Make the Shift

Lowcountry Local First (LLF) kicked off its 5th annual Eat Local Month and the Eat Local Challenge on Friday, April 1. Sign up is now open for the Eat Local Challenge, which will take place during the entire month of April and is open to teams and individuals.
LLF, a nonprofit organization, cultivates local economic prosperity and quality of life by increasing community support for locally-owned, independent businesses and farmers.
The goal of LLF’s Eat Local Challenge is to help consumers in their choices and their spending towards local in order to cultivate a strong local economy. The Eat Local Challenge asks participants to pledge to shift $10 of their weekly spending toward locally sourced food, drink, and Lowcountry-grown specialty crops, which include fruits and vegetables.
Throughout the month, Local First will offer participants resources, recipe ideas, and tips for success in eating locally. LLF defines “local food” as that of which is grown, produced, or sourced as close to home as possible and within the state of South Carolina.
Although agribusiness is South Carolina’s largest industry, we import more than 90 percent of our food with the average meal traveling more than 1,500 miles to get to our plates. “With increasing opportunities that link local food and consumers like farmers markets, community supported agriculture (CSAs), and local sections in grocery stores, we hope participants will find that taking steps toward eating locally can work for everyone,” says Jamee Haley, Executive Director of LLF.
Individuals and teams can use LLF’s new, free mobile app, available for Android and Apple devices, to track their weekly financial shift. Prizes will be awarded to those who shift the most dollars to local, and the top team will be presented with The Golden Shovel.
To learn more about the Eat Local Challenge or to register as an individual or team, visit lowcountrylocalfirst.org or email jordan@lowcountrylocalfirst.org.