The Power of Local Food

The Power of Local Food logo.jpg

New Online Program Series explores topics about our Local Food System

The Northeast Indiana Local Food Network is excited to launch a new series of online programs to address issues and topics to help inform and strengthen our local food community.

We’re calling this series The Power Of Local Food. We believe, now more than ever, that growing, selling, buying and eating local food can make our community stronger and healthier. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the weaknesses and lack of adaptability in our current food system. The severe disruptions to our standard food supply chains created enormous challenges for both producers and consumers. The need for a resilient local food system became evident.

Over the past year, our local farmers, food producers and marketers all across our region have stepped up and adapted to meet the demand for local food. They have worked tirelessly to be a reliable food source for our communities. The Northeast Indiana Local Food Network has adapted to serve the needs of both producers and consumers within our growing local food system, by creating our Local Food Guide and this new online series.

Our sincere thanks to the University of Saint Francis, Division of Sciences for their generous sponsorship of our The Power of Local Food series.

“Navigating Food Labels” program launches The Power of Local Food series

As consumers seek to know more about where their food comes from how it is produced, they look to product descriptions and food labels for answers. The words used to describe ingredients and food production practices can be confusing and sometimes misleading. We created our Local Food Definitions page as a resource to provide the meaning of food terms used in our Local Food Guide.

This 25-minute program explores the meaning of words used on food labels for those seeking greater understanding and transparency in their food choices. A big Thank You to the following individuals for organizing this program and sharing their valuable insights on this topic:

Nicole Nelson - Instructor, University of St. Francis, Sustainable Food Systems
Adam Welch - Director of Economic Development, Greater Fort Wayne Inc.
Terri Theisen - Extension Educator, Horticulture & Urban Agriculture, Allen County Purdue Extension
Sarah Claycomb - Co-owner, Health Food Shoppe of Fort Wayne

Additional resources on the meaning of words on food labels

FoodPrint.org – Check out their Food Label Guide at https://foodprint.org/eating-sustainably/food-label-guide/, and calculate your personal “Food Print” https://foodprint.org/what-is-foodprint/ to learn ways to lessen the environmental impact of your food purchases.

The Lexicon of Sustainability - Books, films, and information artworks about the meaning of words in our food system. https://www.thelexicon.org/. Also a television series on PBS https://www.pbs.org/food/features/about-the-lexicon-of-sustainability/ and a food term resource https://www.pbs.org/food/features/the-lexicon-of-sustainability-terms/

USDA: Understanding Food Quality Labels - Descriptions of USDA food labels and what they mean. https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/AMSProductLabelFactsheet.pdf

USDA: Organic - Learn about the USDA Organic standards, and what Certified Organic means https://www.usda.gov/topics/organic

Certified Naturally Grown Learn about this important farm certification https://www.cngfarming.org/

Consumer Reports - What Food Labels Mean - and Don’t, https://www.consumerreports.org/food-labeling/what-food-labels-mean-and-dont/

Health Food Shoppe - Interview with Sarah Claycomb about food marketing terms https://youtu.be/ZKkfj5acDVo.

Book recommendations

Tomatoland: How Modern Industrial Agriculture Destroyed Our Most Alluring Fruit (2012) by Berry Estabrook
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals (2007) by Michael Pollan
In Defense of Food by Michael: An Eater’s Manifesto (2008) by Michael Pollan

If you know a valuable resource we should add to this list, please let us know.

Janet Katz