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| Thu, Nov. 20, 2008 |  |
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Beebe praises Wal-Mart for buying locally grown produce Friday, Jul 25, 2008 Arkansas News Bureau NORTH LITTLE ROCK - Gov. Mike Beebe praised Wal-Mart on Thursday for increasing the amount of locally grown produce in its stores. The Bentonville-based retail giant's commitment to purchasing locally grown agricultural products whenever possible benefits Arkansans in several ways, Beebe said at a news conference at a Wal-Mart Supercenter. "We are very grateful for the economic stimulus that this creates," Beebe said. Wal-Mart officials said the company has increased its partnerships with local farmers by 50 percent over the past two years and hopes to add more partnerships. The increased commitment to buying locally comes at a time when high gas prices are providing a strong incentive for the retailer to lower transportation costs. Beebe said the policy makes sense both economically and environmentally. "If you're spending less money trucking, you're running less trucks. ... You're reducing to some extent the contribution that that fuel creates environmentally," he said. |
