(11 June 2014) – ELARD, the European LEADER Association for Rural Development, has just released a publication presenting the best local food related practices across nine rural territories in Austria, Cyprus, Finland, Ireland and Sweden.
You will also learn 15 reasons for buying local food products – and help maintain hundreds of local jobs. The publication was produced in a transnational LEADER project “Local Food for Local Development” in 2013-2014.
According to the Data and Trends of the European Food and Drink Industry 2012 the sector’s total turnover amounted 1 017 billion Euros, giving it number one position among the European manufacturing industries.
The industry’s share in the EU’s added value was 12%, leaving e.g. automobile industry (11%) and chemical industry (10%) behind. Through the economic downturn years the food and drink sector has performed very well in sustaining its jobs, some 4.25 million all together.