Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed legislation Wednesday that aims to promote locally grown food and reduce wasteful packaging.

Under the new law, the city will increase the amount of food it buys that is grown, produced and processed in New York.

"These provisions will help the city and the public better track where agencies' food comes from and where tax dollars are spent," Bloomberg said. "It will also result in agencies buying much more food from farms and processing facilities in the Empire State -- a commendable goal indeed.

Another piece of legislation would create and post online guidelines to help vendors reduce, reuse and recycle materials used to transport food purchased by the city.

The law would also require publication of an annual report on the food the city purchases and encourages rooftop gardens by exempting them from building height and floor area limitations.

With the Associated Press