Eat local food! : connecting values and attitudes to a community based food system

Abstract

Indiana is popularly known as an agricultural state, yet an overwhelming majority of all food consumed in Indiana is imported from outside the state. This is problematic because the vitality of small farmers and the local food economy is inherently connected to local food security. In an effort to increase consumption of local products, this project investigated consumer motivations when buying food, which informed development of the transmedia project Locavore. A four-tiered communication campaign, Locavore uses live interaction, a website, social media, and a mobile app to connect consumers to education and purchase opportunities to make it easier for consumers to access and buy local food.