Wal-Mart Commits to America's Farmers as Produce Aisles Go Local
Retailer
Increases Partnerships with Local Growers and Encourages Customers
to Celebrate a Locally Grown Independence Day
BENTONVILLE,
Ark., July 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Wal-Mart today
announced its commitment to source more local fruits and vegetables
to keep produce prices down and provide affordable selections
that are fresh and healthful. The retailer also reported that
partnerships with local farmers have grown by 50 percent over
the past two years -- one example of the company's efforts to
support local economies, cut shipping costs and provide fresh
food offerings.
Today,
hundreds of growers across the 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 in DeKalb
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: sweet Georgia-grown Vidalia onions for their Independence
Day burgers, Georgia cantaloupes and watermelons for a fabulous
fruit salad, and Georgia 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 famous Georgiapeaches
and watermelons," said Donnie Smith, Governor Sonny Perdue's
Agriculture Liaison. "Thanks to Georgia 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 the Decatur event. His family farm has been in operation
in Glennville, Ga. since the 1940s, and he is featured on in-store
signage in the Atlanta area.
"We
are proud to see our onions sold in Wal-Mart stores across Georgia
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 across
the 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 forproducts
like corn in Mississippi and cilantro in Southern 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 in the United
States. The company operates in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China,
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico,
Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and the United 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.