Assessing fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions of two local food distribution options in Iowa

Rich Pirog, Associate Director, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture
Rebecca Rasmussen, Graduate Student, Iowa State University, College of Business

rspirog@iastate.edu
515.294.1854
June 2008

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine which transportation option consumed less fuel and emitted less CO2: farmer delivery or customer pick-up of food products for an Iowa Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) enterprise.

In order to perform this study, the following information was obtained from an Iowa CSA farmer: his exact route(s) of delivery (including customers’ addresses), what type of vehicle he used for deliveries, and what location and time of day he would utilize as a central pick-up point for customers if he chose not to deliver.

With this information, the farmer’s route mileage was calculated using Mapquest and data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency to determine fuel usage and vehicle emissions.

The fuel consumption and CO2 emissions were determined for four different vehicle categories: Ford Ranger, Dodge Caravan, Toyota Prius, and U. S. average fuel economy for passenger vehicles. Mileage, fuel consumption, and CO2 emissions also were calculated for customer pick-up using the same method, categories, and references as used for the delivery method.

Assumptions were made concerning the pick-up routes of customers depending upon their place of employment and details provided by the CSA farmer.

Findings showed that the delivery option using a Toyota Prius resulted in 2.77 times lower fuel usage and CO2 emissions than the consumer pick-up option using U. S. average fuel economy for passenger vehicles. However, if all the CSA customers who used vehicles for pick-up drove a Toyota Prius, farmer distribution would still be more fuel efficient, but only 1.35 times more than that of customer pick-up.

 

Complete paper ((PDF, 174 kb) available at Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture website

 

Posted August 2008