POSTED: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 --- 5:30

With local economies slumping one group still finding success is area food producers.

They say by helping them you're helping yourself and apparently people are listening because the buy local food movement is a gaining support.

Damon Holter says his products are definitely unique and for him it's all about the sell.

He says, "They are internationally award winning products."

Holter knows the more of his steak sauce they buy, the more bacon he brings home.

He says, "We put out a lot of product out of our small building."

After 15 years in the restaurant business Holter and his family had had enough and a year and a half ago he decided to start selling his homemade Croix Valley Steak Sauces.

He's based in Hudson and today he's in 500 different retail markets throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest. Along with a tasty product. he thanks a growing buy local movement.

He says, "It's so important to keep all of that here in our economy by paying attention to the labels and finding out where those companies are from so you can buy things right from your neighborhood and support people right here in your back yard."

It's far from a new concept.

Todd Landfried is with Neesvigs. They call themselves a center of the plate distributor here in Dane County.

He says, "All the way through the whole process from raising to harvest to distribution it's a local entity."

The buy local idea is gaining steam.

Landfried says, "There is a lot more awareness than there was before."

At the Wisconsin Local Food Expo in Madison the room is filled with local food producers of all varieties.

They say the networking is a great way to learn from others and make contacts that can help them get their products in more stores.

Matt D'Amour owns Inside Out Wellness, a holistic health and food line.

He says, "Being about a year old it's still in the initial stages and an event like this really helps to get out and make myself known."

For entrepreneurs like Holter, getting your name out there is half the battle.

Holter says, "There are a lot of supermarkets that have actually bought into the buy local movement."

A lot of the producers we talked to said they're also committed to buying local products themselves, and not just food, even if it does sometimes cost more.