Miyagi Prefecture Starts Local Food Days Campaign

Miyagi Prefecture in northern Japan is blessed with an abundant variety of food products from its local sea, mountains and land. The prefecture started a "Local Food Consumption Days" campaign in April 2008, as part of its "Food Kingdom Miyagi" Project. The prefecture designated the first Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the month as days for consuming locally-grown food products.

The campaign was established to raise people's awareness and consumption of local food, including processed food produced within the prefecture. Miyagi Prefecture expects to pursue the campaign in cooperation with farmers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, restaurant owners and consumers.

To inform citizens about Local Food Days, participating shops and stores display posters before and during the weekend. In addition, restaurants use local food in their menus, retailers sell local food products, and schools serve local dishes for lunch. Meanwhile, the prefectural government holds events to help citizens widen their understanding about food products and traditional food culture peculiar to the prefecture. It is also promoting a "one-coin (500 yen) campaign" to encourage citizens to spend 500 yen more per month for a family of four on prefectural food products; it also disseminates information on locally produced seasonal foods through its web site and free leaflets.

http://www.foodkingdom-miyagi.jp/english/index.shtml

Posted: 2008/05/24 09:40:11 AM