The Local Food Count: How Rhode Island Can Grow Its Impact on Our Plates and Economy

Every day, we think about what we’re going to eat. But how often do we really think about - and prioritize - where that food comes from??Rhode Island Commerce was proud to partner with leaders across New England on the new “Local Food Count” - a study analyzing how much money we spend on food grown, raised, or harvested locally. The results show that Rhode Islanders - and all New Englanders - have room to grow (so to speak) in how much of our food budget goes toward local products. At the same time, this report provides recommendations on steps businesses and communities can take to build stronger and more connected local food systems.

Building and sustaining local food ecosystems has enormous nutritional, environmental, and economic benefits. Currently, just 2.7% of consumer food spending?in Rhode Island is spent on locally-sourced products. We can do better. We have set a regional goal of increasing the local share of our food expenditures tenfold to 30% by 2030. And now, through this report and the RI Food Strategy 2030, we will have a blueprint to make it a reality.

It starts with grocery stores and restaurants, where most people get their food. We plan to work with these partners to help connect them to local suppliers and increase their share of locally-sourced food. We’ll also encourage these businesses to highlight their locally-sourced products and ingredients with clearer signage and labeling, encouraging customers to prioritize these purchases.

?There’s also a role for state and local governments in continuing to expand local food systems, encourage agricultural and fisheries development, and eliminate food deserts.

And finally, we as consumers can make an impact by being more mindful about where we get our food. If we all commit right now to spending just $10 a week on locally-sourced food, that will go a long way toward achieving the goals of our food strategy and helping New England build a more equitable and resilient food system.