agriculture commissioner is kicking off a three-week road trip meant to promote food produced in the state.Commissioner John Salazar says residents can reduce carbon footprints by eating locally produced food that doesn’t have to travel thousands of miles to reach their kitchen tables.
The road trip to promote Colorado food is heading to Grand Junction, Durango, Alamosa, Salida, Greeley, Vail and La Junta after launching in Denver on Thursday. It will also visit the Colorado State Fair, where a new store will sell more than 200 locally produced agriculture products with the Colorado Proud logo.
The state agriculture department started the Colorado Proud program in 1999 to promote local agriculture products. It started with 65 companies, but today more than 1,800 growers, processors, restaurants, retailers and others use the logo. The logo adorns products including fruits, vegetables, wine and liquor.
A 2012 survey indicated 90 percent of respondents said they’d shop locally if products were available and labeled as being from the state, according to Colorado Proud. The survey said 81 percent of respondents are very or somewhat familiar with the Colorado Proud logo, a figure that has risen steadily from 59 percent in 2008.
