What exactly does it mean to eat local? Local Food Plus, a Canadian organization, is hoping to educate farmers and consumers on the benefits of food production that is both environmentally and socially responsible. The non-profit organization works to certify farmers and processors and connect them with local buyers to form "mutually-beneficial relationships" which LFP calls "a win-win-win scenario."

Farmers benefit from the potential of a predictable income stream and the ability to better steward their land. Institutions and other local purchasers benefit from the opportunity to play a leading role in the long-term economic and environmental health of our communities by committing to the purchase of LFP certified products. And consumers benefit from knowing that they're supporting their local economies, improving the sustainability of the land around them, and eating food that meets the highest environmental and social standards.

LFP primarily works with food service companies and institutions to develop sustainable local food systems through supply chains while promoting the benefits of creating such a system. By doing so the organization feels they can help combat some of the greatest challenges experienced in the agricultural field such as air and water pollution and animal welfare.

Check out LFP online after the jump for more information such as their definition of terms like "local" and "sustainable."

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