Local Sourcing and Farmers Market
Our Local Sourcing Commitment
- Look for our Locally Grown or Farm to Fork Signs in City Bistro and Liberty Fresh Foods!
- We have locally sourced items daily provided in our dining halls, these foods are sourced within 250 miles from campus using the AASHE definition of local.
- We aim to source at least 20% of our food locally and build relationships with local farms and distributors. Much of our local produce is sourced with Growfood Carolina, a statewide local food hub that connects producers to the community.
- Our newest partners are Hickory Hill Milk who produces a whole, minimally processed, non-homogenized and low temperature pasteurized milk and Seaside Grown, who makes delicious sauces from produce too ripe to ship.
Local Section at Market 159
- Outside of our dining halls you can find local produce in Market 159, our campus grocery store. Our produce cooler is stocked with locally sourced fruits and vegetables each day. We use a point system that allows students to combine fresh produce for a single meal swipe. In addition to our produce section, Market 159 offers prepackaged meals, drinks and chips for a single meal swipe.
Farmers Market
- Each month we host a Farmer’s Market on campus, where we feature fresh local products and produce for sale. We partner with the Center for Sustainable Development and Growfood Carolina to provide a single access point for seasonal products for recipes meal taps, cash, and dining dollars.
Why Local?
- Sourcing locally reduces our carbon footprint in shipping, ensures our food is fresh and supports small family farms that do not have the same advantages as industrial farms.
- These farms provide more jobs to their communities, spend their profit within their communities and promote environmentally safe farming practices.
- Learn more about the impact of commercial food transport at the Center for Sustainable Developments website.
- We are happy to support local farmers across South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina. You can find a map of some of our producers below:
Check out Growfood Carolina and the Center for Sustainable Development for more information on local farming and sustainability.
