- Purchasing locally grown food is frequently less priced, healthier, and tastier.
- You help your neighbors when you make local purchases. You contribute to the development of public infrastructure, jobs, and a stronger, healthier community.
- By reducing wastes and carbon emissions, the advantages extend beyond your community and support the development of a sustainable and safer environment.
Before we purchase fresh food, it typically travels 1,500 miles. Emissions are produced by transportation, refrigeration, and production processes in these carbon-intensive value chains.
Whenever possible, purchase from local producers to avoid this. Stronger supply chains result from a well-established local food economy, which increases the number of available sources during shortages. Because local and seasonal produce has spent less time away from its source, it also has a higher nutritional value. International product, on the other hand, is cultivated to artificially outlive its natural shelf life, hence lowering its nutritious content.
“You can support local businesses and your community by purchasing food that has been produced locally..”
What is local produce? The fact that the product isn’t being transported across great distances makes sense in the simplest way possible. This typically indicates that the food you’re eating doesn’t originate from huge, industrial farms.
Why Should You Always Choose Food That is Produced Locally?
Eating food that is locally produced offers several advantages, such as decreasing transportation-related carbon emissions, helping local farmers and the community’s economy, and advancing food sovereignty and security.
1. Healthier and Better Quality
If you purchase locally, you’re more likely to find produce of a higher quality. Full traceability back to the farm is guaranteed when the source is local. Food that is locally grown does not require the addition of preservatives or other chemicals to keep it fresh while in transportation. Locally grown food is highest in nutrients when picked at its ripest point. This is because fruits and vegetables lose their nutrients within 24 hours after being collected.
2. Less Packaging
One way to cut down on food and packaging waste is to shop at local markets. From seed to plate, a significant portion of food production is wasted. Waste happens at every stage of the supply chain, from harvest and production to distribution and consumption (this stage seeing the highest percentage of waste).
3. Shorter Travel Distance
A large portion of the food found in supermarkets has travelled great distances before it is placed on your plate. Consumers may lower carbon emissions and food miles by shortening the food chain. Most importantly, by using less, you are also lessening the amount of pollution you are indirectly producing. Purchasing locally can help you have a smaller total impact and less greenhouse gas emissions.
4. Maintain the Genetic Diversity
Numerous types of farmed produce use contemporary commercial technologies derived from certain genetic strands. Farmers can retain the genetic diversity of products by using a wide range of crop varieties and colors in small-scale farming. Similar to this, a small-scale farm can raise a range of animals, contributing to biodiversity and giving the consumer more options.
5. It Promotes Local Economic Growth
Essentially, purchasing locally keeps more money in the community. Examining the flow of money in greater detail reveals the significant economic impact of retaining wealth in cities or regions, and the growing dependence of many communities on it both domestically and globally. Local farmers are able to keep more of their sales income since they do not have to pay the same transportation and distribution expenses as large agricultural companies. This helps small farming businesses grow.
Why It’s Important To Buy Locally?
Shopping local products helps the environment and local economy.
But remember, not all locally produced goods are more affordable than those that are imported. Large companies and foreign operations frequently make their goods on such a large scale that they are just as inexpensive, if not less, than goods made in your hometown.
