Local Food Systems: Concepts, Impacts, and Issues

Steve Martinez, Michael S. Hand, Michelle Da Pra, Susan L. Pollack, Katherine Ralston, Travis Smith, Stephen J. Vogel, Shellye Clark, Luanne Lohr, Sarah Low and Constance Newman

No 96635, Economic Research Report from United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service

Abstract: This comprehensive overview of local food systems explores alternative definitions of local food, estimates market size and reach, describes the characteristics of local consumers and producers, and examines early indications of the economic and health impacts of local food systems. There is no consensus on a definition of “local” or “local food systems” in terms of the geographic distance between production and consumption. But defining “local” based on marketing arrangements, such as farmers selling directly to consumers at regional farmers’ markets or to schools, is well recognized. Statistics suggest that local food markets account for a small, but growing, share of U.S. agricultural production. For smaller farms, direct marketing to consumers accounts for a higher percentage of their sales than for larger farms. Findings are mixed on the impact of local food systems on local economic development and better nutrition levels among consumers, and sparse literature is so far inconclusive about whether localization reduces energy use or greenhouse gas emissions.

Keywords: Community/Rural/Urban; Development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 88
Date: 2010-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr and nep-mkt
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (174)

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Working Paper: Local food systems: concepts, impacts, and issues (2010)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:uersrr:96635

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.96635

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