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Mapping potential foodsheds in New York State: A spatial model for evaluating the capacity to localize food production

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 February 2009

Christian J. Peters ,
Nelson L. Bills ,
Arthur J. Lembo ,
Jennifer L. Wilkins  and
Gary W. Fick
Christian J. Peters*
Affiliation:
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Nelson L. Bills
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Arthur J. Lembo
Affiliation:
Department of Geography and Geosciences, Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD 21801, USA.
Jennifer L. Wilkins
Affiliation:
Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Gary W. Fick
Affiliation:
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
*
*Corresponding author: [email protected]
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Abstract

Growing interest in local food has sparked debate about the merits of attempting to reduce the distance food travels. One point of contention is the capacity of local agriculture to meet the food needs of local people. In hopes of informing this debate, this research presents a method for mapping potential foodsheds, land areas that could theoretically feed urban centers. The model was applied to New York State (NYS). Geographic information systems were used to estimate the spatial distribution of food production capacity relative to the food needs of NYS population centers. Optimization tools were then applied to allocate production potential to meet food needs in the minimum distance possible. Overall, the model showed that NYS could provide 34% of its total food needs within an average distance of just 49 km. However, the model did not allocate production potential evenly. Most NYS population centers could have the majority of their food needs sourced in-state, except for the greater New York City (NYC) area. Thus, the study presents a mixed review of the potential for local food systems to reduce the distance food travels. While small- to medium-sized cities of NYS could theoretically meet their food needs within distances two orders of magnitude smaller than the current American food system, NYC must draw on more distant food-producing resources. Nonetheless, the foodshed model provides a successful template for considering the geography of food production and food consumption simultaneously. Such a tool could be valuable for examining how cities might change their food procurement to curb greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to depletion of petroleum and other energy resources necessary for long-distance transport of food.

Keywords

food milesfoodshedgeographic information systems (GIS)local foodoptimization
Type
Research Papers
Information
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems , Volume 24 , Issue 1 , March 2009 , pp. 72 - 84
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 Cambridge University Press

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