Recent Trend in Our 'Buy Local Produce Policy' Let's Use More Local Fresh Vegetables in Hospital Meals / 日本農村医学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

  In hopes that inpatients can enjoy meals without worrying about foodstuffs, our hospital started buying more local fresh produce in January 2005 tuning in on the popular “Buy Local Produce” movement. We, employees of a hospital affiliated with the Federations of Agriculture Cooperatives for Health and Welfare, think it very important to support the movement, contribute to the improvement of the self-sufficiency in food and maintain good relationships with rural communities. The advantage of local produce is its safety. We can use it with a sense of security. At present, 10 farmers, who are members of the JA Isehara Co-op, deliver vegetables to the hospital. Initially, the hospital bought what they offered, but recently they grow vegetables of the kind the hospital wants. Now, local produce accounts for about 30% of the total value of the vegetables the hospital buys.However, prospects do not warrant any optimism, because the average age of the producers is 56 and it is not easy to increase the number of producers now. As far as items unavailable from the present producers are concerned, we have begun to buy these items from non-member farmers.