Strolling of the Heifers has released the 2015 Locavore Index, which ranks the 50 states (and DC) in terms of their commitment to local foods. This is the fourth year the organization has produced the index. “The purpose of the Index is to stimulate efforts across the country to use more local food in homes, restaurants, schools and institutions,” said Orly Munzing, founder and executive director of Strolling of the Heifers.
As part of their index this year, Strolling of the Heifers offers 10 reasons to increase the use of local foods, which, the nonprofit says, are better for consumers, better for growers and better for the environment.
Here are the 10 reasons Strolling of the Heifers says you should eat more local food:
- Supports local farms: Buying local food keeps local farms healthy and creates local jobs at farms and in local food processing and distribution systems.
- Boosts local economy: Food dollars spent at local farms and food producers stay in the local economy, creating more jobs at other local businesses.
- Less travel: Local food travels much less distance to market than typical fresh or processed grocery store foods, therefore using less fuel and generating fewer greenhouse gases.
- Less waste: Because of the shorter distribution chains for local foods, less food is wasted in distribution, warehousing and merchandising.