CONGRATULATIONS TO THE
2023 NATIONAL AG DAY CONTEST WINNERS!
A big thanks to the PA Department of Agriculture for helping to sponsor some of the prizes for our winners!
Where is my Dippy Egg?
Suddenly there are fewer eggs in many households and grocery stores. In the past, eggs have been a cheap and easy meal. Availability has gone down, and prices have gone up. In 100 - 150 words, write about what has happened to cause this problem and how it has changed the way chicken farms work.
Suddenly there are fewer eggs in many households and grocery stores. In the past, eggs have been a cheap and easy meal. Availability has gone down, and prices have gone up. In 100 - 150 words, write about what has happened to cause this problem and how it has changed the way chicken farms work.
Essay Contest winners: GRADES 3-5
1st Place:
Karson Sutton
4th Grader at Tilden Elementary, Hamburg School District
A lot of farmers do not have many chickens because other animals keep eating them. In the winter, they have to keep the chickens alive and warm. It costs a lot of money for the farmers to keep the chickens safe and healthy. Electricity and gas costs more now and also farmers produce fewer chicken eggs because chicken feed costs more. Some chickens lay eggs when they are incubating and they also like to stay in warm places in a shelter. All chickens need a good home. All chickens sometimes lay eggs for whoever gives them a good place to stay. Some chickens have to lay eggs if they don't want to, they have to anyway because it's not their problem to lay their eggs in the nest. I love when I eat the eggs because they are healthy and delicious. A lot of eggs are brown, black, and white. The black ones are always rotten eggs, brown ones mean they are healthy. The chickens like to eat their own chicken eggs if the owner doesn't feed them. A lot of people have chickens. Some chickens are not available to other people if they don't have a right colony. Some chickens like to play with their owners. Some chickens are feisty with one another. For example, they like, or they will peck each other. A lot of people who have chicken farms also have other farm animals. A lot of animals eat chickens because they are hungry too. Some people are a allergic to chickens because they have a lot of seasoning. Chickens prey on worms and insects. Some people wish they had a few chickens to raise, to collect their eggs. Chickens need chicken feed to be able to survive. A lot farmers sometimes collect them or sell them to get money. Egg prices are a big deal around this country because feed and fuel prices to feed and transport eggs and other objects are high. Eggs alone are going for $4.25 cents a dozen! Eggs used to be $1.93/dozen. One thing that is affecting chicken population is the Bird Flu. It can wipe out a pack of chickens quickly and is contagious.3w3 ki I love when other people protect the chickens and care for them. A lot of farmers have a lot of time with the chickens. I wanted to have a chicken farm myself. If you would, what would you do with egg profits? I wish chicken eggs would be $1.00 a dozen!
2nd Place:
Kaylyn Cinfici
4th Grader at Tilden Elementary, Hamburg School District
The most common eggs that people eat are chicken egg you can make dippy eggs.Egg sandwiches or a omelet and fried eggs ,Farmers egg prices went up because there are not a lot of eggs .The place China has 466 billion asia produces the most eggs the united states has 109 billion eggs.the bird flu killed many birds and there not a lot of eggs. The egg prices last year were 1,93 today. There 4,25 eggs have gone expensive . Farmers don't have a lot of money if the chicken hut gets broken. They would need to pay for electricity or heating lamps for the chickens to lay eggs and be warm in the winter. Eggs cost more because chickens could die from bird flu because if a chicken gets it could spread to another chicken. It costs more for farmers to buy chicken feed and buy hay for their homes to live in, It costs more for gas and stuff for them that there's not a lot of things that farmers need for their chicken.The fewer eggs mean higher prices the chicken eggs cost more then last year chicken eggs are not the only eggs people eat. They eat duck eggs, goose and quail birds. They can fry them and make an omelet. There are many things that people can make.Eggs cost a lot more because chickens.`53 million birds died of the bird flu . The virus can kill chickens that have eggs. The chickens need water and food. The food has gone higher in prices . Chicken eggs are more expensive. Fewer birds that can lay eggs are getting killed by the bird flu and it could spread to other chickens or birds that lay eggs .Chicken could get hurt or killed by foxes or wolves. Chickens need a lot of food and water chicken need to eat corn and bird feed chickens eggs could be broken if someone in the stores don't pay attention to the egg the could brake and they will have to pay for them.Farmers have to buy a lot of hay to put more in if the chickens get messy in the pen chickens also have egg even tho a chicken doesn't have a mate.chickens cost a lot to take care of and need thee eggs checked so its not hurt or have a virus people who farm could need to clean a lot. Chicken could have a lot of vet bills if their sick chicken egg prices are way higher than last year they were 1,93 the where cheaper last year farmers could afford that much and could pay electricity and gas.The chicken eggs prices are lower because of less chicken eggs.
