Who controls what you eat?

The easy answer to that question is Me, and no one else. Right? Well, it turns out you might want to rethink your answer as recent stats touted by the USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack paint a completely different story. As noted on DairyToday (part of AgWeb.com);

[D]airy farms numbered 110,000 a decade ago but are approaching 60,000 today. At the same time, the top 10 food retailers now control 82% of food retail sales compared to 65% a year ago.

That is an astounding number that carries far more weight than I can ever convey to you.  Over 8 out of 10 food related items sold in the United States (and I am sure Canada is not very far behind), are sold by 1 of the top 10 food retailers in the country.  That leaves a measly 20% of remaining sales for small, independent operations, not unlike weekend farmers markets and independent retailers.

How I Battle the Big Boys

It’s actually pretty simple when you think of it, and there is simply one thing you need in order to combat this mass take over: Time.

And before you go off claiming you have no time to spare, remember this: Time is not found, it is made.  If it is important to you, then I can guarantee you will make the time to stick it to these massive corporations. Once you’ve got the means to free up some time, here are a few simple changes you can make in order to support the smaller independent retailers in your community:

Buy produce locally: If you find most of your produce at the supermarket, trying finding a vegetable/fruit stand that you cross paths with on the way to work/soccer practice/church.  This simple change doesn’t affect your timelines much and already your money is finding its way directly into a local retailers’ pockets!
Seek out local farms: Start looking on the outskirts of your town/city limits, odds are you have farmers cultivating nearly all breeds of animal, fruit and vegetable!
Find smaller, or local, retailers: You don’t need to shop for your food at massive, nationwide chains.  Ontario has plenty of smaller groceries that operate on a more grassroots/local base, and many of these retailers understand the value of supporting locally. Don’t get fooled by the promise of more variety, or massive savings.  Pass the buck locally, as much as possible!
Be unique, be original: Think outside the box! Do you like asian foods? Buy your meat and produce from a small Asian grocer. Likewise for any cuisine.  Start a local potluck group that focuses on locally purchased, or grown, foods.

Always remember, the moment we choose to support large food retailers we provide them with a stamp of approval.  Once all our food is sold at massive superstores we’ll be left wondering where the passion, commitment and friendships we once cherished have gone.  Start today for a better tomorrow.

We’ve written a few other articles that provide more examples and ideas, be sure to give them a read at http://feedthesink.com/category/columns/the-way-we-eat/

Sources: http://www.agweb.com/DairyToday/Article.aspx?id=157971