Building Connections: Shopping for local foods lets you meet the farmers who grow your food and connect with your neighbors, turning a chore into a community experience.
Economic Benefits: Buying locally keeps food dollars circulating within our community. This spending significantly boosts the local economy through the multiplier effect: money spent on local food generates additional economic activity. For instance, each dollar spent on local food in the Lehigh Valley generates an additional 45 cents in economic activity, compared to just 14 cents from national chain stores.
Support for Local Businesses: Farmers markets not only support farmers but also benefit other downtown businesses, as many market visitors shop at nearby stores.
The $10 Solution: Lehigh Valley residents spend $3.5 billion per year on food, but less than 1% is purchased directly from local farms. If each household spent just $10 per week on local food, it would add $300 million to the local economy, benefiting farms and local businesses alike.