3rd Place:
Regan Stoudt
4th Grader at Tilden Elementary, Hamburg School Distric
There's been fewer eggs in many households but why. Because in 2022 eggs used to cost $1.93 but now in 2023 they cost $4.25. The country that produces the most eggs is China and the continent that produces the most eggs is Asia and the United States they produce 109 billion eggs in a year but why are eggs more expensive? Chickens produce the most eggs but for farmers it costs more to take care of the chickens and the chickens are dying from a bird flu that kills many birds. The bird flu is contagious and the bird flu affects many types of birds. Last year it killed more than 53 million chickens and only chickens! Fewer birds means fewer eggs since there's fewer eggs the price went up. Feeding hens grains now costs more for egg farmers. Farmers also need to pay more for electricity and gas so it costs more to raise chickens so they make people pay more for eggs. Some people have tried to raise their own chickens and some people are eating plant based food. Even though we have eggs from other animals, the main source is chickens. How would you feel eating robin eggs, hawk eggs and such were used to chicken eggs. If you would even eat eggs from other animals the bird flu still exists and they will die anyway since chickens lay the most eggs that's why we usually use chicken eggs. That's why we have fewer eggs in our households and eggs are more expensive.
Farming Past and Present
Farming has changed over the years. Imagine that your family has owned and operated a 125-acre Berks County farm for five generations. Even though there are still many farms in the county, quite a few have disappeared. Why has your family farm continued to succeed when so many others are no longer around? What has your family done to change and adapt to the times? Explain in 200-350 words.
Farming has changed over the years. Imagine that your family has owned and operated a 125-acre Berks County farm for five generations. Even though there are still many farms in the county, quite a few have disappeared. Why has your family farm continued to succeed when so many others are no longer around? What has your family done to change and adapt to the times? Explain in 200-350 words.
Essay Contest winners: Grades 6-8
1st Place:
Owen Macfarlane
8th Grader at Kutztown Area Middle School
The climate of farming has changed drastically over the past few decades, and there are several ways in which farms can continue to be successful. Farms can stay in business by changing their crop or livestock, getting into agritourism, establishing an independently owned farm store, or applying for farmland preservation.
One way a farm can stay successful is by changing the type of crop it harvests or livestock it raises. Changing the type of crop or livestock is helpful because it can make a farm more profitable and easy to tend to.
A second way to keep a farm in business is to get into agritourism. Agritourism is used to attract customers with activities such as corn mazes, petting zoos, hay bale climbing, and playgrounds made of converted farm machinery. This provides farms with an additional source of revenue that can be used year after year.
A third way farms can stay successful is by establishing an independently owned farm store. Typically, farmers sell their produce to buyers that package it and sell it at stores. By establishing an independently owned farm store, farmers can make a living and keep their land.
Finally, a farm can stay around by applying for farmland preservation. By doing this, a farm can reduce its property taxes. This won’t necessarily save a farm, but it is a way to make it easier to stay in business.
In conclusion, there are four ways in which a farm can remain successful as the world changes. Farms can change their main crop of livestock for greater profit or convenience. They can also make money off of agritourism or by establishing an independently owned farm store. Farms can also apply for farmland preservation to save money. It is essential to keep farms in business, as they are an important part of everyday life.
One way a farm can stay successful is by changing the type of crop it harvests or livestock it raises. Changing the type of crop or livestock is helpful because it can make a farm more profitable and easy to tend to.
A second way to keep a farm in business is to get into agritourism. Agritourism is used to attract customers with activities such as corn mazes, petting zoos, hay bale climbing, and playgrounds made of converted farm machinery. This provides farms with an additional source of revenue that can be used year after year.
A third way farms can stay successful is by establishing an independently owned farm store. Typically, farmers sell their produce to buyers that package it and sell it at stores. By establishing an independently owned farm store, farmers can make a living and keep their land.
