Delaware News

Governor’s Weekly Message Transcript: Ensuring Our Agriculture Industry Thrives

Former Governor Jack Markell (2009-2017) | News | Date Posted: Friday, July 8, 2016



From poultry and livestock, to fruits and vegetables, to soybeans and other crops, Delaware’s agricultural community is as vibrant as ever. It’s our largest industry, injecting more than $8 billion into our economy annually, and our farmers lead the nation in the value of their products per acre. Our farmers’ markets surpassed $3 million in sales last year, every Delaware public school district buys directly from local farmers, and our family farmers are finding new markets by selling to local supermarkets who recognize the value in selling their products.

The nutritional benefits of locally grown products are incredible; eating local reduces the environmental impact from shipping produce across the country and promotes a safer food supply; and starting Monday, we’ll celebrate Buy Local week, which brings attention to opportunities to purchase fruits and vegetables from local farmers. So visit a nearby farmers market and ask your grocer to point out locally-grown products you can buy for your family.

Agriculture in Delaware isn’t just for family farmers. In recent years there’s been an amazing increase in community gardens all across our state, in rural areas, suburban communities, and particularly in our towns and cities, from just a handful eight years ago to more than 70 today. Community gardens increase access to healthy foods – fresh, local produce grown right here. Community gardens allow communities and neighborhoods to come together and have an amazing experience growing for the greater good. We’ll keep making this a priority, having just announced grants to 11 urban community gardens to strengthen neighborhoods and improve the quality of life in their communities.

Purchasing locally-produced fruits and vegetables and the community garden movement will help our families grow healthy and strong, ensuring that our farmers continue to thrive, and grow the state’s economy. And that will keep Delaware moving forward.

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Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.

Governor’s Weekly Message Transcript: Ensuring Our Agriculture Industry Thrives

Former Governor Jack Markell (2009-2017) | News | Date Posted: Friday, July 8, 2016



From poultry and livestock, to fruits and vegetables, to soybeans and other crops, Delaware’s agricultural community is as vibrant as ever. It’s our largest industry, injecting more than $8 billion into our economy annually, and our farmers lead the nation in the value of their products per acre. Our farmers’ markets surpassed $3 million in sales last year, every Delaware public school district buys directly from local farmers, and our family farmers are finding new markets by selling to local supermarkets who recognize the value in selling their products.

The nutritional benefits of locally grown products are incredible; eating local reduces the environmental impact from shipping produce across the country and promotes a safer food supply; and starting Monday, we’ll celebrate Buy Local week, which brings attention to opportunities to purchase fruits and vegetables from local farmers. So visit a nearby farmers market and ask your grocer to point out locally-grown products you can buy for your family.

Agriculture in Delaware isn’t just for family farmers. In recent years there’s been an amazing increase in community gardens all across our state, in rural areas, suburban communities, and particularly in our towns and cities, from just a handful eight years ago to more than 70 today. Community gardens increase access to healthy foods – fresh, local produce grown right here. Community gardens allow communities and neighborhoods to come together and have an amazing experience growing for the greater good. We’ll keep making this a priority, having just announced grants to 11 urban community gardens to strengthen neighborhoods and improve the quality of life in their communities.

Purchasing locally-produced fruits and vegetables and the community garden movement will help our families grow healthy and strong, ensuring that our farmers continue to thrive, and grow the state’s economy. And that will keep Delaware moving forward.

image_printPrint


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.