Contemporary and traditional localism: a conceptualisation of rural local food

Abstract

The increasingly popular local food movement in the US has experienced wide-scale buy-in on behalf of the general public as well as in academic arenas. However, there have been recent efforts to critique this movement, typically for being inequitable and unfairly geared towards those with above-average financial means. In this article, I examine local food efforts and present a new conceptualisation of food localism. While geographically localised food consumption activities are taking place, some have ideological labels attached to them, whereas others do not. What I have termed contemporary and traditional localisms exist in the same physical but different social space. The contemporary local is represented by current local food initiatives and corresponding aspirations to support local farmers and to promote sustainability through local purchasing behaviour. The traditional local, on the other hand, is similar in that it represents food growing activities that are in close geographical proximity to consumption, but lacks the motivation associated with the contemporary local's programmatic literature; instead, it is guided by a motivation to obtain fresh and affordable food. I substantiate the contemporary/traditional localism framework with qualitative fieldwork findings from Grafton County, New Hampshire, USA, and describe the practical as well as conceptual implications of this framework.

Quietly does it: Questioning assumptions about class, sustainability and consumption

“…This was at a time when, from a comparatively very low base, FSP was being promoted by the sustainability policy and research community in Western countries. In the Western context FSP is increasingly being recognised as a specific example of alternative food networks (see, for example, Barthel et al, 2013;McClintock, 2014;McEntee, 2010;Veen et al, 2012). However, with only a few exceptions (Round et al 2010;Schupp and Sharp 2012) the recent literature on FSP in CEE makes no attempt to relate the phenomenon conceptually to AFNs and their attendant environmental and social benefits.…”

Toward an Informative and Applied Methodology for Price Comparison Studies of Farmers’ Markets and Competing Retailers at the Local Scale

“…Lastly, empirical studies find that for many local food consumers, freshness, variety, value, and nutrition are also key motivating factors (Feagan & Morris, 2009;McEntee, 2010;Onianwa, Mojica, & Wheelock, 2006;Svenfelt & Carlsson-Kanyama, 2010;Wolf, Spittler, & Ahern, 2005;Zepeda, 2009;Zepeda & Li, 2006). And while the consumer quest for fresh and healthy ingredients tends to be practiced disproportionately by different demographic groups, evidence suggests that an increasing number of Americans are making their way to the space of the farmers' market (Detre, Mark, & Clark, 2010;Wolf et al, 2005;Zepeda, 2009).…”

What is the real cost of our food? Implications for the environment, society and public health nutrition

“…A conceptual framework has been proposed to discuss two parallel and sometimes intersecting local food systems, which are classified as contemporary and traditional localism (93) . Traditional localism may occupy the same physical space, but a different social space to contemporary localism.…”

“…Contemporary localism is usually manifested through farmers' markets, CSA and food cooperatives, and is concerned with freshness, support for farmers and a place to exercise commitment to sustainability issues (93) . Perhaps, given the extent of overweight and obesity globally and the detrimental environmental, economic and social effects of the current globalised food system discussed earlier, allowing these two types of localism to coexist, provided all social groupings have their needs met, will achieve more to mitigate the environmental effects of the food system and improve the nutritional and social health of communities than trying to contrive a one-size-fits-all local food system.…”