Finally, a farm can stay around by applying for farmland preservation. By doing this, a farm can reduce its property taxes. This won’t necessarily save a farm, but it is a way to make it easier to stay in business.
In conclusion, there are four ways in which a farm can remain successful as the world changes. Farms can change their main crop of livestock for greater profit or convenience. They can also make money off of agritourism or by establishing an independently owned farm store. Farms can also apply for farmland preservation to save money. It is essential to keep farms in business, as they are an important part of everyday life.
2nd Place:
Camryn Reidenhour
6th Grader, Hamburg School District - Homeschool
I’m glad that you chose this topic for my age group! I don’t have to imagine, I am lucky to be living on a family farm for at least 5 generations. During that time, things have changed quite a bit. When my great, great, great grandparents farmed this farm, they used horse-drawn equipment. When my great grandparents farmed, they started using tractors. Now all the farming is done by heavy equipment, which can do much more because it is much bigger and faster. They used to gather grain by hand and have animals walk on it, but thankfully, now we use combines to cut and thresh the grain grown on our farm.
Our farming practices have changed a lot in 5 generations, but we still produce a variety of crops. Our main crops now are soybeans and hay, but we used to grow a wide variety of labor intensive crops like produce and sweet corn as well as field corn and oats. Now our farming operation is more focused on feeding other people and other people’s animals rather than feeding just ourselves and our own animals. We have also become very mechanized due to the difficulty of finding help.
All these years we’ve been open to growing and improving our farm. The reason we’re still farming here is because of perseverance to continue farming. We’ve made it a priority to stay working this land. The long hours aren’t for everyone, but it is a way of life for us. Working the land is a different lifestyle from city life. ‘’Also raising kids on a farm is a great way for kids to learn about hard work and responsibility,’’ says my Nana.
Through the generations, our family has continued farming the same land. We’ve made changes by choosing to use bigger equipment and technology, and we’ve been willing to learn new things. These are some of the reasons our family farm is still thriving!
Our farming practices have changed a lot in 5 generations, but we still produce a variety of crops. Our main crops now are soybeans and hay, but we used to grow a wide variety of labor intensive crops like produce and sweet corn as well as field corn and oats. Now our farming operation is more focused on feeding other people and other people’s animals rather than feeding just ourselves and our own animals. We have also become very mechanized due to the difficulty of finding help.
All these years we’ve been open to growing and improving our farm. The reason we’re still farming here is because of perseverance to continue farming. We’ve made it a priority to stay working this land. The long hours aren’t for everyone, but it is a way of life for us. Working the land is a different lifestyle from city life. ‘’Also raising kids on a farm is a great way for kids to learn about hard work and responsibility,’’ says my Nana.
Through the generations, our family has continued farming the same land. We’ve made changes by choosing to use bigger equipment and technology, and we’ve been willing to learn new things. These are some of the reasons our family farm is still thriving!
3rd Place:
RyleAnn E Melicharek
8th Grader at Kutztown Area Middle School
Farming has been around for about 10,000 years and continues to evolve. When farming had just started it was mostly all done by hand. As time passed, new machinery and tools made it a lot easier. But farming is a big expense. The price of a farm with a lot of land is easily millions of dollars.
My family farm has been passed down for generations and my family is fortunate to not have mortgage costs. We are able to use that money towards equipment and hay or grain, which can be very helpful as planting and harvest seasons change.
With each passing generation, my family received more education on various aspects of agriculture. Education has come from various sources such as Penn State University and Extension, conservation district programs, NRCS, and more. Whether it is machinery operation, land and wildlife management, or business aspects of managing a farm, my family has adapted to the newest agricultural needs.
Our property started out as land with a barn and a house. Throughout the years we have been able to purchase more efficient machinery, diversify the crops and animals we produce and add an on farm market to sell our value added products. Because we have continued education and diversified our farm we continue to succeed.
My family farm has been passed down for generations and my family is fortunate to not have mortgage costs. We are able to use that money towards equipment and hay or grain, which can be very helpful as planting and harvest seasons change.
With each passing generation, my family received more education on various aspects of agriculture. Education has come from various sources such as Penn State University and Extension, conservation district programs, NRCS, and more. Whether it is machinery operation, land and wildlife management, or business aspects of managing a farm, my family has adapted to the newest agricultural needs.
