Why Local Trumps Organic

Today’s commentary is from Brent T. Frei, Frei & Associates, a colleague from the foodservice end of the business. He discusses what two facets of the sustainability movement—organic and local—really mean.

—Lynn A. Kuntz

Is a food superior because it’s “organic”? And if farmed salmon is “sustainable,” does that imply that wild salmon is somehow “endangered”?

Such terms are often about marketing, and often confusing. But the issue of sustainability can’t be ignored in foodservice, because Americans are increasingly making choices based on their perceptions. Experts predict that in the foreseeable future, more diners will choose a foodservice outlet—from a fine-dining restaurant or hospital cafeteria to a C-store or ice-cream shop—based on that operation’s commitment to “green” issues that might include emphasis on foods that are organic, sustainable or both.

“If it’s a sustainable product, it’s usually an abundant product, and if it’s an abundant product, it’s in season or it’s managed by people who really care,” says Anthony Amoroso, chef of MICHAEL MINA Bellagio in Las Vegas. “The end result is that it’s always better food.”

According to New York City-based Sustainable Table (www.sustainabletable.org), the terms “organic” and “sustainable” are not interchangeable. While in agriculture both relate to preserving the land, organic food production is certified annually by an independent third party approved by the USDA, whereas “sustainable” food is at best the word of the farmer or producer. But the USDA makes no claims that organically produced food is safer or more nutritious than conventionally produced food. Meanwhile, it can be considerably more expensive. What’s more, certified-organic food that is shipped thousands of miles, consists of meat from animals raised in confinement, or is produced on massive tracts of land is not considered sustainable.

For a growing number of foodservice operators, one way to feel confident about preserving the environment is to buy local. That concept has been touted by Slow Food convivia around the world for years, but has taken on more prominence of late thanks to such factors as higher food prices from the rising cost of fuel, consumers’ greater appreciation of seasonality and freshness, and citizens wanting to support producers and manufacturers in their own communities.

Increasing interest in purchasing locally produced food is evidenced by the recent surge of exposure of FoodRoutes Network based in Arnot, Pa., a national nonprofit dedicated to reintroducing Americans to their food—“the seeds it grows from, the farmers who produce it, and the routes that carry it from the fields to our tables.” The organization is now about 50 Buy Fresh Buy Local chapters nationally. FoodRoutes touts local, sustainable food choices for several reasons, but a prominent one cites a study indicating that shifting just 1% of consumer expenditures to direct purchasing of local food products can increase farmers’ income in that state by as much as 5%.

Arguably, organic is good because in most cases sustainable practices are followed, and even Sustainable Table recommends purchasing organically if it’s the best that one can do. But judging a product by how sustainable it is can be better for both the planet and the local economy.

Of course, buying local isn’t possible for every food. Bananas don’t grow in Idaho, olive oil isn’t produced in South Carolina. Virtually nothing grows in Las Vegas. But the idea of “buying local,” to a growing number of chefs, can simply mean not importing from Chile or Holland. The Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix (which harvests oranges from trees on property), for example, looks at concentric circles that radiate from the center (the hotel) outward to include all of the 48 contiguous United States and even Alaska and Hawaii. The closer to the center, the better. In this model, a goat cheese produced in Maui is okay while an avocado from much closer Mexico isn’t. Such a practice isn’t sustainable from the standpoint of transporting product, but it’s a start if supporting the domestic economy allows a chef to buy into the sustainability ideal.

West Town Tavern in Chicago views local to mean turkey from Illinois, chicken from Indiana and pork from Iowa. At the same time, chef/owner Susan Goss will source product from small dairy producers and cheesemakers from Oregon and Vermont, and for her, that’s viable. She’ll make concessions elsewhere in her operations to compensate for practices where she’s not able to make an ecological stand. 

“Sustainability goes beyond merely choosing locally,” she says. “For every rack of lamb, there’s a lamb shoulder that is not as desirable, but needs to be used. Sustainability is part of a lifestyle. It’s not something you add to your business, it’s how you do business.

—Brent T. Frei