More communities are finding ways to promote local first.
Stumbled upon this article in the Washington Business Journal about the Buy Local Challenge program by the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission which encourages residents to purchase food from local farmers.
As stated in the article, "If every household in Southern Maryland spent $12 per week on local
produce for 8 weeks, $54 million would go directly back to their
farmers, according to Christine Bergmark, director of the commission." The challenge asks residents to eat at least one item from a local farm every day during next week.