Shorter Supply Chains, Higher Expectations

It's no secret that we now live in a global economy. And with the ever-increasing accessibility of physical goods, the temptation for companies to outsource their manufacturing becomes greater and greater. Outsourcing is an attractive option for businesses because it provides cost savings and flexibility, but what does it mean for customers?

A project called "Keep It Local" sheds some light on this dichotomy. The goal of this initiative is to change consumers’ attitudes about buying goods from overseas at a discount while also making a difference in their local economies. One part of their strategy involves educating people on what they can do to support local efforts with practical steps like shopping at farmers markets or supporting locally-owned stores. The other is to convince businesses to support local industries.

So far, the effort seems to be working. In 2007, the Washington Post published an article in which they found that customers were willing to pay more for products made in America. Since then, the Keep It Local campaign has expanded and continues to grow momentum. Its website hosts a variety of resources on topics such as buying American, making a difference locally and ways that you can make your voice heard.

The movement is founded on the idea that consumers are smart shoppers who are able to identify with those who do business locally because they share similar lives and values. The Keep It Local website sheds light on this idea with a video about the local farmer who uses his farm to educate high school students about agriculture.

One way that businesses can help is by profiling and supporting the efforts of local farmers. By choosing locally grown products, consumers can help farmers avoid growing more food than they can use. These small farms also create more jobs and offer prospects for future employees. And because many in the farming community are now targeting niche markets such as organic food, it's easier than ever for them to get their products into stores that cater to the tastes of these customers.

A list of accredited farms that produce organic or non-GMO products is available on the website's store locator page. When you're looking for stores that sell products from this list, refer to the page under "Check out the products." The page will tell you how many farmers are in your area, what kind of produce they produce and where their stores are located.

If you would like to learn more about Keep It Local, visit their website or Facebook page. A blog is also a good place to find current articles about the campaign and news of new events. You can also follow them on Twitter and connect with them on LinkedIn as well.

-- by Karen Krutilla

GitHub Link: keepitlocal.org

Article Source: keepitlocal.org/blog/2012/05/shorter-supply-chains-higher-expectations

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