KEZI

EUGENE, Ore. — A study reveals Lane County residents spend $1.2 billion on food each year, but only 5 percent is produced in the area.

Local organizations hope to change that percentage through better connecting producers, buyers and consumers in the region. That’s what Monday’s local food connection conference was all about.

“The goal is to generate more economic activity in our area. We see food as being an economic driver and if we can create stronger connections between farms that are growing the food and the restaurants that are buying them and consumers that are patronizing those restaurants, that’s creating jobs in our community,” said event coordinator Jared Pruch.

The same study said that $300 million in revenue could be generated if residents spent at least 20 percent of their food budget locally.