Why should I eat locally produced food?
Locally produced food tastes better! Not only is it fresher, but many local fruits and vegetables are actually better tasting varieties. Commercial growers choose varieties for shipping and shelf-life instead of flavor. Square tomatoes anyone?!
Eating locally produced food is usually more nutritious. Nutrition in food usually degrades during travel and storage times. The food in your grocery store often travels thousands of miles.
Eating locally produced food helps support local farmers and food producers. The more food we purchase locally, the more local food will be produced. What a lovely win-win cycle!
Eating locally produced food supports the local economy. The dollars spent on local food re-circulate throughout the local economy instead of disappearing into corporate profits.
Eating locally produced food helps you to be a responsible consumer. You can be sure that your meat comes from animals raised with care and respect. You can know that your vegetables and fruits are grown with sustainable methods that protect the soil, the environment, and the workers.
Eating locally produced food helps you become part of a local food community. You connect with your local food artisans, visit the places where it is produced and get to know others who support eating locally.
Eating locally produced food encourages protection of the local environment. As you become more aware of the earth your food comes from and the people who produce it, local economic and environmental issues become personal.