Research indicates a growing trend in consumers' preference for local foods1-5 and, by association, sustainable growing practices. Experts in fields spanning academic sociology to business say different definitions for local and sustainability exist in the minds of consumers, but changes observed in restaurants and farmers' markets alike suggest a shifting paradigm rather than a fad, as business follows demand for the concept en gros. Surveys suggest consumers associate the term local with a number of positive attributes, ranging from food that is more nutritious to more supportive of their community's economy.
