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Background Information

Not so long ago, food traveled a short distance between producer and consumer. At one time, people grew most of their own food.

Now, food travels great distances between producer and consumer. Recently, it was estimated that the average piece of fruit travels 2000 miles from orchard to table.

In this activity, students will calculate the distance selected foods produced both in and out of state travel, the costs added by extra miles, and compare costs and distances to locally produces foods. They will consider advantages of eating locally grown food and prepare a campaign to inform consumers of their findings.

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Student Activities

1. Interviews:

a. Make an appointment to interview a meat department manager of a local grocery store.

Interview for the following information:

Where does most of their beef come from?

What percentage of their beef is produced in your state? Where in your state?

How many pounds of beef are shipped in one semi truck load?

b. Make an appointment to interview a produce department manager of a local grocery store.
Interview for the following information:

Where do most of their apples, peaches, potatoes, or onions come from?

What percentage of their apples, peaches, potatoes, or onions are grown in your state? Where in your state?

How many pieces of apples, peaches, potatoes, or onions are shipped in one semi truck load?

2. Calculations

a. Calculate the distances that foods produces in your state and those shipped from a greater distance are shipped.

b. Using the average cost per mile for a semi truck, estimated as $3.00, calculate the costs for foods to be shipped from a state source and another more distant source.

c. Calculate the costs that long distance shipping add to:

One piece of fruit;

One pound of beef.

3. Add Campaign

a. Design a campaign to inform consumers of what you have calculated.

b. Determine your audience (fellow students, family, the general public).

c. Decide how you will inform them (posters, public service announcements on radio and TV, a newspaper article or letter to the editor, an assembly, etc.).

d. Present your campaign.

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Teachers Notes

Note: It is difficult to do all the necessary calculations. Use pre-done calculations for one specified food.

Students should select a locally grown fruit or vegetable: apples, peaches, potatoes, or onions. Calculations will include:

cost per mile for a semi truck times the number of miles traveled;
total cost divided by the pieces of fruit or pounds of beef in a shipment;
the difference between the cost per item for foods produced in your state and those shipped in from somewhere else.

Provide students with an opportunity to present these findings.

As extensions, students could:

Compare a locally owned market to a chain supermarket;
Read package labels.

Interdisciplinary Approach: Environmental Studies, Consumer Family Studies, Math, and Geography.