Our property started out as land with a barn and a house. Throughout the years we have been able to purchase more efficient machinery, diversify the crops and animals we produce and add an on farm market to sell our value added products. Because we have continued education and diversified our farm we continue to succeed.
Why is it better to buy locally-produced agricultural products instead of nationally-produced big-name brands?
Imagine that you have recently been hired by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and are part of the PA Preferred Program. The Secretary of Agriculture explains that your main job is encouraging people to buy locally-produced Pennsylvania products. A local media service has offered you the opportunity to either write a short essay or produce a short video documentary that can be used to educate the public about why it is better to buy locally produced products. In 350-500 words, give many reasons for buying Pennsylvania and Berks County products as possible.
Imagine that you have recently been hired by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and are part of the PA Preferred Program. The Secretary of Agriculture explains that your main job is encouraging people to buy locally-produced Pennsylvania products. A local media service has offered you the opportunity to either write a short essay or produce a short video documentary that can be used to educate the public about why it is better to buy locally produced products. In 350-500 words, give many reasons for buying Pennsylvania and Berks County products as possible.
Essay Contest WINNERS: Grades 9-12
1st Place:
Regan Kreitzer
12th Grader at Tulpehocken Junior-Senior High School
Imagine the face of a farmer who has just sold his local products to a customer. A serene, satisfied face knowing that the residents of Berks County have provided him with a livelihood. This is what happens when you buy local instead of from a nationally-produced big-name brand. When you buy locally-produced agricultural products, you are buying a fresher product than in the grocery store. Picture sinking your teeth into a fresh apple compared to an old apple that’s been sitting on a grocery store shelf. There is less packaging when you skip the big-name brand products. There is not only less packaging, but an overall lesser amount of wasted materials. No fuel from hauling products, no unnecessary machinery and no more wasteful packaging. What better way to contribute to the cleanliness of our planet than to purchase a product straight from the producer in your neighborhood. By buying locally, you are also supporting the local economy.
Whether you’re in Berks County or anywhere in Pennsylvania, you are joining the community together, creating more jobs and helping those in your community. Buying locally-produced products allows for you to support the people that help your community thrive. Not only are you giving someone a livelihood, but you are also allowing them to continue doing what they love. When you support a local business owner, you know exactly where your food comes from. No second guessing whether or not your food is healthy or not. You are met face to face with a producer who is extremely passionate about their community. Local products are also cheaper which can greatly affect the way you shop and live. What better way to save money than to buy a product straight from your community members? Food security may be a topic that you may not think of on a daily basis but locally-produced products and food security go hand and hand.
The definition of food security is “the state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.” When you shop locally, you are putting your trust in a reliable member of a tight knit circle. You get the privilege of having access to healthy, easily attainable food/products. In times of emergency, the people around you are able to quickly provide you with everything you could ever need. In conclusion, buying locally-produced agricultural products is better for the environment, an incredible way to support the people within your community, and a fantastic way to support the local economy. Think twice before you purchase a nationally-produced big-name brand product, you just may want to make that switch to better your life and the people around you. So the next time you are driving by Way-Har for some ice cream on a hot summer day or stumble upon Plum Creek Farm Market for some fresh fruit, just be aware of the impact that you have the ability to create!
Whether you’re in Berks County or anywhere in Pennsylvania, you are joining the community together, creating more jobs and helping those in your community. Buying locally-produced products allows for you to support the people that help your community thrive. Not only are you giving someone a livelihood, but you are also allowing them to continue doing what they love. When you support a local business owner, you know exactly where your food comes from. No second guessing whether or not your food is healthy or not. You are met face to face with a producer who is extremely passionate about their community. Local products are also cheaper which can greatly affect the way you shop and live. What better way to save money than to buy a product straight from your community members? Food security may be a topic that you may not think of on a daily basis but locally-produced products and food security go hand and hand.
The definition of food security is “the state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.” When you shop locally, you are putting your trust in a reliable member of a tight knit circle. You get the privilege of having access to healthy, easily attainable food/products. In times of emergency, the people around you are able to quickly provide you with everything you could ever need. In conclusion, buying locally-produced agricultural products is better for the environment, an incredible way to support the people within your community, and a fantastic way to support the local economy. Think twice before you purchase a nationally-produced big-name brand product, you just may want to make that switch to better your life and the people around you. So the next time you are driving by Way-Har for some ice cream on a hot summer day or stumble upon Plum Creek Farm Market for some fresh fruit, just be aware of the impact that you have the ability to create!
