Since our humble beginnings over 30 years ago, we have supported local growers and offered local foods to our community. Products are considered local by the St. Peter Food Co-op if they are grown or produced within the 5 state area: Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The ultimate decision of what is labeled as local is at the discretion of management of St. Peter Food Co-op due to the fact that the local food movement is a collaborative effort to build a more locally-based, self-reliant food economy. Sustainable food production and processing, when integrated, enhance the economic, environmental, and social health of the region, which are our criteria for labeling a food as local.
There are many benefits to eating local food! It is good for the economy because money from each transaction stays in the region. It connects community members to the people who grow or produce their food, while helping to support endangered family farms. It also is respectful of the environment because food doesn’t travel far, thereby reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Not to mention eating local food is more nutritious and simply tastes better because it is often harvested or processed the same day it arrives at the co-op.
