INTRODUCTION
The concern for a sustainable food system is growing as the consequences of careless mass distribution and manufacturing are catching up with us. We have all become accustomed to a lifestyle where we can get any fruit or vegetable we want year around, even when it’s not in season, right at the grocery store in town. This is because of the industrial agriculture business that now supplies the majority of grocery stores with produce that has been shipped across seas to satisfy this customer base. This desire to have foods from various countries across the globe does not come without repercussions, these effects include environmental issues, public health problems, and concerns with population growth. This project will discuss the cause and effects of our current food system and use a case study of grocery stores in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and Austin, Texas to describe the lengths in which we are willing to go to have a year round supply of fresh produce. The hypothesis to be proven is that due to Texas’s close proximity to Mexico and its warmer climate year round, the majority of the produce would be originating from Mexico and possibly Texas itself. This is to determine if climate, latitude and distance from major crop producing countries makes a difference on the environmental impact.