Our food choices are much more than just an answer to hunger pangs. They impact the health of our bodies, our communities and our environment. Foods should not travel great distances - their nutritional content suffers and the consumption of fossil fuels and other resources to bring them to their eventual markets is wasteful and environmentally detrimental.

Featured Articles:

Gary Paul Nabhan's article Coming Home to Eat celebrates the flavors and wonders found in locally produced foods.

Rachel Dresbeck describes the unaccounted costs of shopping at a megastore in her essay.

The Importance of Buying Locally Processed Foods:
Just like buying produce fresh from the farmer, buying specialty jams, jellies, and other locally processed foods puts better food on your plate and more dollars in the farmer’s pocket.

Adding value offers farmers the potential to recapture a larger share of the food dollar. By processing their own raw, undifferentiated agricultural products into higher-value consumer-ready products, farmers have the opportunity to retain income. In addition to offering a higher return than a raw product, value-added products can open new markets, create recognition for a farm, and expand the market season.

In addition to increasing farm sustainability, small-scale processing can make a positive contribution to the community. Small-scale food processors tend to be embedded in their communities—often sourcing ingredients locally, hiring staff from the community, and selling their products locally. The dollars generated from these activities tend to recirculate in the local economy longer than dollars generated from other businesses. Input-output studies show that processing farm products creates more additional jobs and income in a community than any other industry.

Finally, value-adding captures the essence of communities. Locally produced specialty foods or non-food items provide a window into the unique qualities of a community. These products can give tourists a "piece" of the place to take back home and share with others. Because local products make good souvenirs, some states have created special logos and help with advertising.

-Source: Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas