Food Supply Chains and Food-Miles

The spatial patterns of the conventional food supply §chain have played a significant role in increasing §the amount of miles food travels and the subsequent §energy use required to transport food from the farm §to the table. For many places a second food supply §chain has emerged as an alternative to the §conventional chain; however both chains are reliant §on fossil fuels. Certified organic foods began as an §alternative to conventional foods; however, have §been criticized for adopting similar business §practices as the conventional system and thus travel §the same lengths, if not further, than conventional §foods. This study compares the food-miles and §subsequent energy use of the two food supply chains §that provide apples, bread, ground beef and milk to §retail grocery stores in Missoula, Montana. The §products are further classified for comparison into §three different categories: conventional, non-local §organic and other-alternative. Using food-miles as a §tool, this study opens a dialog about energy use in §both food supply chains and moves beyond a §theoretical analysis into more concrete communicable §information for people inside and outside of §academics.