Eastern Carolina Organics reminds us why we should buy local and organic foods

Eastern Carolina Organics is a marketing and distribution service for local organic fruits and vegetables. We are a farmer-based company that is:
• helping rural organic family farmers access urban markets, while
• enabling consumers (chefs, grocers and families) to support local, sustainable agriculture and their regional economies by purchasing fresh, high-quality organic produce.

When You Buy LOCALLY-PRODUCED Foods, You…

1. Buy Fresher, More Nutritious Foods. Locally grown fruits and vegetables are usually harvested within 24 hours of being purchased by the consumer. Produce picked at the height of freshness tastes better. Because locally grown produce is freshest, it is more nutritionally complete. Nutritional value declines, often dramatically, as time passes after harvest.

2. Reduce Energy Consumption. Locally produced foods do not require significant transportation or storage, both of which are very energy-intensive and pollute our air and water.

3. Increase Regional Economic Health. Buying locally grown foods keeps money within the community. This contributes to the health of all sectors of the local economy, increasing the local quality of life.

4. Encourage a Self-Sufficient Community. A community that produces its own food enables people to influence how their food is grown. In addition, it reduces reliance on far-off food producers, thus stabilizing its own food supply.

5. Help Preserve Biodiversity. Farmers selling locally are not limited to the few varieties that are bred for long distance shipping, high yields, and shelf life. Often they raise and sell wonderful heirloom varieties that may be hard to find in supermarkets.6. Preserve the Rural Character of the Land.Supporting local farmers means maintaining local farmland. Local consumers can serve as the lifeline for local farmers because they create direct marketing opportunities where sellers can receive fair prices for their crops.

7. Avoid Post-harvest Contamination. Foods sold in local markets without the need for extensive storage and transportation will likely contain minimal or no waxes and/or fungicides applied to protect the product after harvest.

When You Buy ORGANICALLY-GROWN Foods, You…

1. Promote Stringent Standards. Organic certification is the public's assurance that products have been grown and handled according to strict procedures that protect you and the environment.

2. Reduce Your Health Risks. Many EPA-approved pesticides were registered long before extensive research linked these chemicals to cancer and other diseases. Organic agriculture is one way to prevent any more of these chemicals from getting into the air, earth, water, and our bodies.

3. Improve Soil Health. Soil health is essential for the survival of our species. Conventional farming practices are rapidly depleting topsoil fertility. Creating and sustaining healthy soils is the major objective for organic growers.

4. Protect the Environment. Soil erosion; pesticide contamination of soils, air, and water; nitrate loading of waterways and wells; and elimination of planetary biodiversity are some of the problems associated with today's conventional farming methods. Organic farmers use practices that protect soil, air, and water resources; and that promote biodiversity.

5. Protect Farm Families and Workers. Organic farming prohibits the use of toxic materials, making the farm a safer place to live and work.

6. Inspire Better Farming. The success of organic agriculture encourages farmers to use sound, sensible stewardship to help even depleted lands regain productivity. They have led the way with innovative on-farm research aimed at reducing pesticide use and minimizing agriculture's impact on the environment.

7. Pass on the Stewardship Ethic. When you buy locally produced organic food you help raise awareness among your friends and family about how food consumption decisions can make a difference in your life and the life of your community.