1. Freshness. Locally-grown organic fruits and vegetables are usually harvested within 48 hours of being purchased by the consumer.
2. Taste. Produce picked and eaten at the height of freshness tastes better.
3. Nutrition. Nutritional value declines, often dramatically, as time passes after harvest. Because locally-grown produce is freshest, it is more nutritionally complete. Also, several scientific studies have shown that organically grown produce has higher nutritional value than conventionally grown, with some studies citing up to 80% more nutritional benefit.
4. Purity. Residues of pesticides and fungicides are a real concern for consumers because of their health environmental, and social effects. These materials are not permitted in an organic production system either before or after harvest.
5. Regional Economic Health. Buying locally-grown food keeps money within the community. This contributes to the health of all sectors of the local economy, improving the local quality of life
6. Variety. Organic 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, unusual varieties that you will never find on supermarket shelves.
7. Soil Stewardship. Soil health is essential for the survival of our species and our planet. Conventional farming practices are rapidly depleting precious topsoil fertility. Creating and sustaining soil fertility is the major objective for organic growers.
8. Energy conservation. Buying locally grown organic food decreases dependence on petroleum, a non-renewable energy source. Organic production systems do not rely upon the input of petroleum derived fertilizers and pesticides and thus save energy at the farm. Buying from local producers conserves additional energy at the distribution level.
9. Environmental Protection. Soil erosion; pesticide contamination of soil, air, and water; nitrate loading of waterways and wells; and elimination of planetary biodiversity are some of the problems associated with today’s predominate farming matters. Organic growers use practices that protect soil, air and water resources; and that promotes biodiversity.
10. Cost. Conventional food processors don’t reflect the hidden costs of the environmental, health and social consequences of predominate production practices - for instance, correcting a water supply polluted by agricultural runoff, or obtaining medical treatment for pesticide induced illness suffered by farmers or consumers. When these or other hidden costs are taken into account, as they should be, locally-grown organic foods are seen clearly for the value they are, even if they cost a few pennies more.
11. A Step Towards Regional Food Self-reliance. Dependency on far away food sources leaves the region vulnerable to supply disruptions, and removes any real accountability of producer to consumer. It also tends to promote larger, less diversified farms that hurt both the environment and local economies/communities. Regional food production systems, on the other hand, keep the food supply in the hands of many, providing interesting job and self-employment opportunities, and enabling people to influence how their food is grown.
12. Passing on the Stewardship Ethic. When you buy locally produced organic food, you cannot help but raise the consciousness of your friends and family about how food-buying decisions can make a difference in your life and the life of your community, and about how this basic act is connected to planetary issues.
