The inaugural Food Day, designed to promote awareness and support of community agriculture and other food-related reforms, is held on October 24, 2011.

The “eat local” movement is going big time with national emphasis in communities across the country to support local farmers on this, the first-ever “Food Day,” Oct. 24. Organizers intend for this to become an annual event, always observed on this date.

The celebration, a project of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, underscores the growing awareness to not only eat more healthfully, but also to be mindful of the environmental and economic impact of those foods.

Food Day is founded on the observance of six principles:

1. Promoting safe and healthy foods
2. Supporting sustainable farms
3. Alleviating hunger
4. Reforming factory farms
5. Minimizing junk food marketing, particularly to children
6. Supporting fair treatment and working conditions for agricultural workers

Thousands of events are slated to take place from coast to coast today (or were held this past weekend), ranging from food festivals and conferences to local potlucks, food drives and legislation-influencing announcements.

But that’s just the organized observances. If this news is coming too late or there’s no community-wide celebration near you, one of the most ideal ways to mark Food Day is with a meal in your home using locally grown produce. That is, after all, the point of the movement.

In order to accomplish at least some of Food Day’s goals, that one meal would become routine and could translate into better eating for you and support for local or regional agribusiness. For some delicious ideas, the organization is making available a cookbook, which is downloadable from its site, featuring recipes from chefs such as Mario Batali, Rick Bayless, Emeril Lagasse and Jamie Oliver.

Food Day makes it a point to note that it is not supported by government funding or industry subsidies. Instead, multiple organizations have pledged their backing, ranging from well known names like the Cooking Channel, Epicurious.com and Whole Foods to lobbying groups like the American Dietetic Association, the National Association for Health and Fitness and Slow Food USA.

Have you been eating local or have you been considering it?