Buy Fresh Buy Local

WHY BUY LOCAL?

THERE ARE MANY GOOD REASONS TO BUY LOCALLY GROWN FOOD

YOU'LL GET EXCEPTIONAL TASTE AND FRESHNESS.
Local food is fresher and tastes better than food shipped long distances from other states or countries. Local farmers can offer produce varieties bred for taste and freshness rather than for shipping and long shelf life.

YOU'LL STRENGTHEN YOUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
Buying local food keeps your dollars circulating in your community. Getting to know the farmers who grow your food builds relationships based on understanding and trust, the foundation of strong communities.

YOU'LL SUPPORT ENDANGERED FAMILY FARMS.
There's never been a more critical time to support your farming neighbors. With each local food purchase, you ensure that more of your money spent on food goes to the farmer.

YOU'LL SAFEGUARD YOUR FAMILY'S HEALTH.
Knowing where your food comes from and how it is grown or raised enables you to choose safe food from farmers who avoid or reduce their use of chemicals, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, or genetically modified seed in their operations. Buy food from local farmers you trust.

YOU'LL PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT.
Local food doesn't have to travel far. This reduces carbon dioxide emissions and packing materials. Buying local food also helps to make farming more profitable and selling farmland for development less attractive.

When you buy local food, you vote with your food dollar. This ensures that family farms in your community will continue to thrive and that healthy, flavorful, plentiful food will be available for future generations.

FOOD TRAVELS ON AVERAGE 1,500-2500 MILES FROM FARM TO TABLE. [1]

Most fresh fruits and vegetables produced in the U.S. are shipped from California, Florida, and Washington. [2]
Fruits and vegetables shipped from distant states and countries can spend as many as seven to fourteen days in transit before they arrive in the supermarket. [3]
Most fruit and vegetable varieties sold in supermarkets are chosen for their ability to withstand industrial harvesting equipment and extended travel not taste. This results in little variety in the plants grown.

TASTE THE DIFFERENCE IN FRESH, LOCAL FOOD AND JUDGE FOR YOURSELF!

Premium Taste. Locally grown fruits and vegetables are usually sold within 24 hours of being harvested. Produce picked and eaten at the height of ripeness has exceptional flavor and, when handled properly, is packed with nutrients.
Maximum Freshness. By choosing local produce at farm stands, farmers markets, pick-your-own farms and grocery stores, you pay for taste, not transportation and packaging.
Unique Varieties. Local farmers often grow a large assortment of unique varieties of products to provide the most flavorful choices throughout the season.

FAMILY FARMS ARE AN AMERICAN TRADITION IN DANGER OF FADING AWAY.

Family farms are an important part of the American tradition of self-sufficiency, forming the bedrock for communities across the U.S.
Since 1935, the U.S. has lost 4.7 million farms. [4] Fewer than one million Americans now claim farming as a primary occupation. [5]
Farmers in 2002 earned their lowest real net cash income since 1940. [6] Meanwhile corporate agribusiness profits have nearly doubled (increased 98%) since 1990. [7]
Large corporations increasingly dominate U.S. food production. Four large firms control over 80% of beef slaughter, 59% of pork packing, and 50% of broiler chicken production. [8]

FAMILY FARMERS ARE THE HEART OF AMERICA'S RURAL COMMUNITIES.

Local family farmers spend their money with local merchants. The money stays in town where it benefits everyone and builds a stronger local economy. Independent, family-owned farms supply more local jobs and contribute to the local economy at higher rates than do large, corporate-owned farms.
Eating locally grown, healthy food strengthens your family and community.
Local farmers who sell direct to consumers receive a larger share of the profit for their food.

BUYING LOCAL IS THIS EASY:

Find a farmer, farmers' market, farm stand, CSA, restaurant, retailer, or other local food outlet near you: click here to search the guide. Or search in regions nationally, www.foodroutes.org/localfood/.
Shop at your local farmers' market or farm stand for the freshest, best tasting food available. It s easy to find local food. There are over 3,100 farmers' markets in the U.S.9
Encourage your local grocery stores and area restaurants to purchase more of their products from local farmers.

For more information about where your food comes from and to take the Buy Local Challenge, visit:

Citations

"In the United States, food typically travels between 1,500 and 2,500 miles from farm to plate, as much as 25 percent farther than In 1980" (Brian Halweil. 2002. Home Grown. Worldwatch Institute. url: http://www.worldwatch.org/pubs/paper/163/orderpage.html).
USDA. 2002. "Leading Producer States by Commodity Groups, 2001." Economic Research Service Web site. url: http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/FarmIncome/firkdmu.htm.
Mary S. Choate. No date given. "A Good Tomato in Winter, Where?" Co-op Food Stores Web site. url: http://www.coopfoodstore.com/news/Archives/arch_nutatt/seasonal/tomatoes.html.
USDA. 2002. "Number of farms, land in farms, and value of farm real estate, 1910-2002." Economic Research Service Web site. url: http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/farmincome/finfidmu.htm).
U.S. Census Bureau. 2002. "Detailed Occupation by Race, Hispanic Origin and Sex." U.S. Census Bureau Web site. url: http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/eeo/eeojobs.pl.
USDA. 2002. "Farm income and balance sheet statistics in constant U.S. dollars, 1929-2002." Economic Research Service Web site. url: http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/farmincome/finfidmu.htm.
Elitzak, Howard. 2000. "Food Marketing Costs." Economic Research Service Web site. url: http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/foodreview/septdec00/FRsept00e.pdf.
Krebs, Al. 2002. Agribusiness Examiner. Issue 144. url: http://www.ea1.com/CARP/agbiz/144.htm.
USDA. 2002. "Farmer's Market Facts." Agricultural Marketing Services Web site. url: http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/facts.htm.



