When we support our local food system, we’re getting behind quality food, care for the environment, as well as our local communities and economy.

4 reasons you should buy locally produced food in BC

QUALITY

Supporting local farmers is our best choice for maintaining high quality foods that are delicious to eat every season. Foreign foods travel long distances to reach us – compromising flavour, freshness and nutrition for shelf-life. Buy local for the best quality foods. Food tastes better when it doesn’t have to travel far to get to your plate.

ENVIRONMENT

A drive to incorporate natural farming methods has positioned our province’s agricultural sector at the forefront of environmentally-friendly practices. In BC, farmers have reduced the use of fertilizers and herbicides, relying more on diversity of crops and rotation to nourish their soil. BC is also a global leader in the development and use of integrated pest management systems (IPM). Farmers use beneficial insects to control pests so successfully that chemical controls are hardly ever used in many sectors. Buy local to help lower your carbon footprint on the environment.

*Statistics Canada Census of Agriculture reports

COMMUNITY

Agriculture in BC is a community affair that benefits everyone. There’s peace-of-mind knowing we have access to high quality foods produced sustainably every season. Farms in BC are 98% family-owned* so we know hard work and love are a big part of our province’s farming process. Buy local and support your farming neighbours and local workforce in the community.

*2011 Census of Agriculture: British Columbia Highlights

ECONOMY

Investing in our local BC farms and businesses improves our stability now and in the future. Agriculture and food is an expanding industry that employs nearly 62,000 people and generates approximately $12 billion a year*. Your choice to buy local directly supports local farmers, businesses, and our economy. Buy local and invest in your community’s economy.

*2012 British Columbia Agrifood Industry Year In Review 

Many of the BC grown products are available in any local grocery store, not just the fancy ones.

Read more about buying local

Our friends at We ♥ Local have a list of the 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Buying Local in BC. Here’s a snapshot of some more reasons you should buy local:

1. Milk in BC is produced locally and gets from the farm to a grocery store in 3-4 days!
2. No matter what kind of BC chicken or turkey you buy, you can rest assured they’re all hormone and steroid free (it’s the law).
3. BC produces some of the best artisanal cheeses – you don’t have to go to Quebec to get an exceptional brie or blue.