I think that we are going to see just how connected the world is and how vulnerable these connections are.
Look what will happen if you want to buy a Toyato that makes 43% of their cars in Japan - or a new iPad ot even a GM car whose electronics are made in Japan.
Look what is happening in Bahrain. The Saudis have to keep the lid on in Bahrain because, the locals are Shia and the regime is Sunni. If you think that Libya has caused oil proces to rise, if things get more unstable in the Eastern part of Saudi - where all the oil is - watch out. Our current gas prices will seem cheap.
Our idea of normal are these long and complex supply chains that we expect to work perfectly. This is why we think it OK for all of the food we eat to come from away on a 3 day inventory cycle.
Time surely to think about contingency and resliliency. It's one thing not to be able to buy a car. But it is another when gas may be hard to get and be priced at $5 a litre. Or that the truckers that we rely on for our food can't afford to run their trucks.
"This will never happen" you say. But it is happening and the likliehood that it will happen gets more likley as the months go by. Our world of normal long distance supply chains is straining.
Time to shift the idea about "Local Food" as a nice to have to becoming an essential part of planning for the future.
How much of all the food that we eat on PEU is supplied form local sources? I don't know - do you? But I bet it is not much.
How big is the market? I am told abut $300 million a year. How much at current prices should we source locally? I think at least 40%. What do you think is prudent? It must be enough to keep us all going in an emergency? And what about storage and a reserve? And what about seed for next year?
How woud we start such a system? Where is the leverage? What is the base to build out from?
There is a lot to be done if we are to build in enough resiliency in time.
So what to do? First of all I think it best that get a sense of what is here and what kind of base we can build on.
To that end, please join a few of us who are going to meet and talk about Local Food on Thursday, March 24th at 6.30 pm at The Farm Centre (420 University Avenue, Charlottetown. This event is free and open to all, just bring your enthusiasm!
There will also be lots of local food to eat as well!
