[GJM] Fw: [globalnetnews-summary] Wal-Mart to source more fruits and veggies locally

[mary rose]

OK, now let's get WalMart to only purchase local and organic for
resale.  This could begin to make a big difference in the U.S.

Vote with your dollars here.

We have a local Share program here that recently incorporated a
organic fruit and vegetable package in its list of choices.  What is
necessary here is to also enable people in learning to make a smart
choice that excludes meat, especially beef.

http://www.goldensharefoods.com/

This program is expanding across the U.S. and you may be able to
join it.  Explore the website for further information.

With love and in gratitude for all that we do together.

mary rose   .

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "GlobalCirclenet" <webmaster at globalcircle.net>
To: <globalnetnews-summary at lists.riseup.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2008 8:35 AM
Subject: [globalnetnews-summary] Wal-Mart to source more fruits and veggies 
locally



"Wal-Mart said that in the United States, produce travels an average 1,500 
miles from farms to consumers' homes, and it should be able to save millions 
of "food miles" -- the distance food travels from farm to plate -- through 
local sourcing, better packing of its trucks and improved logistics."


Wal-Mart to source more fruits and veggies locally
http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/n27309015-walmart-produce/
By Nicole MaestriPosted 2008/07/01 at 12:16 am EDT

NEW YORK, Jul. 1, 2008 (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc is sourcing more 
produce sold in its U.S. supercenters and Neighborhood Market stores from 
local farmers as it tries to offset the soaring transportation costs that 
are driving up food prices.
A sign marks the entrance of a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Rogers, Arkansas June 
5, 2008. REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi

The world's largest retailer said on Tuesday it had increased the number of 
local U.S. farmers that it works with by 50 percent in the past two years, 
and it would like to continue expanding that figure at a double-digit rate.

While Wal-Mart declined to provide an exact figure, it said it now works 
with "hundreds" of individual farmers, and this year it expects to source 
about $400 million in locally grown fruits and vegetables from farmers 
across the United States.

"When we're buying local, there are less trucks on the road, less miles that 
that produce is traveling and therefore less fuel," said Pam Kohn, 
Wal-Mart's general merchandise manager for grocery.

Wal-Mart defines "local" as buying from farmers in a state and selling the 
produce at stores in the same state. Over the summer months, it said locally 
sourced fruits and vegetables make up a fifth of the produce available in 
Wal-Mart stores.

Grocery is a big business for the company, accounting for 41 percent of 
sales in its U.S. Wal-Mart stores for its fiscal year ended January 31. As 
food prices rise, shoppers have been flocking to its stores in search of 
cheaper groceries.

But soaring fuel costs mean the cost of transporting food to its 2,555 
supercenters -- a full grocery store combined with a discount store -- and 
138 Neighborhood Market grocery stores is more expensive, making it tougher 
to keep prices low.

While reporting first-quarter results in May, Wal-Mart said transportation 
costs would remain a "potential headwind" for the rest of the year, and 
Chief Financial Officer Tom Schoewe said he was worried about the ongoing 
jump in fuel prices.

Wal-Mart said that in the United States, produce travels an average 1,500 
miles from farms to consumers' homes, and it should be able to save millions 
of "food miles" -- the distance food travels from farm to plate -- through 
local sourcing, better packing of its trucks and improved logistics.

In an example, Wal-Mart said that by sourcing peaches in 18 states instead 
of just two, as it did before, it saves 672,000 food miles and 112,000 
gallons of diesel fuel -- or more than $1.4 million dollars in 
transportation costs per season.

Kohn said while the organic food trend continues, customer demand for local 
produce "is a very big trend, a very big trend."