1. Mitigates Climate Change
Less miles in transit = Less pollution
On average, processed food in the US travels over 1300 miles, and fresh produce travels over 1500 miles before it ever reaches your plate.
2. Avoids Supply Chain Disruptions
We are still dealing with the aftermath of the global supply chain crisis that was triggered by the COVID19 pandemic.
Luckily, small local farms and businesses were still able to get produce and merchandise to markets in the height of the pandemic when grocery store shelves were bare.
3. More Jobs!
Every item that is made, grown and sold in your community helps to create valuable jobs, and keeps your dollars working close to home.
4. Fresh Food!
The closer the source, the fresher the food.
FACT: Fresh food tastes better and is higher in nutrients.
5. Resilience
Communities that are self-reliant have greater resilience in the face of negative economic shocks.
6. Quality Control
Producing goods locally makes it easier to manage and oversee the pre-production process. This helps to ensure the end product meets your expectations.
7. Transparency
When goods are produced in our communities, we are able to track supply chains more closely, making sure businesses are using ethical practices, providing healthy working conditions and paying employees fair wages.
8. Reduced Waste
When working on a local level, we are able to anticipate the needs of our community more accurately. This reduces the amount pre and post consumer waste, including waste from packing which is often made of plastics and other environmentally unfriendly materials.