July 13, 2018 — There’s a push to stimulate the economy while stimulating your taste buds in Suffolk County.
CBS2’s Vanessa Murdock visited Lenny Bruno Farms in Manorville, where she and fourth-generation farmer Dominick Bruno discussed buying local.
“For some people, local is 250 miles away. Here, local means it’s coming from this field and it’s being sold at our farm stand,” he said.
Bruno said he’s thrilled to be part of a new initiative launched by Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, called Choose LI.
“Buying locally grown and harvested food is better for overall health and it is better for our region,” said Bellone.
The goal is to get Long Island families to take the pledge to spend 10 percent of their weekly grocery budget on buying local produce and fish.
New Yorkers spend an average of $176 a week on food, Murdock reported. If each Suffolk County household pledges 10 percent to buying local, $19 million would be fed into the county’s economy each year and, in turn, help create 1,000 jobs.
Julieann Hughes, a mother of four, said she makes an effort to buy local.