Did you know?

Food grown on conventional farms has to travel 1,500 miles on average to get to your dinner plate.* Often, there is no label to indicate whether the food was grown locally, across the country, or even overseas. This same food is often genetically engineered, picked days in advance, treated with preservatives, processed, or irradiated.

*Rich Pirog."Checking the Food Odometer" Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, 2003.

Be an Active Food Shopper

Tell you local grocer and restaurants that you want them to source their food from family farmers - and support those that do

Active food shoppers are people who care about how and where their food is produced and where it comes from. Food grown by local family farmers tastes better and is often fresher, less processed, and healthier than food that is grown and processed by multinational corporations. Buying locally grown food cuts transportation costs, which lessens environmental impact and reduces our dependence on imported oil. It is important to help local stores and restaurants understand that providing local, family-farmed food benefits the entire community. The more you ask for food from local family farms, the more likely it is that local businesses will meet your needs and support local farms.

Take Action

Here's a sample letter to send or give to your favorite restaurant or market manager:

Dear Chef/Grocery Store Manager,
 
As a loyal patron of _________ (restaurant/market) and someone who cares about the food I eat, I would like to take a minute to ask you and your business to support the many local farmers of __________ (state/county/region). 
 
Family farmers are rapidly being replaced by large industrial or "factory farms." Food from factory farms is often produced in ways that harm the environment, and is processed so that the nutritional value and freshness of the food is compromised. In order to ensure that family farmers continue to produce the high-quality food that we all want, they need the support of local businesses like yours.
 
This issue is particularly important to myself and my family because: (personalize to add family history in farming, specific food/health concerns, economic concerns, etc.)
 
I hope that you will join the many other (chefs/retailers) across the country who have demonstrated a commitment to offering food from family farmers. Please inform me of any actions that you might take to address these concerns. Thank you very much for your time. 
 

Your Name

Learn More

Farm Aid has online databases to help you find restaurants and markets that focus on sustainable food.

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