Shelves in our local grocery stores have looked a little bare in the produce aisle lately, and I’m sure we're not alone.

Carrot shortages in particular are showing up in stores across the country — a result of extreme weather, labor shortages, and the fragility of global supply chains built around one priority: lowest possible price.

I'm fairly proud of Maine's organic farming advocacy organization MOFGA, one of the oldest organic associations in the country.

Recently, they sent a letter to regional grocery chain Hannaford making a simple argument: this is the moment to invest in local. Stop sourcing from distant suppliers who can't weather disruption. Build real relationships with farmers close to home.

It's a local story, but the underlying problem is universal. When food systems are optimized purely for cheapness and scale, everyone feels it when something breaks. Empty shelves are a signal worth paying attention to.