The locally funded report “Building a Deep-Rooted Local Food System” has been released. The study assumes that a closed-loop, localized food system is desirable but does not show any proof that such a system would cause better nutrition, save greenhouse gases or be economically viable. Should we embrace a concept because it is an “emerging trend?”

The authors of the report want farmers to grow more fruits and vegetables. Our farm grows 35 acres of sweet corn and other vegetables. It would be impossible to grow vegetables on the other acres that we farm, and the owners of the land would not want us to.

Is this report credible? When looking at farm income, their most recent data was from 1999. Farm income has changed a lot in 11 years. Most other statistics are more current. How can one draw conclusions using data from different decades?

The report states we only need 909 acres of corn production to meet demand for corn products in the three counties. We question this figure. Our farm alone needs 1,000 acres to meet the demand for feeding our beef. The authors presume that growing grain for animal feed is bad. We believe that providing high quality grass- and grain-fed beef to consumers within and outside of our area is a good thing, and good for our economy.

The report states that potential for market value for vegetable and fruit crops on Class I soils is $43.4 million. The problem with this figure is that it assumes that there is not a crop currently growing on these soils. Over $40 million in agriculture products are produced annually in Douglas County alone.

It seems our local money would have been better utilized by further funding the Douglas County Extension food and nutrition program, a respected, established program that is science-based.

Our Douglas County commissioners should be very careful when making policy decisions based on this report.