NFU Statement: Salazar to Lead Interior Department — 12|18|08
Friday, January 16, 2009
Food & Nutrition
With obesity now at epidemic levels, it is important for all Americans, especially children, to receive adequate nutrition. The School Lunch Program and the Special Milk Program provide a valuable benefit to school-age children and should continue to receive full funding with an emphasis placed on using local, domestically-produced foods.
Buy fresh. Buy local.
Consumer demand for fresh, source verified, direct from the farm food is the fastest growing segment of the food business.
Consumers want to know where the food they feed their families comes from. Moreover, they are willing to pay for it. As a result, producers are now beginning to be price-makers, not price-takers.
A producer’s price is based upon quality and freshness; in turn, consumers and their families receive high quality, fresh products they want and can trust. Urban farmers markets and direct selling by farmers to consumers, retailers and restaurants are the direct results of the buy fresh, buy local movement sweeping the nation. 
