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RESONATE - Part 2

Feb 5, 2024

Local Farmers and Food

RESONATE is a series about identifying what resonates with your audience – your customers, consumers, your stakeholders, etc. While certifications are a part of your sustainability story, you will need relatable messaging to connect with your audience. Your sustainability story should include impacts that are meaningful to your customers.

It’s been established in the research conducted by NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business (CSB) and Edelman, that when your sustainability claims link to what consumers care most about, that’s when you best resonate with your audience.

Buying locally sourced food satisfies the Triple Bottom Line (TBL), demonstrating that you care for your community, your planet, and yourself.

Community impacts: Sustainable food practices and buying local food encourages community togetherness and overall health by reducing the amount of food wasted, the amount of food miles acquired, and the amount of toxins released into the environment. Communities also receive economic benefits when consumers choose to purchase local food. Sustainable agriculture practices also contribute to the livelihood of farmers.

Planet impacts: Food is a main driver of climate change, so local food can be better for the environment as it reduces CO2 emissions by reducing food miles — the distance food travels from farm to consumer. Sustainable agricultural practices will ensure the longevity of farms and food sources.

Individual impacts: You vote every time you shop, and with knowledge comes the ability to support foods and growers you believe in. Local food can also be healthier for you as it often retains more nutrients and is allowed to ripen naturally, while food that travels long distances is often picked before it’s ripe. Fresher food often tastes better too, being picked and eaten and the peak of freshness.

Key SCS Services that exemplify positive impacts on local farmers and food:

Sustainably Grown