2nd Place:
Jesse Hastings
11th Grader at Kutztown Area High School
Purchasing local food from small family farms is necessary in order to decrease environmental impacts of transportation of food products, to keep family farms afloat as corporate farms continue to make it harder for them to keep up, and to educate the public further about where their food comes from and why it matters.
Buying locally grown products supports family farms, brings communities closer together, and preserves genetic diversity. Buying local food as opposed to food from name-brand farms supports small farms that cannot always keep up with commercial farms. Buying locally ensures transparency about where your food comes from. It also allows you to get to know the farmers who are growing your food, which promotes a greater sense of community, and allows for further education about agriculture, which is a field that most people are uneducated on. Local food also preserves genetic diversity because smaller farms tend to produce a variety of produce, as opposed to commercial farms that grow one type of product based on its desirable traits. Local food is also often less wasteful because they will sell products that may not look perfect, but have the same nutritional value as their other produce– in contrast to commercial farms, who will not sell products that look undesirable, creating more waste.
Farm to Table helps counties in western Pennsylvania promote locally grown agriculture to consumers. They help with delivering food, and educating the public about why it is important to support local farms. They hold events like local food expos for people to come and learn about small farms in their communities and products they sell. This program makes it easy for consumers to support local farmers, which is important because they may not otherwise have access to farmers markets to purchase local goods. Chain grocery stores that sell products from commercial farms are more accessible to the public, which makes selling products difficult for small farmers. Organizations like this make locally grown food accessible to the public. If people sought out organizations like this, they could support local farmers, which has a positive impact on the environment, the economy, and their communities.
CSAs, or community supported agriculture, is a program that allows consumers to purchase a monthly amount of food from small farmers. This helps local farmers financially because the food is purchased in one payment, which allows for more financial security. These help local farmers, and get a steady supply of food for your family. CSAs are also less wasteful because they send food in one package all at once, as opposed to purchasing individual products at the grocery store, which uses significantly more packaging that harms the environment.
Locally grown food is often grown in a healthier, more sustainable way, which is something that is valued by many consumers. If food like this was more accessible to the public through programs like Farm To Table, it would make a positive impact on the environment, on local farmers, and on the general public.
Buying locally grown products supports family farms, brings communities closer together, and preserves genetic diversity. Buying local food as opposed to food from name-brand farms supports small farms that cannot always keep up with commercial farms. Buying locally ensures transparency about where your food comes from. It also allows you to get to know the farmers who are growing your food, which promotes a greater sense of community, and allows for further education about agriculture, which is a field that most people are uneducated on. Local food also preserves genetic diversity because smaller farms tend to produce a variety of produce, as opposed to commercial farms that grow one type of product based on its desirable traits. Local food is also often less wasteful because they will sell products that may not look perfect, but have the same nutritional value as their other produce– in contrast to commercial farms, who will not sell products that look undesirable, creating more waste.
Farm to Table helps counties in western Pennsylvania promote locally grown agriculture to consumers. They help with delivering food, and educating the public about why it is important to support local farms. They hold events like local food expos for people to come and learn about small farms in their communities and products they sell. This program makes it easy for consumers to support local farmers, which is important because they may not otherwise have access to farmers markets to purchase local goods. Chain grocery stores that sell products from commercial farms are more accessible to the public, which makes selling products difficult for small farmers. Organizations like this make locally grown food accessible to the public. If people sought out organizations like this, they could support local farmers, which has a positive impact on the environment, the economy, and their communities.
CSAs, or community supported agriculture, is a program that allows consumers to purchase a monthly amount of food from small farmers. This helps local farmers financially because the food is purchased in one payment, which allows for more financial security. These help local farmers, and get a steady supply of food for your family. CSAs are also less wasteful because they send food in one package all at once, as opposed to purchasing individual products at the grocery store, which uses significantly more packaging that harms the environment.
Locally grown food is often grown in a healthier, more sustainable way, which is something that is valued by many consumers. If food like this was more accessible to the public through programs like Farm To Table, it would make a positive impact on the environment, on local farmers, and on the general public.
3rd Place:
Maisy Kellum
11th Grader at Kutztown Area High SchooL
Locally grown food is a privilege to have access to. However, not very many people realize this and take advantage of it. Buying locally grown produce is beneficial to both local sellers and consumers by positively impacting the local economy, providing enriching benefits to the local environment, and providing quality, healthy food for buyers.
