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VPR's coverage of arts and culture in the region.

VPR Cafe: Regional Food Economy

The concept of eating locally is fully embraced in Vermont for all the right reasons: Fresher foods, the ability to know the farmer and knowing you are leaving a smaller carbon footprint.

But how local does a food have to be to be considered "local?"

Hannah Palmer Egan is a food writer for Seven Days and she recently spoke with the VPR Cafe about a company that is working to regionalize food.

"It's really on the consumer to define for themselves what defines local," Palmer Egan said. "The USDA defines it as within 400 miles of wherever."

At the heart of the idea to regionalize the local foods movement is The UVP Group, a group of companies based in White River Junction whose home base is the Upper Valley Produce distribution warehouse.

"They've drawn a 250-mile circle around White River Junction and they are trying to get as much food as possible from within that ... circle and pull as many producers and market outlets, connecting the dots between the producers and the stores," said Palmer Egan.

According to Palmer Egan, their goal is "nothing less than total food security for the region."

You can read more about the concept in Palmer Egan's story, Growing Locally, Thinking Globally.

The VPR Café is made possible by Kimball Brook Farm, organic milk and cream from Vermont grass-grazed cows and by City Market, Burlington, a food co-op offering classes, food demos and local products to taste and explore.

Ric was a producer for Vermont Edition and host of the VPR Cafe.
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