Wal-Mart knows a good thing when it sees it

Need any more evidence that locally-grown food is becoming mainstream? According to the ag news website Brownfield Network, Wal-Mart is increasing the amount of locally-grown produce it sells.

Wal-Mart reports that partnerships with local farmers have grown by 50 percent over the past two years.

During summer months, locally sourced fruits and vegetables that are both grown and available for purchase within a state's borders make up a fifth of the produce available in Wal-Mart stores.

The retailer estimates that it purchases more than 70 percent of its produce from U.S.-based suppliers, making the company the biggest customer of American agriculture. This year, Wal-Mart expects to source about $400 million in locally grown produce from farmers across the United States.

Like many, I'm generally suspicious of Wal-Mart. They've made their billions at the expense of local stores, driving down wages and demanding elaborate services from municipalities wherever they locate. Plus, each individual store buying from different farmers goes against Wal-Mart's very business model: negotiate steep discounts with suppliers based on the prospect of enormous sales. So before we place the halo on the local Wal-Marts, I'd like to know more.

Still, they're the world's biggest retailer and it's good to see them get on the bandwagon.

Hat tip: A Look at Missouri Farmers' Markets blog.

Update: I talked to the produce manager at the Wal-Mart Supercenter on West Broadway (over by Hy-Vee). They don't actually, you know, have local produce right now. But they might eventually. If things dry up around here. The manager said they've carried local stuff in the past but nobody's been able to produce enough to keep Wal-Mart in stock this year. So they carry nothing, I guess.