How often do you see “locally sourced produce” or “farm to table” on Los Angeles restaurant menus? These buzzwords are everywhere, but I’ve started to wonder: Who actually has access to this local food? 

The United States Department of Agriculture’s requirement for referring to food as local — whether it be produce, dairy or meat — is if it has traveled a span of 400 miles or less. Locally grown food is considered to be fresher, more nutritious and tastes better than produce shipped long distances. For example, a study at Montclair State University found that locally grown broccoli had twice the amount of vitamin C compared to imported broccoli. 

Buying and eating locally grown food supports small farms, helps their community’s local economy and promotes agricultural diversity. In addition, it’s a more environmentally friendly choice, reducing the significant carbon footprint of long-distance food transportation, which is the case for most produce in your typical supermarket.

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Among these well-intended benefits, the push for local eating in L.A. has the tendency to overlook issues of accessibility and affordability, making it a privilege rather than a realistic option for many communities.

Los Angeles’ health and wellness culture has shaped the local food movement to place fresh, organic food in a position of luxury, not as a necessary commodity. High-end supermarkets such as Erewhon, with absurd, health-conscious products — such as a $19 single strawberry or the infamous $20 Hailey Bieber Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie — cater to affluent consumers who can afford to indulge in wellness as a high-end lifestyle.

Though the health and wellness movement is about nutrition and sustainability, its deep roots in L.A.’s elite indicate the disparity between wealthy Angelenos with nearly unlimited access to fresh, high-quality fruits and vegetables and low-income communities struggling to get them onto their tables.

Farmers’ markets and businesses where you can find this local produce are often clustered together in wealthier areas, which makes it easier for people in those neighborhoods to access the fresher options, promoting the idea that wealthier people are the only ones who can regularly afford healthier produce.

With these high price tags, eating locally grown produce is out of the question for low-income families. Rising costs due to inflation make necessities like gas and rent even more unaffordable for many, and additional food costs simply can’t be a priority. 

You may be thinking about USC’s Trojan Farmers Market on campus every Wednesday.  Recently, I bought small cartons of raspberries and blueberries for $10 — roughly the cost of a substantial meal from a fast food restaurant. This price tag is simply not realistic or within budget to spend on fruit for many. And while we are located in South Central, the farmers market is not necessarily serving the neighborhood community because of these high prices and campus gates. 

For a lot of Angelenos, not eating local isn’t a personal preference; rather, it’s about whether or not they even have that option.

While the local food movement needs to expand access, progress is being made to address these issues. Here in South Central, stores like SÜPRMARKT, which is vegan, have been established to fight food deserts — urban areas where there is limited access to affordable and nutritious food — by providing fresh, organic produce and healthy food to residents. These efforts are significant in expanding food accessibility while showing that reform and change are possible.

Platforms like Uber Eats are also starting to include farmers’ market products in their delivery options. This aims to make local produce more readily available to more individuals than before, which bridges the gap for consumers who do not have easy geographic access to fresh produce and local farmers.

These examples are promising, but there is still more work to do to ensure that locally sourced food becomes available to everyone, not just an elite few. We have to continue pushing for affordable programs, increased access in supermarkets for underserved communities and more partnerships to expand food security for everyone among Angelenos.

The next time you go grocery shopping, think about where your food comes from and who has access to it. Instead of a high-end store, consider visiting a local farmers’ market in South Central, where your purchase supports small farmers and makes fresh produce more accessible to the community.

By expanding access beyond the affluent communities, we can make local food sustainable and inclusive.