Feb. 19, 2009, Essex, Ont. – Eating locally grown food is an increasingly popular trend. As part of
it’s mandate to increase awareness of the agriculture and food
system, the Essex County Federation of Agriculture (ECFA) is publishing a map of on-farm sales outlets in the region.
Most produce is picked four to seven days before being placed on local supermarket shelves and is shipped an average of 2,400 kilometres, notes the ECFA. And this only takes into account U.S.-grown products. Those distances are substantially longer for foods imported from Mexico, Asia and South America, among other places.
 “If you grow it, why not promote it is our motto,” says ECFA president Bernard Nelson. “We are creating a comprehensive listing of local farms and don’t want anyone to be left out on this opportunity for on-farm sales."
Customers use the guide in sourcing locally grown food, and participating growers see increased sales. “We are excited about this progress and our expansion of the buy local program,” adds Nelson. “We are calling on all local growers to get listed on this buy local map before we go to print.”
The Essex County on-farm sales map will be distributed this spring. The deadline for submissions is March 3. For more information, contact Anne Anger of the ECFA at 519-776-5159 or
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