Buying local food benefits the economy in your area, since it takes less effort to get from farm to plate if the produce is locally sold. This makes costs lower for the buyer, and profits higher for the seller. “Buying local food also adds to the economic vibrancy of the region. In Western PA, regional farmers offer a wide variety of food, including vegetables, meat, dairy, fruit and grains. When food producers sell locally, they get more money in their pockets since there are fewer steps to the sale.” A community thrives when it is able to sustain an economy itself. Surely this is everyone’s ideal when it comes to their town or city. Buying locally grown produce contributes to that in a large degree.
Locally bought produce also positively impacts the health of the consumer. If you buy locally, you know where your food comes from and what’s in it. “At large industrial farms, the pursuit of high-yielding varieties often comes at the expense of nutritional quality. Production methods that deplete the soil health tend to yield crops with lower nutritional content. Additionally, supermarket fruits and vegetables can spend 7-14 days in transit, and the vitamin content of produce that has been picked early and forced to ripen during transport is often lower than that which ripens right on the plant. Prepared, pre-chopped produce in supermarkets loses protection against nutrient loss when the skin is removed.” Foods grown locally don’t face these challenges, which improves their nutritional value.
Buying locally also helps to improve the local environment. “Sustainably grown food provides many benefits to the entire ecosystem: it is grown in our own foodshed by a local farmer at a scale that’s appropriate to the area and involves minimal ecological disruption and processing. Sustainable farming means thinking long-term — preserving topsoil, biodiversity, and rural communities.” Local, small businesses farmers are able to help the land by committing to practices such as IPM, or integrated pest management, which provides solutions to crop pests other than harmful pesticides. Farmers are also able to pay attention to soil conservation, diversity, and water conservation.
To sum up, it is far better to buy locally-produced agricultural products instead of nationally-produced big-name brands. The community would begin to flourish with a steady, improving economy. The land and environment would thrive since local farmers are giving special care to their farmland. Finally, consumers would receive much healthier, fresher produce that they can feel one hundred percent comfortable about buying. All of these factors simply cannot be provided by big-name produce brands shipped to every grocery store in America.
Buying local food benefits the economy in your area, since it takes less effort to get from farm to plate if the produce is locally sold. This makes costs lower for the buyer, and profits higher for the seller. “Buying local food also adds to the economic vibrancy of the region. In Western PA, regional farmers offer a wide variety of food, including vegetables, meat, dairy, fruit and grains. When food producers sell locally, they get more money in their pockets since there are fewer steps to the sale.” A community thrives when it is able to sustain an economy itself. Surely this is everyone’s ideal when it comes to their town or city. Buying locally grown produce contributes to that in a large degree.
Locally bought produce also positively impacts the health of the consumer. If you buy locally, you know where your food comes from and what’s in it. “At large industrial farms, the pursuit of high-yielding varieties often comes at the expense of nutritional quality. Production methods that deplete the soil health tend to yield crops with lower nutritional content. Additionally, supermarket fruits and vegetables can spend 7-14 days in transit, and the vitamin content of produce that has been picked early and forced to ripen during transport is often lower than that which ripens right on the plant. Prepared, pre-chopped produce in supermarkets loses protection against nutrient loss when the skin is removed.” Foods grown locally don’t face these challenges, which improves their nutritional value.
Buying locally also helps to improve the local environment. “Sustainably grown food provides many benefits to the entire ecosystem: it is grown in our own foodshed by a local farmer at a scale that’s appropriate to the area and involves minimal ecological disruption and processing. Sustainable farming means thinking long-term — preserving topsoil, biodiversity, and rural communities.” Local, small businesses farmers are able to help the land by committing to practices such as IPM, or integrated pest management, which provides solutions to crop pests other than harmful pesticides. Farmers are also able to pay attention to soil conservation, diversity, and water conservation.
To sum up, it is far better to buy locally-produced agricultural products instead of nationally-produced big-name brands. The community would begin to flourish with a steady, improving economy. The land and environment would thrive since local farmers are giving special care to their farmland. Finally, consumers would receive much healthier, fresher produce that they can feel one hundred percent comfortable about buying. All of these factors simply cannot be provided by big-name produce brands shipped to every grocery store in America.