The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture just released survey results that show environmental impacts, higher fuel and food prices, and food safey concerns are changing consumers' perceptions of their grocery needs.

The results showed that survey respondents "were more likely to respond to rising food and fuel prices by taking fewer vacations, buying more food items on sale, eating out less, and purchasing fewer desserts."

• 17% said they'd purchase more local food at farmers markets or freeze/can more fruits and vegetables to cope with higher food prices.

• The number of respondents who perceive the U.S. food system to be safe dropped from 70% in 2007 to 55% in 2008.

• 74% of respondents viewed a local food supply chain as safe, while only 15% viewed a global food supply chain as safe.

• 50% of respondents think the loss of natural habitat is a more important environmental issue than climate change; 40% think water pollution is more imortant.

• More than 50% of respondents agreed with carbon labels on food products, though most only supported it if prices didn't increase.

• Food traveling 100 miles or less was defined as "local" by more than two-thirds of respondents, while a third viewed "local" as in their state or region.

Researchers at the Leopold Center were some of the first to calculate "food miles," and continue to lead the charge on studying this concept and consumer perception of food choices, especially as they relate to the environment and local, place-based agriculture.

Source: Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

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