Buying locally supports family farms

 

Buying locally produced agricultural products has gained substantial interest in recent years. For consumers, the benefits of buying local are an increased consciousness in healthier living, a desire to be more engaged in the community and sustain the local economy, and the reward of knowing they are purchasing the highest quality and freshness.

So we really wanted to know why consumers buy Delaware grown products and what they know about Delaware agriculture. We asked 250 Delaware residents and 100 Delaware visitors who had purchased fresh produce from Delaware, within a specified time period. We also had consumers do the final selection of the new Delaware Grown logo.
The top ten key points we learned about Delaware grown crops and the residents and visitors who enjoy them are:

• Delaware agricultural products are fresh.
• Delawareans buy local produce to support their community, for its freshness, and they enjoy shopping at farmers’ markets.
• Visitors’ key reasons for buying local are value, enjoyment of shopping at the farmers’ markets, variety, and knowing where their food originates.
• Eighty percent of residents and visitors believe it’s important to buy from local growers of produce.
• Top 6 recognized Delaware grown fruits: strawberries, watermelon, berries, apples, peaches, and cantaloupe.
• Top 6 recognized Delaware grown vegetables: sweet corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, green beans, and lettuce.Why
• Honey is the most recognized horticultural crop.
• Visitors seek out Delaware grown produce when they go back home.
• Millennials want to eat at restaurants that have locally grown produce on the menu.
• The Delaware Grown logo, designed and selected based on consumer input, was preferred overwhelmingly for capturing their attention, promoting Delaware agricultural products, and being more memorable.

Head on over to our map to find a Delaware grown products available right in your community. Can’t make it to the farm or farmers’ market? Stop by your local grocery store to find fruits and vegetables grown by one of your neighbors.