SLU news
EPOK-associated researcher responds about organic production on TV
Published: 11 March 2014
In the TV show “Gomorron Sverige” at the Swedish Television, the EPOK-associated researcher Elin Röös, points out that locally grown and organic are two different things that not should be mixed up. The interview is part of the TV-channel’s review, aiming at the general elections later this year.
– The main point of shopping locally is to support production in the immediate area and simply to contribute to employment and make sure we have a food production in Sweden.
– Further, there is no definition of what is locally produced. Is it the region, it is Sweden, etc.
What do you think? What is “locally produced”?
– It depends on how you look at it. There is one important thing to remember when thinking about the environmental impact of the diet and what we eat: it is not the transports that are the major problem. The major environmental impact comes from the production. And for the concept of locally produced, it says nothing about production manners.
So your answer is that organic is more important than locally produced?
– It depends on the aspect. There are other benefits of locally produced, if, for example, you think it's nice that we have an open landscape, there is a great pun to actually buy the products that are produced close.