One of NEST's sustainability tenets is the importance it places on local food production.
For our community to become sustainable, we must have a thriving agricultural community.
Local Promoting local food production and marketing by:
- Meet the Farmer nights
- Food Co-ops for food “deserts” (low income/low access)
- Food Hub creation
- Agriculture and Value-added
- Product Development
The average American food product travels an estimated 1,500 miles before being consumed. Approximately twelve percent of our energy consumption is used to supply us with food. Twenty-three percent of that energy is allocated to processing and packaging food. Another thirty-seven percent of that energy goes towards transportation. One of the reasons for this waste is the long distance our food must travel.
This program develops food co-ops in food “deserts” across the region. We also support a mobile food pantry program.
Another MHFC goal is to develop local food processing capability. The greater Binghamton area is well situated to become a “food hub” utilizing value-add operations to, not only expand markets for local food production but create jobs in the food processing field.
For general inquiries or to make a membership pledge:
WEBSITE:manyhandsfoodcoop.wixsite.com
Email: manyhandsfoodcoop@gmail.com
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