Almost all purchased food in your refrigerator and kitchen cupboards has been processed in some form or other. As simple as washing the dirt off of celery stalks, or as involved as making cheese from milk, processing makes food easier to preserve and to eat. Now, with super highways and refrigerated transport trucks, food can be whisked from one side of the continent to the other in a day. The ability to preserve food and transport it for long distances has led to the globalization of markets. The creation of an international distribution network means that Canadians can purchase food from all over the world right in their local supermarket, and the rest of the world can sample Canadian foods in the countries where they live.
Local production remains important, though.
Buying local means supporting nearby farms and processing companies. It also helps in keeping costs down as processing and distributing take large amounts of energy. Some farmers sell their produce directly to consumers at roadside stands. This is very popular in the summertime when fresh fruits and vegetables are available. Because families don't produce as much of the food that they eat as they once did, they now have to go out and buy it.