Total Impact to Nebraska
Why Local matters to Nebraska
- Local businesses buy local
Businesses spend money at local businesses including the local repair shops, bookkeeping services, building purchases and rents, banking, and more. We help create and retain jobs for your friends and neighbors and invest in the community. - Safe food systems
There’s a unique kind of assurance that comes from looking a farmer in the eye at farmers’ market or driving by the fields where your food comes from. Our local farmers aren’t anonymous and they take their responsibility to you seriously. - Retains jobs
Locally-owned businesses employ more people per unit of sales, and retain more employees during economic downturns than big-box retailers. National chains tend to decrease the number of jobs, automate tasks, and answer to stock-holders. - Reduces public subsidies
Micro businesses rarely qualify and seldom require municipal infrastructure build-outs. Taxpayer funded subsidies overwhelmingly favor national chains and finance their expansion but often fail to produce the promised economic benefits. - Reduction of public tax burden
The American Farmland Trust shows that even micro farms and foods contribute more in taxes than they receive in services. Many national retail developments contribute less in taxes than the cost of services and municipal infrastructure they rely on. - Invests in the future
Supporting decentralized farms today ensures there are farms here tomorrow. This is vital for food security as we continue to experience disrupted supply chains and an uncertain global future. Reliance on centralized systems is a threat to our future.
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Small food producers are competitive businessesLocal produce, meats, and artisan foods are different than food commodities shipped across the country. The difference is in the value and freshest flavors.
Quality Authentically crafted, high quality products often have no competitors in the big box stores. Real fermented sourdough bread made with heirloom grains cannot be compared to cheaply produced sourdough-flavored bread. If you could find authentic sourdough bread at the box store, it would no doubt cost more than our favorite local made breads.
Price Blindness We all experience price blindness at the store. Surely the price of your favorite coffee beans hasn’t risen that much?! But yes, it did. It’s hidden in smaller packaging – remember when that bag was 16oz? Now 10oz and $2 dollars more. Local coffee roasters don’t have time to manipulate sizes and prices. They are too busy making sure the temperature is perfect for the next batch of roasted beans. Did we mention your local roaster’s beans are in your coffee pot within a week of roasting, not months.
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AdvocateSupporting local food and micro businesses strengthen local economies and communities, aid local small-scale farmers, preserve open spaces, benefit the environment, and help ensure community farms will still be there tomorrow— just to name a few. Be a locavore, one easy choice at a time.Choose an independent coffee shop over a chain when meeting a friend. Eat in restaurants that source local foods. Look for local products and small brands in your local grocery store. Ask your local grocer to carry more small and local brands. Visit your farmer’s market at least once each summer. Eat sweet corn and cantaloupe only from the roadside truck stands.
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