SAN LUIS OBSIPO, Calif- San Luis Obispo County has recently adopted a buy local policy. Produce may cost more from a local farm than at a store that buys in bulk. The real difference in buying local produce like apples, is that they are fresher and the county isn't paying the transportation costs to get it here. Susie Kenny's "See Canyon Fruit Ranch" has been around for over a century.
"Our passion is for the community, locals, to bring the awareness of people helping little businesses like ours," says Kenny. The county wants to help make that happen when it buys food for its jail and juvenile services center. In 2010-2011 the county spent nearly 600-thousand dollars on food, of that nearly 95-thousand was spent on produce from out of the area. Now that 95-thousand will be spent locally.
There is enough food to go around in SLO county, it produces enough to feed this county and 7 others of the same size. Local farmers like Susie agree, this is just what the county needs.
"You're helping somebody stay here instead of some giant coming in, and you're bringing people for the experience. I think it's the best thing our community could do." The food will also travel shorter distance making the food fresher. The county hopes "buying local" will become business as usual for other government entities, such as schools.
