Buy Local Challenge

July 23 – 31

It’s time again for the Buy Local Challenge, the statewide and now a national campaign in which consumers, institutions and businesses pledge to eat or serve at least 1 local food each day during the week of July 23 – 31. Hosted by the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission, this annual campaign is supported by the Maryland Department of Agriculture and kicked off by Governor Martin O’Malley with a Buy Local Cook-out.

To Participate:

1. Hospital food service can pledge to serve at least 1 local food* each day during the week of July 23 – 31

2. Employees, patients and other community members can pledge to eat at least 1 local food* each day during the week of July 23 – 31

*Definition of Local Food: food grown or produced (processed and packaged) within a 200 mile radius of your

location (see Pg 11-14 of GGHC Food Service Credits).

TO REGISTER + FOR TOOLS & RESOURCES:

http://mdh2e.org/sustainable-foods/buy-local-challenge-2011/

NEW THIS YEAR:

1. Special recognition to the top 3 hospital Green Teams with the best participation

2. Enter your department’s picture in the Buy Local Workplace Contest – you could win a free lunch!

3. Find out other ways your hospital can receive significant recognition for top participation

4. Plus, updated marketing tools & resources – flyers, table tents, patient tray bookmarks, point of sale cards

NOTE TO HOSPITAL FOOD SERVICE:
It’s now a state law: For any raw whole foods (not including chopped, cooked or otherwise processed raw foods) that you sell and promote as “local,” you also need to list their state of origin at the point of sale. Here’s a Flyer you can display at your point of sale (and edit as needed) to show which states your local food is from: State of Origin Flyer. This applies to produce stands, farmers markets or farm stands where you promote foods as “local.” More info: www.mda.state.md.us/pdf/buylocalfaq.pdf

Press Release – 38 Health Care Facilities Meet Challenge To Buy Local Foods

Nearly 40 health care facilities in Maryland and the District of Columbia purchased and served at least one food from a local farmer each day during this summer’s one-week Buy Local Challenge, a statewide campaign launched by the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC).

The facilities that participated collectively spent more than $15,000 on foods from local farms that week, including fruits, vegetables, eggs and meat.

Many hospitals encouraged their employees and members of their surrounding communities

to participate in the challenge as well. As a result, more than 800 individuals pledged, through the hospitals’ outreach initiatives, to eat at least one local food each day during the Buy Local Challenge.

Please click the above link for more details of the Buy Local Challenge, as well as a full list of the participating hospitals.

Congratulations to all who participated; what a significant, impactful week!