Localizing the Mackinac Island Food System

Abstract

Mackinac Island is a premier tourist destination located between the Upper and Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The small island attracts nearly a million annual tourists a year, making the demand for food on the island extraordinarily large. Because there is no bridge to the island, the majority of food is shipped to the island on ferries. The shipment process is a logistical challenge that only a few large national food distributors have mastered. Long distance food shipments from these distributors emit greenhouse gasses that contribute to anthropogenic climate change and environmental degradation, and the nutritional quality of the perishable food items suffer in the long commute. Because there is a premium placed on food prices on the island, seasonal workers and year-round residents have limited options for fresh, nutritious food at an affordable cost. To combat these issues, the social enterprise Mackinac Food Forest (MFF) has a fouryear goal to make 25% of the food on Mackinac Island locally produced within 100 miles of the island. Increasing the prevalence of food from the nearby Eastern Upper Peninsula and Northern Lower Peninsula may help promote healthy eating habits and enable access to nutritious, highquality, environmentally friendly and affordable food options on the island. Tourists make up the majority of food purchases on the island so their desire to eat local produce will be a catalyst for shifting business purchasing decisions on the island. Mackinac Island food businesses, which are the backbone of the Mackinac Island economy, need to be in support of MFF’s goal in order for the transition to locally grown food to take hold. In order for Mackinac Island to reach MFF’s local food purchasing goal, it is important to understand the current demand, opportunities, and barriers around local food purchasing on the island.