• Local food focuses on food for people. Food sovereignty is the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems. It puts the aspirations and needs of those who produce, distribute and consume food at the heart of food systems and policies.
• Local food tastes better. By buying local, you are receiving the freshest possible produce, picked just hours before delivery.
• Local food is more nutritious. Once harvested, produce quickly loses nutrients. Since local produce is sold right after it’s picked, it retains more nutrients.
• Local food supports local farmers. By buying locally, the middleman disappears and the farmer gets full retail price, in turn helping farmers continue to farm and keeping dollars in our community.
• Local food builds community. By getting to know the farmers who grow your food, you build understanding, trust and a connection to your neighbors and your environment.
• Local food supports the environment and benefits wildlife. Family farmers tend to be good stewards of the land – they respect and value fertile soil and clean water. In addition, buying local also reduces the use of fossil fuels and helps to protect the environment.
• Local food is about the future. Supporting local farms today helps keep those farms in your community, ensuring that your children and grandchildren have access to nourishing, flavorful and abundant food.

Sources:
LocalHarvest.org; Community Alliance with Family Farmers;
SustainableTable.org; The New York Times; usfoodsovereigntyalliance.org