The following article was sent to us from our friend Tiffany Woods. We’d like to thank Tiffany for sharing this great piece with us. Also included are links to articles on local food by Economist Larry Lev, and a link to tools for ‘rapid market assessments’.
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Tiffany Woods
News writer
Oregon State University
9-24-09
OSU economist debuts in film about local food movement
By Tiffany Woods, 541-737-2940, tiffany.woods@oregonstate.edu
Source: Larry Lev, 541-737-1417, larry.lev@oregonstate.edu
CORVALLIS, Ore. An agricultural economist at Oregon State University has
hit the silver screen in a new documentary that examines and promotes the
local food movement and that will show in Portland starting on Friday.
In the film “Ingredients,” Larry Lev discusses the benefits and costs of
buying food from local producers. He says that although some local products
may cost more than food transported from large-scale commercial operations,
the extra expense can be worth it. The taste can be superior, and the money
shoppers spend stays in the area and contributes to the vitality of the
community, he says. By shopping locally, people are also keeping
agricultural land from being developed and they’re establishing close
relationships with farmers and fellow consumers, he adds.
“In the end, it comes down to choices. Price is one aspect that consumers
take into account, but it’s not the only one and often not the most
important one,” says Lev, who was filmed on campus.
Larry Lev, an agricultural economist at Oregon State University, visits the farmers market in Corvallis. He specializes in agricultural marketing and alternative food systems and helps develop and strengthen farmers markets.
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