Join the 2011 campaign to buy local sustainable meat and poultry.  This campaign has been designed to encourage institutions, businesses, their employees, their students, and consumers to go beyond buying local vegetables and fruit to also purchase meat, poultry and other animal protein foods produced by local farmers using sustainable agricultural practices.

Sustainable agricultural practices for beef, pork, poultry and other animal protein foods include, at a minimum, raising animals without arsenic compounds, without the routine use of antibiotics, and without added growth hormones. Ideally, the animals also eat food grown without the use of pesticides or genetically modified seeds, and are raised outside on pasture.  To learn more about the health and environmental effects of industrialized food production practices in the United States, visit www.healthyfoodinhealthcare.org.

The series of 4 campaigns throughout 2011 include:

March            National Nutrition Month         Local Chicken w/out Arsenic compounds or Antibiotics

April              Earth Day, Easter, Passover                 “Less Meat, Better Meat” from Local Farmers

May              Conference                                          Local Sustainable Meat & Poultry Purchasing

July 23-31      Buy Local Challenge                                        Local Sustainable Protein & Produce

Fall               Chefs & Cooks Training

Nov/Dec        Local Sustainable Holidays                       Local Sustainable Turkey, Ham & Produce

NOTE:  For those institutions and individuals finding it initially difficult to locate or have easy access to sustainable beef, pork and poultry from local farmers, you can participate by purchasing certified sustainable beef, pork and poultry that may or may not be from a local farmer as a first step in this year-long campaign.  To receive the growing list of certified sustainable producers, see the Tools and Resources web link below.

While we are focusing on local sustainable beef, pork and poultry this year, we encourage all institutions, businesses and consumers to also purchase other animal protein foods from local sustainable farmers including dairy, eggs, seafood, lamb and bison.

This campaign is open to institutions, businesses, organizations, their employees, their students, and to consumers.

To Pledge to Buy Sustainable Chicken:  CLICK HERE.
(at least once in March)

For Tools and Resources, visit our National Nutrition Month web page.

Stay tuned for the registration links with tools and resources for the 3 remaining campaigns in 2011.  They will be posted throughout the year as each campaign approaches.

This initiative is being funded by a grant from the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP) of the Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) with generous matching funds from the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Louise Mitchell, PT
Sustainable Foods Program Manager
Maryland Hospitals for a Healthy Environment
410-706-1924  office
443-257-3209  cell
Lmitc001@son.umaryland.edu

Priya Saha, RN
Sustainable Foods Coordinator
Maryland Hospitals for a Healthy Environment
410-706-3077  office
saha@son.umaryland.edu