	BUY LOCAL WESTERN MICHIGAN

	WHY BUY LOCAL? THERE ARE MANY GOOD REASONS TO BUY LOCALLY GROWN FOOD YOU'LL GET EXCEPTIONAL TASTE AND FRESHNESS. Local food is fresher and tastes better than food shipped long distances from other states or countries. Local farmers can offer produce varieties bred for taste and freshness rather than for shipping and long shelf life. YOU'LL STRENGTHEN YOUR LOCAL ECONOMY. Buying local food keeps your dollars circulating in your community. Getting to know the farmers who grow your food builds relationships based on understanding and trust, the foundation of strong communities. YOU'LL SUPPORT ENDANGERED FAMILY FARMS. There's never been a more critical time to support your farming neighbors. With each local food purchase, you ensure that more of your money spent on food goes to the farmer. YOU'LL SAFEGUARD YOUR FAMILY'S HEALTH. Knowing where your food comes from and how it is grown or raised enables you to choose safe food from farmers who avoid or reduce their use of chemicals, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, or genetically modified seed in their operations. Buy food from local farmers you trust. YOU'LL PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT. Local food doesn't have to travel far. This reduces carbon dioxide emissions and packing materials. Buying local food also helps to make farming more profitable and selling farmland for development less attractive. When you buy local food, you vote with your food dollar. This ensures that family farms in your community will continue to thrive and that healthy, flavorful, plentiful food will be available for future generations. FOOD TRAVELS ON AVERAGE 1,500-2500 MILES FROM FARM TO TABLE. [1] Most fresh fruits and vegetables produced in the U.S. are shipped from California, Florida, and Washington. [2] Fruits and vegetables shipped from distant states and countries can spend as many as seven to fourteen days in transit before they arrive in the supermarket. [3] Most fruit and vegetable varieties sold in supermarkets are chosen for their ability to withstand industrial harvesting equipment and extended travel not taste. This results in little variety in the plants grown. TASTE THE DIFFERENCE IN FRESH, LOCAL FOOD AND JUDGE FOR YOURSELF! Premium Taste. Locally grown fruits and vegetables are usually sold within 24 hours of being harvested. Produce picked and eaten at the height of ripeness has exceptional flavor and, when handled properly, is packed with nutrients. Maximum Freshness. By choosing local produce at farm stands, farmers markets, pick-your-own farms and grocery stores, you pay for taste, not transportation and packaging. Unique Varieties. Local farmers often grow a large assortment of unique varieties of products to provide the most flavorful choices throughout the season. FAMILY FARMS ARE AN AMERICAN TRADITION IN DANGER OF FADING AWAY. Family farms are an important part of the American tradition of self-sufficiency, forming the bedrock for communities across the U.S. Since 1935, the U.S. has lost 4.7 million farms. [4] Fewer than one million Americans now claim farming as a primary occupation. [5] Farmers in 2002 earned their lowest real net cash income since 1940. [6] Meanwhile corporate agribusiness profits have nearly doubled (increased 98%) since 1990. [7] Large corporations increasingly dominate U.S. food production. Four large firms control over 80% of beef slaughter, 59% of pork packing, and 50% of broiler chicken production. [8] FAMILY FARMERS ARE THE HEART OF AMERICA'S RURAL COMMUNITIES. Local family farmers spend their money with local merchants. The money stays in town where it benefits everyone and builds a stronger local economy. Independent, family-owned farms supply more local jobs and contribute to the local economy at higher rates than do large, corporate-owned farms. Eating locally grown, healthy food strengthens your family and community. Local farmers who sell direct to consumers receive a larger share of the profit for their food. BUYING LOCAL IS THIS EASY: Find a farmer, farmers' market, farm stand, CSA, restaurant, retailer, or other local food outlet near you: click here to search the guide. Or search in regions nationally, www.foodroutes.org/localfood/. Shop at your local farmers' market or farm stand for the freshest, best tasting food available. It s easy to find local food. There are over 3,100 farmers' markets in the U.S.9 Encourage your local grocery stores and area restaurants to purchase more of their products from local farmers. For more information about where your food comes from and to take the Buy Local Challenge, visit: Citations "In the United States, food typically travels between 1,500 and 2,500 miles from farm to plate, as much as 25 percent farther than In 1980" (Brian Halweil. 2002. Home Grown. Worldwatch Institute. url: http://www.worldwatch.org/pubs/paper/163/orderpage.html). USDA. 2002. "Leading Producer States by Commodity Groups, 2001." Economic Research Service Web site. url: http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/FarmIncome/firkdmu.htm. Mary S. Choate. No date given. "A Good Tomato in Winter, Where?" Co-op Food Stores Web site. url: http://www.coopfoodstore.com/news/Archives/arch_nutatt/seasonal/tomatoes.html. USDA. 2002. "Number of farms, land in farms, and value of farm real estate, 1910-2002." Economic Research Service Web site. url: http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/farmincome/finfidmu.htm). U.S. Census Bureau. 2002. "Detailed Occupation by Race, Hispanic Origin and Sex." U.S. Census Bureau Web site. url: http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/eeo/eeojobs.pl. USDA. 2002. "Farm income and balance sheet statistics in constant U.S. dollars, 1929-2002." Economic Research Service Web site. url: http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/farmincome/finfidmu.htm. Elitzak, Howard. 2000. "Food Marketing Costs." Economic Research Service Web site. url: http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/foodreview/septdec00/FRsept00e.pdf. Krebs, Al. 2002. Agribusiness Examiner. Issue 144. url: http://www.ea1.com/CARP/agbiz/144.htm. USDA. 2002. "Farmer's Market Facts." Agricultural Marketing Services Web site. url: http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/facts.htm.