KY: COMMISSIONER FARMER ISSUES ‘EAT LOCAL’ CHALLENGE
News Date July 28, 2009
Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer challenges all Kentuckians to buy local Kentucky Proud foods and eat locally as often as possible.
When you buy local, you’re buying fresh, wholesome food for your family,” Commissioner Farmer said. “You’re also helping Kentucky’s economy. If everybody in Kentucky planned just one meal a week featuring all Kentucky Proud products, we could add an enormous amount of money to our hard-working farm families’ bottom lines.”
About 2,000 Kentucky farmers’ market vendors rang up an estimated $8 million in sales in 2007, up from $5.4 million in 2003. The Good Foods Market & Café in Lexington has joined Kentucky Proud and more than 50 food co-ops nationwide to challenge consumers to eat local this summer.
Kentucky Proud is the Commonwealth’s official farm marketing program. Kentucky Proud has generated $250 million in retail sales of Kentucky farm products through member retailers in the past three years, including $100 million in 2008. To find out more about Kentucky Proud, go to www.kyproud.com. For more information on farmers’ markets in Kentucky, go to www.kyagr.com, click on Programs, and click on Farmers’ Markets. For more information on the Eat Local, America! challenge, go to http://www.eatlocalamerica.coop/. (Contact: Bill Clary at: (502) 564-1137).