The Cadillac News recently ran this story on the Michigan Department of Agriculture's local food distribution index:

Perhaps the most interesting statistic is something the Michigan Department of Agriculture refers to as the local food distribution index. The index reflects a county’s ability to meet the food production needs of its own residents in both quantity and diversity. Creating a food distribution network that is diverse, decentralized and local dovetails nicely with the goals of organizations such as the Michigan Land Use Institute and the Grand Vision planning initiative.

Cultivating more locally grown sources of food instead of relying on massive packaging facilities is seen as the answer to outbreaks of food-borne illnesses that hospitalized dozens of people across multiple states, such as the spinach E. coli outbreak in 2006 as well as another outbreak in 2007 that led to the recall of 21.7 million pounds of frozen ground beef patties.

On the local food production index, Wexford County earned a score of 13 out of a 100. Total value of agricultural production in Wexford County: $6,879,000 Grand Traverse County’s local food production index is 10. [This compared to Missaukee County whose] local food production index is 41, compared to an average of 30 for the state of Michigan.

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Photo: D.H. Day Farm #2 by jimflix.