How can buying local help fight climate change?

Similar to investing in renewable energy, improving waste management, and using sustainable modes of transportation, purchasing local foods and products is an effective way to combat climate change by lowering ‘food miles’. 

Food miles are the distance food travels from production to the consumer’s plate. In 2022, a study by Nature Food concluded that food miles make up about 20% of our total food system emissions (Tandon, 2022). This number is much larger than previous estimates, because it aims to look at the whole food system including inputs, machinery, and processing. Other estimates show that a given meal in the United States travels approximately 1,500 miles before being consumed (Foodwise, 2025). That is the equivalent of more than two round trips from Sioux Falls to Rapid City. This large scale food transportation requires immense amounts of fossil fuels and results in large amounts of carbon dioxide emissions. 

As our desire for fast and convenient grows, food is often transported by the quickest modes possible, like airfreight, even if it generates up to 50x more air pollution than slower modes, like sea shipping (Foodwise, 2025). Even though high income nations represent approximately 12.5% of the world’s population, they are responsible for 52% of international food miles (Tandon, 2022). 

Foodwise. (2025). How far does your food travel to get to your plate? foodwise.org.https://foodwise.org/learn/how-far-does-your-food-travel-to-get-to-your-plate/ 

Tandon, A. (2022, June 20). ‘Food miles’ have larger climate impact than thought, study suggests. carbonbrief.org. https://www.carbonbrief.org/food-miles-have-larger-climate-impact-than-thought-study-suggests/ 

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Sure, there are things in our diet that are not available in our communities or regions, but I urge you to think about the impact of a few small changes like shopping in season produce, making or growing things at home, or buying local meat and eggs at the farmers market. A segment of our community making the conscious choice to purchase even 1-3 products locally can reduce food miles, fossil fuel usage, and carbon emissions greatly. 

Especially in Sioux Falls it is not hard to come by a plethora of local products from grains and bread, to dairy and meat, and produce. With multiple Farmers Markets, CSA’s, aggregators and food hubs, and local products in our grocery stores – local can be convenient. 

South Dakota Resources for Buying Local: 

Local Food Directories:

• Dakota Rural Action's local food directory.

• SD Specialty Producers Association's, find local food page.

Aggregators and Food Hubs:

Sioux Falls:

• Pomegranate Market

• Natural Grocers

• Sioux Falls Food Co+op

• Dakota Fresh Food Hub 

Aberdeen:

• Natural Abundance Food Co-op

Rapid City:

• Bread Root Co-op

Other:

SD Soil Health Coalition's, South Dakota Fresh Connect

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Eating and purchasing locally is so much more than just climate action, it is investing in a piece of sustainable and resilient communities. It allows a steady, reliable, and fresh supply of food to the community while investing in the local economy.

We cannot have this conversation fully without acknowledging that local food is not always accessible to everyone in our community. Typically to purchase locally, while in the end it may be more affordable, there is often an upfront cost that is not feasible for everyone. Programs that provide access to local food is another part of our country being negatively impacted under the current administration. 

Many Americans have lost access to local foods, and many farmers, ranchers, and producers have lost markets for their produce, beef, and other products. Check out these links below to learn more about the programs being cut, not continued, or paused, and their impacts. These cuts are reducing access to local food and hurting local economies. 

Newton, J. (2025, March 12). Feeding SD says USDA cuts will impact local farmers. keloland.com. https://www.keloland.com/keloland-com-original/feeding-sd-says-usda-cuts-will-impact-local-farmers/ 

Santucci, J. (2025, April 1). Food banks, farmers across US decry federal cuts. Usatoday. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/03/31/funding-cuts-food-banks-farmers/82705776007/ 

School Nutrition Association. (2025, March 25). USDA halts FY25  Patrick Leahy farm to school grants. schoolnutrition.org. https://schoolnutrition.org/sna-news/usda-halts-fy25-patrick-leahy-farm-to-school-grants/