Local food - means locally grown

Wisconsin consumers widely agree that “local” food means food grown in Wisconsin, according to a new statewide survey conducted by faculty affiliated with the University of Wisconsin-Extension, UW-Madison, and UW-River Falls. Food from Michigan, Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota, meanwhile, is not considered “local” by most Wisconsin shoppers.

Researchers aimed to provide farmers and communities with strategies informed by Wisconsin-specific data to support local-food marketing efforts throughout the state. A random sample of Wisconsin households was surveyed in 2015, and findings and recommendations are available in a new report, “Wisconsin Consumers and Local Food: Public Opinion, Trends & Marketing Recommendations.”

“Because there is not a universal definition of local, it’s important to understand what consumers in Wisconsin believe,   ...more

Ken Notes: Remember with a little marketing we can easily become "local" to Chicago and the Midwest. Imagine the entire Midwest market getting year round lettuce, fruit, and vegetables, not to mention dairy and meat and beer from Wisconsin instead of South America, Mexico, California, and the southern states.