Eat Local First is committed to building a resilient, equitable, community food system where people are connected to their local farms and food businesses wherever they live, work, shop, visit and eat in Washington State. In addition to helping eaters and buyers source locally, we have highlighted business practices that align with the core values of environmental sustainability, racial and social equity, fair labor, animal welfare, health, and accessibility.
We have included indicators for each of these values based on independent third-party certification of business or product. We also include attestations from a business or organization about their practices that fall under these values.
These indicators appear on the business or organization profile under the Values tab and will link to additional information for any third party certification or pop up more information for any self-attestation.
We consider this a living framework and are committed to continued improvement, with an evaluation of these indicators annually.
Our Values Indicators
Accessibility
Eat Local First values a local food system in which all members of our community can participate. Businesses and organizations with the Accessibility indicator offer facilities, services, and/or programs that support the needs of people with disabilities, neurodivergence, and/or limited mobility. Self-attestations include:
Information/Customer Service | Signage/Menus | Entrances | Miscellaneous | Parking | Path of Travel | Restroom Access | Tables/Counters/Displays
Animal Welfare
Eat Local First values the animals and livestock who play a vital role in our local food system. Businesses and organizations with the Animal Welfare indicator are committed to raising and processing livestock in a manner that honors physical, behavioral, and mental wellbeing of the animal. Certifications and self-attestations include:
Animal Welfare
Cultural Relevance
Eat Local First values local access to relevant and acceptable food for all members of our community. Businesses and organizations with the Cultural Relevance indicator offer locally-produced food that is of importance to specific ethnic, racial, religious, or cultural groups. Certifications and self-attestations include:
Halal | Kosher
Environmental Sustainability
Eat Local First values the land, water, and ecosystems that sustain our local food systems. Businesses and organizations with the Environmental Sustainability indicator are committed to adopting practices that improve soil health, conserve natural resources, foster biodiversity, and reduce the use of fossil fuel-based pesticides and fertilizers. Seafood producers harvest responsibly to ensure the sustainability of wild fish stocks. Certifications and self-attestations include:
Dry Farming | Sustainable Operations | Sustainable Seafood | Towards Zero Waste
Fair Labor
Eat Local First values the health, safety, and dignity of all workers across the food value chain. Businesses and organizations with the Fair Labor indicator are taking steps to ensure that their workers are treated fairly and protected through governance structures, compensation models, and workplace safety measures. Certifications and attestations include:
Member-Owned Cooperative | Producer-Owned Cooperative | Worker-Owned Cooperative | Union Contract
Health
Eat Local First values local production of accessible, nourishing, and safe food. Businesses and organizations with the Health indicator contribute to community health by participating in food access and nutrition incentive programs and by producing food that is safe for people with specific dietary needs. Certifications and attestations include:
Accepts WIC | Accepts FMNP | Accepts Fresh Bucks | Accepts SNAP Market Match | Accepts SNAP/EBT | Community Garden | Donates to Food Assistance Programs | Food Access & Nutrition Education | Provides Free Food Distribution | Gluten-Free | Vegan
Racial and Social Equity
Eat Local First values the inclusion and representation of historically underrepresented or marginalized groups in the food and farming industry. The owners of businesses and organizations with the Racial and Social Equity indicator have identified themselves as holding one or more marginalized identities. Certifications and attestations include:
Asian-Owned | BIPOC-Owned | Black- or African Diaspora-Owned | Disabled-Owned | Family-Owned | Hispanic-Owned | Immigrant- or Refugee-Owned | Indigenous- / Native-Owned | Latina/o/x-Owned | LGBTQ+ Owned | Middle Eastern- or North African-Owned (MENA) | Native Hawaiian- or Pacific Islander-Owned (NHPI) | Veteran-Owned | Woman Owned
