible take over?

While masquerading as an attempt to improve food safety and animal welfare, Issue 2 would give a board of political appointees unchecked power to decide any and all regulations related to animal agriculture. The board could make decisions that radically shift policy in any direction on issues like the use of antibiotics and growth hormones, genetically engineered animals, cloned animals, animal ID and traceability, and factory farm zoning regulations ..." [snip]
From-- http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/
https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1185/t/3287/shop/custom.jsp?d...

[John]

Being a farmer who farms orgsnicaly and concentrates on local markets all I can say is ask lots of questions get involved with your food go out and give them a hand it's that feeling of conection you want. We haven't got certified as we can't sorce the extra feed and have been less than impressed by the bodies. So again get involved dont accept anything them know how pleased you are with what they do get involved.

[John]

Being a farmer who farms orgsnicaly and concentrates on local markets all I can say is ask lots of questions get involved with your food go out and give them a hand it's that feeling of conection you want. We haven't got certified as we can't sorce the extra feed and have been less than impressed by the bodies. So again get involved dont accept anything them know how pleased you are with what they do get involved.