The Evolution of Food Miles and its Limitations as an Indicator of Energy

Use and Climate Impact

Rich Pirog, Associate DirectorRich Pirog, Associate DirectorLeopold Center for Sustainable AgricultureLeopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Leopold Center forLeopold Center forSustainable AgricultureSustainable Agriculture

Created in 1987Created in 1987 (Iowa Groundwater Protection Act)(Iowa Groundwater Protection Act)

State funded (Iowa general revenue fund and State funded (Iowa general revenue fund and tax on N fertilizer and pesticides)tax on N fertilizer and pesticides)Averaging 1.2 million per year in funded projectsAveraging 1.2 million per year in funded projectsFocus on 3 initiative areas since 2001:Focus on 3 initiative areas since 2001:Marketing and Food SystemsMarketing and Food SystemsPolicyPolicyEcologyEcology

What are “food miles?”What are “food miles?”

Distance food travels from where it is Distance food travels from where it is grown/raised to where it is purchased grown/raised to where it is purchased (consumer or end(consumer or end--user)user)1969 DOD study 1969 DOD study –– 1,346 miles1,346 milesOther estimates Other estimates –– 1,5001,500--2,500 miles2,500 milesFood miles in industrial nations have Food miles in industrial nations have increased significantly in last 50 yearsincreased significantly in last 50 years

Import Share of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables – U.S. selected years

05

1015202530354045

1983-851993-95

2003-05

Fresh Fruit

FreshVegetables

Source: Prepared by USDA Economic Research Service

Per

cent

Dole sliced peaches

Peaches shipped to Thailand For processing

Peaches grown in Spain

Peaches shipped to U.S. for distribution

Peaches arrive in Iowa store

Total food miles:14,700 (minimum)

Local foods in a changing contextLocal foods in a changing context

Growing interest in Growing interest in locallocal, more concern , more concern about climate change, health, food safetyabout climate change, health, food safety

Estimated fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, and distance traveledfor three truck-based food transport systems.

1,518,0001,518,0001,730,0001,730,00088,00088,000LocalLocalsmall truck small truck (institutional)(institutional)

370,000370,000993,000993,00044,00044,000RegionalRegionalmidsize truckmidsize truck

2,245,0002,245,0008,400,0008,400,000368,000368,000NationalNationalsemitrailersemitrailer

Distance Distance traveled (miles)traveled (miles)

Co2 Emissions Co2 Emissions (lbs./year)(lbs./year)

Fuel Fuel ConsumptionConsumption(gal/year)(gal/year)

Food transport Food transport systemsystem

From: Food, Fuel, and Freeways – Leopold Center, 2001. Each system was to transport 10% of per capita consumption of fresh produce to feed Iowa

Ecolabel Value Assessment – Phase I

What do you consider "local" when making a food purchase or carrying a food product through your store or business?

01020304050

noresponse

Grow n 25miles or

less frompurchase

Grow n 100miles or

less frompurchase

Grow n inmy state

Grow n inthe

Midw est

Other

% re

spon

ses

Business -NoEcolabelConsumer-Noecolabel

Food milesFood miles

A very good indicator of “localness” of a foodA very good indicator of “localness” of a foodA great metaphor to contrast local and global food A great metaphor to contrast local and global food systemssystemsNot a good indicator of environmental impactNot a good indicator of environmental impact

Need to considerNeed to considerMode of transport and fuel efficiencyMode of transport and fuel efficiencyEnvironmental impact across the entire food supply Environmental impact across the entire food supply chain (LCA)chain (LCA)

*CO2 Emissions are from transport, processing, storage.

Local system: various local case studies in and around Flanders, Belgium

Comparison of CO2 emissions in g CO2 per kilogram of food item for local food systems and mainstream food systems

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500B

eef

Pot

atoe

s

Lettu

ce

Tom

atoe

s

Car

rots

App

les

Gou

daC

hees

e

Ave

rage

*g C

O2/

kg Local Food SystemsMainstream Food Systems

Data from Energy Lifecycle Inputs in Food Systems: A Comparison of Local Versus Mainstream Cases. A. Van Hauwermeiren et al - 2007.

Energy Consumption in the food system

Based off producing 3,800 calories of food

• Total U.S. Energy Use: 100 QBtu (2005) 1

• Food System: 10.25 Qbtu 2

Sources: 1) Energy Information Administration Annual Energy Overview (2005); 2) Heller and Keoleian "Life Cycle-Based Sustainability Indicators for Assessment of the U.S. Food System” (2000);

Comparison of Fuel Consumption and CO2

Emissions between Iowa CSA Delivery and Pickup

0.010.020.030.040.050.060.070.080.090.0

Pickup Delivery Pickup Delivery CSA Pickup Data based upon U.S. average fuel economy - two routes, Story County, IA

CSA Delivery Data based upon Toyota Prius fuel economy - two routes, Story County IA

CO2

Emis

sion

s (lb

s)

0.00.51.01.52.02.53.03.54.04.5

Gas

olin

e Co

nsum

ptio

n (G

allo

ns) CO2 Emissions

Gasoline Consumption

Pirog and Rasmussen, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iow a State University 2008

Figure 12. Willingness to pay for produce that contributes 50 percent less greenhouse gas emissions

3%

9%

36%

47%

2%

1%

3%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

I'd pay 30% more

I'd pay 20% more

I'd pay 10% more

I'd pay the same amount

I'd pay 10% less

I'd pay 20% less

I'd pay 30% less

Percent of respondents

Carlsson-Kanyama et. al - 2003

Swedish researchHealthy foods

Environmental

Benefits

Thank you…for more informationThank you…for more information

Rich PirogRich PirogEE--mail: mail: rspirog@iastate.edurspirog@iastate.eduWeb sites: Web sites: www.leopold.iastate.eduwww.valuechains.orgwww.valuechains.org

Phone: Phone: (515) 294(515) 294--18541854