Wal-Mart Commits to America's Farmers as Produce Aisles Go Local

Today, hundreds of growers acrossthe United States provide produce sold in Wal-Mart Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets, making Wal-Mart the nation's largest purchaser of local produce. During summer months, locally sourced fruits and vegetables that are both grown and available for purchase within a state's borders make up a fifth of the produce available in Wal-Mart stores.

"Offering local produce has been a Wal-Mart priority for years, and we're taking it to a new level with a pledge to grow our partnerships with local farmers. We're committed to purchasing locally grown produce whenever possible," said Pam Kohn, Wal-Mart's senior vice president and general merchandise manager for grocery. "Increasing the amount of local produce in our grocery aisles -- and adding clear locally grown signage -- reflects our dedication to offer the freshest products possible at great prices."

Wal-Mart announced its locally grown commitment in a Supercenter inDeKalb County, Ga. today. The event featured an in-store farmers' market with growers on hand to educate customers about produce. Just in time for the Fourth of July, Georgia Wal-Mart Supercenters have many of the ingredients customers need for a locally grown celebration: sweetGeorgia-grownVidalia onions for their Independence Day burgers,Georgia cantaloupes and watermelons for a fabulous fruit salad, andGeorgia peaches for cobbler. A complete list of locally grown produce available by state is at http://www.livebetterindex.com.

"Georgia is proud of its family farmers who lead the production of many important fruits and vegetables like our famousGeorgia peaches and watermelons," said Donnie Smith, Governor Sonny Perdue's Agriculture Liaison. "Thanks toGeorgia producers and companies like Wal-Mart,Georgia will continue to be recognized as a trusted provider of high quality fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products to feed America's families."

Georgia onion farmer Delbert Bland is one of the growers who participated in theDecatur event. His family farm has been in operation inGlennville, Ga. since the 1940s, and he is featured on in-store signage in theAtlanta area.

"We are proud to see our onions sold in Wal-Mart stores acrossGeorgia and knowing that we are helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is an added value," said Bland. "Our business would not be where it is today without the support of Wal-Mart."

Economic Impact

Wal-Mart estimates that it purchases more than 70 percent of its produce from U.S.-based suppliers, making the company the biggest customer of American agriculture. This year, Wal-Mart expects to source about $400 million in locally grown produce from farmers acrossthe United States.

Wal-Mart's relationships with U.S. suppliers also extend beyond its support of local agriculture. Beyond produce, Wal-Mart partnered with 61,000 U.S. suppliers in 2007 and supported millions of supplier jobs nationally.

Shortening the Distance from Farm to Fork

Beyond the benefits to consumers and economic opportunities for farmers, Wal-Mart's commitment to locally grown produce is helping to reduce "food miles" -- the distance food travels from farm to fork. It is estimated that in the United States, produce travels an average of 1,500 miles from farms to the homes of consumers. Through better logistics planning, better packing of trucks and local sourcing, Wal-Mart expects to save millions of food miles each year.

In addition, Wal-Mart is working with state departments of agriculture and local farmers to develop or revitalize growing areas for products like corn in Mississippi and cilantro inSouthern Florida which had not grown there before or which were once native crops.

New In-Store Presence

Wal-Mart now highlights locally grown produce in its stores across the country. Customers will find it easy to recognize locally grown fruits and vegetables with signs that include official state-grown marks, indicating approval by their state's agriculture department.

The company is also dedicating space on its web site to locally grown produce, including farmer profiles and recipes. For more information, visit http://www.walmart.com/locallygrown.

About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT)

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates Wal-Mart discount stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and Sam's Club locations inthe United States. The company operates inArgentina,Brazil,Canada,China,Costa Rica,El Salvador, Guatemala,Honduras,Japan,Mexico,Nicaragua,Puerto Rico and theUnited Kingdom. Wal-Mart serves more than 176 million customers weekly in 14 markets. The company's securities are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WMT. For more information: http://www.walmartfacts.com.

SOURCE Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Copyright © 2008, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2008, NewsBlaze, Daily News

Tags: Wal Mart, Sears, Nordstrom and other Retail, Food and Beverages, Agriculture, Environment, Arkansas, georgia

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