Local Food Facts & Tidbits

A study by the Leopold Center at ISU found that 16 common food crops that can be grown in Iowa, are mostly trucked in and travel an average of 1494 miles to reach grocery stores in the state. The same crops, if grown in Iowa, travelled an average of 56 miles to market. That is a 26-fold difference in the 'carbon footprint' just to deliver those crops to market.
Only 9 cents of every dollar spent at the grocery store goes to the producer. 80-90 cents of every dollar spent at the farmers market (and through GL) goes to the producer. Think of GL as a mobile farmers market!
90% of the food in the U.S. comes from 10% of the producers.
Fresh produce starts to loose its nutritional value as soon as it is picked. Most of the produce in stores is at least 3 days old when it arrives, and by the time it is 5 days old you might be better off buying frozen. Better yet, GL delivers the freshest produce you can find in NE Iowa, generally within 24 hours of harvest.
The average American family spends about 10% of their disposable budget on food. On average a person spends about $2400/year on food, but only about $450 of that finds its way back to the farmer who raised it.
Prior to World War II, more than 25% of the produce grown in the U.S. was grown here in Iowa. Now, less than 5% is grown in the state.

Check out more information from the Leopold Center at Iowa State University

Fresh, Local, Sustainable Food for NE Iowa