Reason for Buying Meat and Produce Locally

Purchasing your meat and produce locally is particularly important and beneficial not only for your health but it is also good for your budget and the environment.

Purchasing local products supports your community and economy, keep your dollars local

There has always been a lot of turbulence in the agricultural sector. Margins are thin and a year’s worth of profit can be lost due to unruly weather. So it is important to keep local farmers in business and one of the ways you can do so is by making sure that you’re buying the meat and produce they supply. This doesn’t even require a lot from your end. Talk to your neighbors or reach out to the small farm that you drive by every day. The small farms that are family-run form the backbone of your economy.

But honestly, this goes for everything… Check out your local nursery next time before running to the big-box store. Swap out chain restaurants for your local restaurant. When you look around, so many of your services and products can be purchased close to home from small businesses.

Buying food locally is generally healthier

Similar to knowing where your fruits and veggies are grown, knowing where your meat comes from and how it’s raised will lead to a healthier lifestyle. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with your local farmers and their practices to make sure you are purchasing and consuming foods free from added hormones, preservatives, and chemicals. You can also probably find a local farm that specializes in free-range chicken and pasture raised pig.  If you speak to most local farmers, you’ll find they have a deep respect for animals and generally raise animals to have happy lives. Their animals typically raised ethically and humanely which will result in a much better product.

Buying local meat is actually more budget-friendly

Although the initial investment may be hefty, because many small farmers will sell you beef by the “half”, in the long run, you will actually pay less for a high quality product. When you purchase local meat, you save the cost of shipping your food across the country, or even importing it from another country.  Additionally, the meat isn’t passing through a series of wholesalers and retailers, you’ll likely get the absolute best price for very high quality meat.

Buying local can help the environment

Sustainable grazing practices, a best practice among beef farmers, will pull carbon out of the atmosphere and store it in the soil. These grazing practices also improve soil quality, thereby impacting the overall well-being of local ecosystems. You can rest assured that by going local you are indeed making a difference!

Local food, including meat, simply tastes better

Sustainably raised local meats and produce are known to provide a far superior taste than their industrial farm counterparts. Similarly, pasture-raised meats tend to be much more flavorful and higher quality than what you may find in large grocery stores.