Jun 15, 2010
A new Economic Research Service report from the USDA, Local Food Systems: Concepts, Impacts and Issues study provides an overview of local food systems. Some of the highlighted findings include:
- Direct-to-consumer marketing sales of agricultural products more than doubled from 1997 to 2007.
- The number of Farmers Markets nationwide tripled from 1994 to 2009.
- In 1986, there were 2 community-supported agriculture organizations (CSAs). In 2001, there were 400. Early 2010 estimates exceed 1,400.
- The number of farm-to-school programs (schools feeding students local produce) rose from 2 in 1997 to 2,095 in 2009.
- Most farms that sell directly to consumers are small farms with less than $50,000 in total farm sales.
- Expanding local food systems can increase employment and income in those communities.
To read the report summary click here to read the whole report click here.
To learn how you as consumers can support your local food system, please see our previous local food systems post.
Producers looking to begin direct marketing or wanting to increase sales, please contact our office so that we may best assist you.