A more local economy

[muldoon]

I have hinted at this being a trend I see coming, now it seems Walmart is looking to source veggies and vegetables locally where possible. 

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN2730901520080701?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=10216&sp=true

What do you guys think about this change?  good for farmers, bad for truckers? 

[peternap]

I don't think Walmart knows how to deal in a local economy. We are talking about the company that has been responsible for driving the final nail in more Mom And Pop businesses, than anyone else.

Truckers, very few independents anymore. I could care less about the corporate drivers. Sorry for the independents but they're flexible enough to find loads. The few small farmers left are mainly truck farmers. This could be good for them but the recent Tomato scare is a good example of what's coming and it's been good for the truck farmers.

[ScottA]

I'm not sure getting wal-mart anywhere near a farm is a good idea.

[glenn kangiser]

I think it will still take the corporate farms to supply the demand even if it is local farms.  They can't afford to deal with the real little guys - hopefully maybe they will help some of the medium little guys who are big enough to get into a co-op.

Trucking - there will be losers and winners.  Hopefully some of the independents benefit if they can afford to stay in business.

[Redoverfarm]

I think it is a great idea.  I also think that more grocery chains should support the people that buy from them.  It was done here with a hydrophonic tomato operation in the winter months.  But that was not enough to keep the buisness afloat and the tomato buisness went under.  Too far from the beaten trail.

[desdawg]

When I am located in northern AZ I am on a major railroad route. If you count the number of shipping containers and some semi trailers going past on flatbed rail cars, each one representing an over the road trucker not working I would say unemployment in the trucking industry is a factor already. A friend recently counted 110 containers on one train going past. That is a lot of unemployment. Fuel costs are precipitating a lot of changes that may go relatively unnoticed by the majority of the population. Now it needs to show up in consumer pricing at the stores.

[considerations]

I hope we trend back to more local economies.  The Olympic Peninsula used to be virtually self sufficient, not so now, with chain stores, big box stores etc. We have local farmers, dairies, and ranchers, but they have been dwindling in size and number for years. 

It is way too easy to disrupt the current mainstream supply chain.

[ScottA]

We're seeing a comeback in sidewalk/roadside veggie vendors this summer. They've been all but gone the past few years.

[BiggKidd]

 I for one am looking forward to a more local market. That has always been where you find the best things.

Larry

[benevolance]

I wish that they would do something meaningful to protect farmland from real estate developers... We can grow enough food in most states to feed most states... Eliminating the need to truck food in from across america or the world for that matter.

as for trucking and employment... trucking is inefficient compared to rail...We are better off long term to see more good shipped via rail. Truckers will retire or find other ways to make a living.

Better overall efficiency in transporting goods lowers costs and that stimulates job growth so it will come back full circle for us to use the rail system over long haul trucking.

in a way for the last 50 years long haul trucking has been something of a make work project... Inefficient employment for the truckers...and the roads in america wear out ten times faster (you get the point, not actual number) when millions of truckers haul freight needlessly on them...

Go Rail as far as I am concerned

[considerations]

"I wish that they would do something meaningful to protect farmland from real estate developers... "


We have to do it ourselves.

http://www.friendsofthefields.org/about_us.htm

[desdawg]

A lot of produce comes across the border at Nogales.

[glenn kangiser]

I've hauled out of there.

[desdawg]

I meant Nogales, Sonora, Mexico Glenn. It is called the sister city to Nogales, AZ. NAFTA is in full swing there.

[glenn kangiser]

Oh - OK - I got it after they brought it to Nogales, Az.

The melons I hauled out of there were too low in sugar to pass inspection for the US so they made me go around the inspection station.