5 Reasons You Should Buy Local Produce

Buying local produce supports your local economy, preserves local farmlands, strengthens your community, and ensures you're getting the freshest produce available.

Whether your goal is improving your health, contributing to greater environmental sustainability, or just trying something new for dinner, one smart way to achieve it is by buying local and farm-to-table produce. Buying from local farmers offers several important benefits. Here's why this seemingly simple task is so valuable.

Local produce is incomparably fresh. This is partly because there's very little time between when it was picked and when it was sold. This differs from the imported produce in supermarkets, which needs to be picked ahead of time to compensate for shipping and transportation.

If you're concerned about the environment, buy your food locally. Because local produce doesn't need to be flown in and driven across hundreds of miles, less carbon dioxide is emitted to get the food to you than what's commercially available.

Buying local produce keeps your money within the community. Your dollars help maintain the farm as well as the jobs it provides.

By supporting your local farmers, you're also helping them keep their land. This ultimately prevents it from being bought out and developed, which in turn protects the local flora and fauna.

Beyond economics, showing up to your local farmers market gives you the opportunity to bond with your neighbors. Spend less time behind digital screens and take a trip to the market with your family.