Humans need food to survive. And that’s why some people earn their living by producing food supplies for sale. Although the changes in time have made it difficult for people to grow their own crops, majority of people living in cities and suburbs prefer to buy vegetables, grains and fruits that have been grown locally. As a matter of fact, local produce is a preserve of the lucky few. Most town dwellers depend on produce that has been grown in other areas especially commercial farms. People have different reasons for wanting to stick to local produce as explained below.
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Table of Contents
Ever Fresh
Local food is much better than produce that is imported from other countries and states. This is because you eat the produce while it’s still fresh. Since the food is sourced directly from the farm, all the nutrients remain intact. Food that’s sourced from farms that are far from your area is rarely fresh. This is because the nutrients depreciate as they continue to be packed into boxes awaiting transportation to various markets. Besides that, there is the risk of contamination as the produce is handled by different people before it gets on your dining table.
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Boosts Local Economy
Nowadays there are companies that specialize in growing crops for local consumption. Companies like these help in creating employment opportunities for local residents. When you therefore buy locally grown food supplies, you help the local economy grow. This is because the people that work in such companies will use their wages to buy stuff from local businesses. The opposite is true when you buy farm produce from other countries and states. Such behavior is bad for the economy because it kills local enterprises. Remember, some of the local produce is grown by individuals in their small greenhouses.
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Always Available
There is no doubt that local produce is reliable than food grown from elsewhere. With local produce, there is a guarantee that the vegetables and fruits that you need will always be available at the local market.  The problem with produce that’s sourced from far is that there many instances when it’s not available in the market. When there is bad weather or political unrest, such produce will not be available in the market. Besides that, it tends to be costly because the traders are trying to take advantage of food shortage. Some traders will even create artificial shortages just to hike the prices.
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Helps Conserve the Environment
Buying local produce contributes positively to minimizing the pollution of our environment. Although local produce is brought to the market using vehicles, there is minimal emission of greenhouse gases. This is because the vehicles only cover a short distance. Imported produce on the other hand encourages the pollution of environment and the degradation of our natural resources. As trucks cover long distances, they consume a lot of oil and end up releasing fuel toxins into the environment.
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More Healthy
Food that is produced locally is usually free from GMOs. This is because local people are not under pressure to deliver the produce much faster to meet the ever increasing demand. Whether it’s chicken, beef or vegetables, they are grown and reared in the appropriate environment. On the other hand, produce sourced from commercial farms tends to contain GMOs because the owners use chemicals to induce abnormal plant and animal development.
