Feeding local economy
L ocavores have lots of reasons for their decision to eat locally. The food tastes better and is more nutritious. Buying local also means supporting the state’s historic agricultural roots and fostering face-to-face relationships with neighbors who grow and produce food.
Another important reason: bolstering the economy.
As if we need another reminder that Connecticut’s economy is not speeding to recovery, The Hartford Courant recently published an analysis of census data showing more than 39,000 young adults 20-to-34 years old moved out of the state in 2014. Recent retirees also are leaving the state in alarming numbers. A main reason cited for the exodus is the still-struggling economy that is making it difficult to find jobs.
Supporting local farmers and food producers by buying even limited quantities of local food has a definitively positive economic impact. A 2012 report by specialized agricultural lender Farm Credit East found in a six-state region encompassing Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and New Jersey, agriculture supports 175,000 farm jobs and another 203,400 off-farm jobs in food packaging, handling, transportation and other related fields. This totals more than $71 billion in economic activity. A more recent report by the same organization, but this time also including Maine and Vermont found farming, fishing and forestry supported 474,482 jobs regionally.
A closer-to-home 2010 study by the University of Connecticut found the state’s agricultural industry had a $3.5 billion economic impact on the state.
Since the UConn report was completed, the number of local farms and food producers continues to grow. One case in point: Terra Firma Farm’s current efforts to establish a local creamery in North Stonington. Evidence of strong support for local food that also means local jobs: a Kickstarter campaign for the creamery raised more than $50,000 in just a short time period.
The holiday season traditionally means an abundance of food in our homes. This season, consider heading to a farm store such as Beaver Brook Farm Store in Lyme, or to an indoor farm market such as the Saturday morning market in Stonington’s Velvet Mill, and include some local and seasonal food on holiday shopping lists.
We at The Day early in November strove to buy locally all necessary ingredients for a traditional Thanksgiving feast. It meant more footwork than one-stop supermarket shopping and cost somewhat more, but the flavorful, fresh, unprocessed results were worth the effort and a good value for our dollars.