People want to know more about their food

ST. LOUIS, July 9 (UPI) -- People want food to be local and they want to know where it comes from and how it is made, a Washington state research firm said.

Michelle Barry of the Hartman Group said the Bellevue market research firm polled 1,600 people in 2007 but more recent testimony reported in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch indicates that attitude hasn't changed.

Amelia LaMair, 20, of Kirksville, Mo., said she eats organic and locally grown vegetables and meat from free-range animals.

Healthy eaters used to be mostly vegetarians, but now many omnivores are concerned about the treatment of the animals who become their food as well as their health and the success of local farmers, the newspaper reported.

"There's a lot more interest in healthiness," said Kate Lovelady, 39, of the Ethical Society of St. Louis. "There's a lot of interest in eating low on the food chain. I think people are starting to learn about food choices and how they affect our carbon footprint."