People throughout
the country are rediscovering the benefits of
buying local. Food Can be fresher and tastier
because of when it was picked and how it was
grown. Buying local also means you are
supporting local economies. Annually, Americans
consume more than $600 billion4 in
food. In most communities today food is
purchased entirely at a grocery store or market,
with only about 7% of local food dollars staying
in the community.5 The other 93% of
the modern food dollar travels to pay
processors, packagers, distributors,
wholesalers, truckers, and fuel, to name a few
that a global food system demands. When more
food dollars stay in the community through local
buying, they are transformed into thriving main
streets and local jobs. Interested in learning
more about why buying local is important?
Click here!
WHY BUY LOCAL?
There are countless reasons why buying local
food is a good choice. For instance, vegetables
are harvested closer to their maturity which
adds to their flavor and increased nutritional
value. You support the local economy, use less
fuel, create less pollution by reducing the
transportation process.
Frequenting local
markets allow you to be more aware of food
seasons, where foods are grown and how to use
and enjoy foods you may have never seen or
attempted to experiment with in a traditional
supermarket.
-
Reduces Food
Miles (What are food miles you ask?....)
"Food miles" refer
to the distance a food item travels from the
farm to your home. The food miles for items in
the grocery store are, on average, 27 times
higher than the food miles for goods bought from
local sources.1
In the U.S., the
average grocery store's produce travels nearly
1,500 miles between the farm where it was grown
and your refrigerator.2 About 40% of
our fruit is produced overseas and, even though
broccoli is grown all over the country, the
broccoli we buy at the supermarket travels an
average of 1,800 miles to get there. Notably,
nine percent of our red meat comes from foreign
countries, some as far away as Australia and New
Zealand.3
When food is
transported across countries, hauled in
freighter ships over oceans, and flown around
the world. A tremendous amount of fossil fuel is
burned to transport foods such long distances,
releasing carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide,
particulate matter and other pollutants that
contribute to global climate change, acid rain,
smog and air and sea pollution. The
refrigeration required to keep our fruits,
vegetables, dairy products and meats from
spoiling during their long journeys burn up even
more fossil fuel.
-
Buying local
helps your economy
Buying locally or
directly from farmers can dramatically increase
a farmer's income. Buying direct from a farmer
sends 90% of those food dollars back to the
farm. Increasing farm income means more money
can be spent locally by the farmer to run their
business and home, helping keep the local
economy flourishing. 
HOW TO BUY LOCAL
FARMER'S
MARKETS
A great way to buy
local is to shop at farmers' markets. In a
farmers' market, a group of farmers sell their
products once or twice a week at a designated
public place. Shopping at a farmers' market is a
great way to meet local farmers and get fresh,
flavorful produce as well as getting more
information about where the food was raised and
produced. Farmers' markets are one of the oldest
forms of direct marketing by small farmers. In
the last decade they have become a favorite
marketing method for many farmers throughout the
United States, and a weekly ritual for many
shoppers.
More...
Be sure the market
you frequent is a California Certified Farmers
Market. Certified means the product is actually
grown by the farmer them and that they did not
have it processed and shipped to the market.
For a listing of
local farmers Markets around the Monterey
Peninsula,
Click here!
COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE PROGRAMS (CSAs)
CSA
provides a direct link between local farmers and
consumers. Each season, members purchase a share
of a farmer's crop before it's planted. This
allows the farmer to pay for seed, water and
equipment upfront, so s/he is less reliant on
banks and loans. Each week during the harvest
time, usually June through October, the farmer
delivers great tasting, healthy food to the
members at pre-determined locations. In some
instances, members pick up their share directly
from the farm.
More...
By purchasing a
share in a farmer's crop, you share in the
bounty. It's a great way to try vegetables you
might not normally eat—or might never have heard
of!
To find a CSA
program in your area,
click here.
GROW
YOUR OWN
Whether it's a plot
in your backyard or a small window herb garden,
growing your own food is a richly rewarding
experience. Many towns have gardening classes,
but it's easy to simply buy some seeds and
experiment. You might even consider raising your
own chickens for meat or eggs.
IF YOU CAN'T BUY
LOCAL...
While some people may enjoy the challenge of an
all-local diet, it doesn't work for everyone. If
products are not available locally or
regionally, look for items produced in the
United States. Remember—local means as close
to home as possible.
When shopping for
things that you know cannot be produced locally,
look for products labeled "Fair Trade" or
"Rainforest Alliance Certified." The fair trade
label means that farmers and farm workers in
developing nations receive a fair price for
their product, work directly with buyers, and
prioritize sustainable farming methods without
forced child labor and the use of a dozen of the
most harmful pesticides.
Rainforest Alliance
labeling follows standards set by the
Sustainable Agriculture Network that are
designed to promote tropical conservation.
Products with this label are grown with
environmentally responsible management practices
including integrated pest and disease
management, soil and water conservation. This
standard also includes requirements for fair
labor practices and good community relations.
-
Pirog, Rich, and Andrew Benjamin. "Checking
the Food Odometer: Comparing Food Miles for
Local Versus Conventional Produce Sales in
Iowa Institutions." Leopold Center for
Sustainable Agriculture. July, 2003.
-
Jerardo, Alberto. "The Import Share of U.S.
Consumed Food Continues to Rise." USDA
Economic Research Service. July, 2002.
-
Meter, Ken. "U.S. Food and Market
Highlights." Crossroads Resource Center.
September, 2006. p1 (accessed online on
7/29/08).
-
Food and Water Watch. "Fact Sheet: Eat
Local, Good for Your Health, Good For Your
Community." p2 (accessed online 7/29/08).
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