As demand for local foods grows, so do questions about what constitutes “local” foods, what characterizes local food markets, and how local food markets affect farmers, consumers, and communities.
Case studies show that as demand has increased, local foods are reaching consumers through an expanding array of supply chain arrangements and marketing outlets.
Reduction in the supply of workers that could make agricultural labor more expensive for the U.S. fruit and vegetable industry may impact industry competitiveness but the effects would vary by commodity.
“Thin” markets such as the global rice trade, where only a small share of global production is traded, may exhibit price volatility and large annual variations in trade levels.
by David McGranahan, John Cromartie, and Timothy Wojan
Nearly half of the Nation’s nonmetropolitan counties lost population through net outmigration between 1988 and 2008, but the underlying causes and potential policy solutions vary widely.
