Why?

1. Improve food quality for customers. Local food means fresh food.
2. Increase food variety for customers. Small, local producers offer a better variety of food products, which means more choices for specialty products.
3. Reduce food costs for customers. Local food means lower transportation costs.
4. Increase farm profits, by finding local markets for produce and value-added farm products.
5. Preserve farm land, by maintaining profitability for local farmers.
6. Support the regional economy, by keeping food spending in our own communities.
7. Improve food security for the region. Much of our food is now imported or shipped great distances from huge centralized facilities, which means we are more vulnerable to disruptions. A food system composed of small, local producers is more flexible, more adaptable, and safer.
8. Encourage sustainable agriculture, by finding markets for organically- and sustainably-produced food.