shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com March 19, 2019 • Page 10 Salute to Agriculture The Various Benefits of Farm-to-Table Few things are more satisfying than biting into a fresh tomato right from the garden or seasoning a meal with herbs picked from a windowsill greenhouse. Restaurants recognize the value of such experiences, and more and more are relying on locally sourced products in their kitchens. The farm-to-table movement is not new, but it has gained momentum as consumers become increasingly enamored with the flavor and environmental impact of locally sourced foods. The National Restaurant Association found that farm-to-table food was one of its top 10 trends for 2018. Furthermore, the group says that one in five consumers are willing to pay more for local food, and 41 percent admit that locally sourced ingredients influence their decisions when choosing where to dine. Newcomers to the farmto-table dining experience may not understand all the fuss surrounding this popular trend. The following are some of the key benefits of farm-to-table. • Peak freshness and ripeness: Local produce ripens on the plant and can be harvested at the last possible minute before it turns up on a plate. This helps ensure that it contains the highest amount of nutrients and flavor. Food that has to travel further is often picked well before it is ready, ripening on the way to stores or other vendors. • Better for the environment: Food that needn’t travel far before reaching diners’ plates saves roughly 500 gallons of diesel fuel to haul produce a distance of 1,500 miles. This conserves fossil fuels and prevents harmful emissions from entering the atmosphere. • Supports neighboring farms: Supporting farmto-table restaurants and other eateries keeps business local in two different ways. It not only benefits local restaurants, but it also directly supports neighboring farms, fisheries and other suppliers. • Accessibility to seasonal choices: Farm-to-table eating provides a wide variety of in-season foods. This can translate into tastier foods because they are grown and harvested during their optimal growing season. • Reduces factory farming: Farm-to-table and local farming can reduce reliance on large, profit-driven corporations that may focus on maximum production over animal health and welfare. Local farms may be more inclined to treat their animals well and institute sustainable practices. • Learn about the community: A person might live in an area and never know that a local vineyard is in the vicinity or that a producer of straight-fromthe-hive honey is nearby. Exploring farm-to-table re- sources can open people’s eyes to local businesses doing great work in and around their communities. Farm-to-table is a popular movement that people are embracing for various reasons. MetroCreativeConnection Facts and Figures on Farm Safety THANKS TO OUR AG INDUSTRY! According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, agriculture is among the most hazardous industries. Fatal and nonfatal injuries pose a significant threat to farmers, including the many young people who work on farms. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, in an effort to promote productive and safe workplaces, supports programs that conduct research on injuries associated with agriculture as well as pesticide exposure, pulmonary disease, musculoskeletal disorders, hearing loss, and stress. Studying the results of such research, compiled THE FOR OVER For all your Ag & Industrial Supplies All types of Welding, Machine Work, Custom Fabrication. Also Fabrication & Installation of Grain & Silage Bodies. “In Business Since 1932” 1987 • 2018 WIECHELMAN REPAIR 106 Industrial Ave., Hartington, NE • 402-254-6788 by NIOSH, may compel veteran and novice farmers to further emphasize safety measures and promote practices that can reduce risk for accidents on the farm. • Estimates indicate that there were roughly 2.1 million full-time workers employed in production agriculture in 2017 and between 1.4 and 2.1 million hired crop workers employed annually on crop farms in the United States. • An estimated 893,000 young people under 20 years of age resided on farms in 2017. More than half of those young people performed farm work, and an additional 266,000 youth were hired to work on farms in 2017. • Each day, roughly 100 agricultural workers suffer injuries that cause them to miss time at work. • In 2017, 12,000 youth were injured on farms, and 4,000 of those youths could trace their injuries to farm work. • In 2017, 417 farmers and farm workers died from work-related injuries. Tractor overturns and other transportation incidents were the leading cause of death for these farmers and farm workers. • A rollover protection system, or ROPS, is a structure, similar to rollcages and rollbars in cars and trucks, intended to protect farm equipment operators from injuries caused by overturns or rollovers. NIOSH notes that an ROPS is the most effective way to prevent overturn deaths. Despite that, in 2017, only Where every day is a hay day! 62 percent of tractors used on farms in the U.S. were equipped with an ROPS. 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