These days there is a growing movement to buy local food. Aside from environmental benefits and support for the local economy, there is something so rewarding about biting into a juicy peach at the peak of the season, purchased from a farmer who lives down the road.

But for an organization the size of Interior Health, which provides about five million meals each year across 55 sites, buying local isn’t such a simple matter. Food safety is key, logistics are a challenge, and the financial implications must be weighed.

Still, leaders within Interior Health believe it is important to buy fresh local food and support the local agricultural industry.

Interior Health Regional Director of Support Services Alan Davies: “We’re always looking at new areas in which we can purchase locally. I would estimate that about 25 per cent of the produce we buy is locally grown, depending on seasonal availability. If you include bread and dairy, I would say about 30 per cent of all our food is purchased from within B.C.,” says Davies.

“We are doing what we can and we encourage others in the community to look at their own purchases. B.C. has so much to offer in terms of buying locally produced food,” says Davies.