Local products are better for you and your family

     Fresh produce loses nutrients quickly¹. Produce grown in your own community was probably picked within one or two days of purchase while fresh food found at supermarkets travels on average 1,300 miles from farm to table. No wonder locally grown food is fresher and tastes better than food shipped from other countries or states! Additionally, getting to know where your food comes from and how it is grown or manufactured is the best way to protect your family from potentially unsafe chemicals and other hazardous ingredients often found in mass-produced food products.

 

Local products are better for your community

     Buying local is an investment in your community. Studies² show that dollars spent on local products or at independent businesses deliver a local economic impact twice to four times superior to dollars spent for national brands or at national chains. This is because locally owned businesses spend more of their revenue within their communities than large corporations, creating a "multiplier effect" and strengthening communities by offering local job opportunities.

Local products are better for our planet

      Food transport is also a major contributor to air pollution. Much of the food purchased in your local supermarket has been transported long distances even though similar produce might be available nearby; for example, beans from Zimbabwe, strawberries from Chili and apples from as far away as New Zealand. By reducing the distance food travels, we can reduce carbon emissions and leave a smaller ecological footprint.

 99miles Certification

   The 99miles™ seal guarantees consumers that a product has been grown or manufactured within a 99milesradius from its point of sale using mostly local ingredients. 99miles™ is currently available in the U.S.  and licensed to retailers and local vendors who display the 99miles label on products that meet  the program's strict standards.

Consumers are often surprised to find a local option to their favorite food that is even tastier than the national brand they are used to while supporting local economy. 99miles™  enables local products to be identified, recognized and trusted by consumers so that they can compete with national brands.

LOTRA (Local Trade Alliance) monitors vendors and retailers to verify compliance with 99miles™ criteria. Non-compliance with 99miles™ standard results in immediate termination of licensing agreement with local vendors. LOTRA encourages consumers to report any suspect display of 99miles™ seal: Report an Abuse

 Find Local Products in your Area

  This service will be available soon. In the meantime, check your local grocer (and not the big chain), there is a good chance he carries local products!

 Report an Abuse

 We do our best to monitor the use of the 99miles™ seal and make sure only local products use the seal but we can't be everywhere , so your help is crucial! Help us monitor the use of the 99miles™ seal and click here to report an abuse.

1. ‘‘Growing For Market’’, 2001

2. Economic Impact Analysis: Local Merchants vs. Chain Retailers, December 2002, by Civic Economics, Austin IBA ; The Economic Impact of Locally Owned Businesses vs. Chains: A Case Study in Mid-Coast Maine - September 2003, by Institute for Local Self-Reliance