Less Food Miles
Here in Victoria we have such a diverse range of fruit and vegetables growing right in our backyard. But if you look around your local grocery store or supermarket, the shelves are filled with produce that has been flown in from all corners of the globe.
Let’s compare an orange from Mildura that’s travelled 500km, with an orange from California that’s travelled 12,000km. That’s an additional 11,500km in transportation, which requires huge amounts of energy for cold storage, as well as additional packaging.
When you choose locally grown food you can drastically cut down on your food miles, and your carbon footprint.
Better Tasting, Fresher Food
If you’re eating tomatoes or peaches in winter here in Victoria, just think about how far they’ve had to come and how long ago they were picked.
By eating local food that has travelled a short distance to get to you, you’ll be able to enjoy fresher food that has more flavour and nutritional value.
It also makes it so much more special when the first tomatoes and peaches of the season finally arrive!
Building Local Food Security
Eating local food and supporting local farmers is crucial for our local food security. We see just how important local food security is in times of natural disasters and with the increasing challenges posed by climate change.
By eating food that is grown close to home, we can become less dependent on long and vulnerable supply chains. It’s a good feeling to know that we’ll always be able to feed ourselves, even in times of crisis.
