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Buy Fresher, More Nutritious Foods
Locally grown fruits and vegetables are usually harvested
within 24 hours of being purchased by the consumer.
Produce picked at the height of freshness tastes better.
Because locally grown produce is freshest, it is more
nutritionally complete. Nutritional value declines,
often dramatically, as time passes after harvest.
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Reduce Energy Consumption
Locally produced foods do not require significant
transportation or storage, both of which are very
energy-intensive, expensive and pollute our air and water.
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Regional Economic Health
Buying locally grown foods keeps money within the
community. This contributes to the health of all sectors
of the local economy, increasing the local quality
of life. |
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Encourage a Self-Sufficient Community
A community that produces its own food enables people
to influence how their food is grown. In addition,
it reduces reliance on far-off food producers, thus
stabilizing its own food supply.
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Help Preserve Biodiversity
Farmers selling locally are not limited to the few
varieties that are bred for long distance shipping,
high yields, and shelf life. Often they raise and
sell wonderful heirloom varieties that may be hard
to find in supermarkets |
Preserve the Rural Character of the Land
Supporting local farmers means maintaining local farmland.
Local consumers can serve as the lifeline for local
farmers because they create direct marketing opportunities
where sellers can receive fair prices for their crops.
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Avoid Post-harvest Contamination
Foods sold in local markets without the need for extensive
storage and transportation will likely contain minimal
or no waxes and/or fungicides applied to protect the
product after harvest. |
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