Northeast Ohio's annual food bill is $11 billion. That's why Sustainable Cleveland 2019 is trying to dramatically increase the percentage of locally produced food in restaurants, schools and shopping carts.
View full sizeKrista Hermes, grounds manager at Crocker Park, tends to the eggplants in an urban garden at Crocker Park in Westlake.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Thirty-seven percent of Cleveland residents say it is important that their food be grown locally.
Yet just 2 percent of the food purchased in the entire region is grown here.
And that's despite a largely underground movement under way for the last couple of years that has led to the creation of urban gardens; restaurants that feature locally grow food, including grass fed beef; a surge in new farmers markets; and a service to connect consumers directly with farmers.
Northeast Ohio's annual food bill is $11 billion, and the economic consequences, not to mention nutritional benefits, of eating fresh, locally grown food are staggering.
That's why Sustainable Cleveland 2019 is trying to dramatically increase the percentage of locally produced food in restaurants, schools and consumer shopping carts.
Some of the details of what has already been done and what advocates hope to accomplish emerged Friday at Cleveland's annual sustainability summit. The year 2012 will be the sustainability campaign's year of local food.
"We have to do two things," said Morgan Taggart, a program specialist for Ohio State University Extension and founding member of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Food Policy Coalition.
"We have to drive demand -- eat more local food more often. And we have to create supply. We need a distribution warehouse, including cold storage. Taggart said some local wholesale food distributors -- who are looking to expand their markets -- have already been contacted.
And an iPhone application is being developed that will allow a consumer to find the nearest source for local food, she said.
Taggart set the tone of Friday's all-day conference at Cleveland Public Hall with a detail-rich presentation of the local food economy
Among the statistics developed by the food policy coalition:
• Northeast Ohio residents spend $1.1 billion on fruits and vegetables annually.
• Cuyahoga County distributes $362 million in food assistance every year.
• Cleveland Metropolitan School District serves 19,000 breaksfasts and 36,000 lunches every day.
• Cleveland residents spent $15 million on eggs every year.
• Cuyahoga County residents spend $7.6 million on honey every year.
The coalition also found that there are 11 farmers markets in the city -- up from just one before Sustainability Cleveland 2019 was launched. And 10 of the markets now accept the state food assistance card.
The long-term goal of the local food movement is that today's 2 percent local content increase to as much as 25 percent.
That would generate $868 million in additional wages, $126 million in new taxes and nearly 28,000 jobs, according to a study produced by the coalition.
Jodi Berg, chief executive officer of Vitamix, the local manufacturer of heavy-duty blenders, was one of the business leaders participating Friday.
Berg said the company is in discussions with the city to provide the schools with Vitamix machines as part of campaign to make smoothies with fresh fruits and vegetables.
"We will either donate or make sure the machines are available," she said in an interview after her presentation on a panel.
The company already has begun pilot programs with the school districts in Chagrin Falls and Hudson, she said.