Sustainable agriculture, as legally defined in U.S. Code Title 7, Section 3103 means an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will over the long term:

• Satisfy human food and fiber needs
• Enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends
• Make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls
• Sustain the economic viability of farm operations
• Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole

Other benefits of a sustainable local food economy include job creation within farming and food sectors, preservation of open space, decrease use of fossil fuel and associated carbon emissions, preservation and protection of natural environment, increased access to fresh and nutritious foods and greater food security.

In response to increase demand for sustainable and local foods in the state of Washington in 2010 Governor Gregoire declared an Executive Order 10-02 that brings together agencies and community partners to coordinate their work and increase collaboration to strengthen Washington State’s food system.

Executive Order 10-02 comes following the success of the Local Farms Healthy Kids Act passed in 2008 that broke down long-standing institutional barriers to start connecting Washington’s schools with local farmers.  Thanks to the programs created by this law, in 2009 alone, 10,000 kids ate fresh.

Additionally, Farm-to-School Program staff has worked to connect thousands of people across Washington including farmers, educators, public health experts, food distributors and processors, parents and community advocates helping develop farm-to-school projects.

The importance of Sustainable Local Food production can be also seen at the federal level, with the Senate’s passing of food safety bill (S 510), which is leading the way to change existing Food Safety laws of “one size fits all” and would exempt small farms and business operations from the proposed federal food safety standards.

• During the previous 3-year period, the average monetary value of the food they sold was less than $500,000,
• Majority of sales were to consumers, restaurants, or grocery stores (as opposed to 3rd party food brokers)
• Were in the same state where the farm harvested or produced the food or within 275 miles of the farm.”

As a negative, the increase in demand for local foods is creating greater regulation but as a positive is creating legitimate business models for small farms and operations.