Expanding Local Markets

As farmers experience ever declining incomes, many have turned to directly selling their products in local markets. Expanding local markets for agricultural products connects producers directly with consumers, increasing farmers' incomes by eliminating the middleperson. Food and dollars stay in town, transportation costs are minimized, and a connection between farmers and the community is fostered. Using farmers markets, community supported agriculture, and new state marketing and inspection programs, a new turn towards local markets has begun. As these markets expand, local food systems are being rebuilt to replace the centralized, corporate ones currently in place. Below are the rules and trends that are driving such a transition.

RULES

• School District Food Policy- Berkeley, CA
  The Berkeley School District passed a food policy requiring school cafeterias to serve organic foods to its 9,500 students. The policy explicitly makes a commitment "to increase the amount of products purchased from local farms". To fund the initiative, a portion of the $650,000 the district currently spends on cafeteria food is allocated for local organic food. More...
• Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
  Community Supported Agriculture reflects an innovative and resourceful strategy to connect local farmers with local consumers; develop a regional food supply and strong local economy; maintain a sense of community; encourage land stewardship; and honor the knowledge and experience of growers and producers working with small to medium farms. More...
• Farmer's Markets
  Laws and codes pertaining to farmers' markets generally provide regulations on locations, hours, and format. The best code (such as the one highlighted in this section) ensures that farmers' markets are kept for farmers. More...
• Farm to School Law - Vermont
  Vermont has passed legislation (VT Act 145 of 2006) that tries to strengthen the connection between schools and local farmers and farm products. Although relatively a small program, the training and food processing programs are excellent features to support local food production. More...
• Local Food Purchasing and Organic Conversion Policies - Woodbury County, Iowa
  This Iowa county has a two-pronged policy approach to encourage the production and use of locally grown organic food. First, there is a property tax rebate for farmers who convert from conventional to organic farming practices. The second approach is a mandate that the County purchase locally grown organic food, through its food service contractor. More...
• Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program
  The Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) is a program established by USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). Under the program, CCC makes grants to States and Indian tribal governments to provide coupons to low-income seniors that may be exchanged for eligible foods at farmers markets, roadside stands, and community supported agriculture programs. More...
• State Meat Inspection Programs
  In 1967, the Wholesome Meat Inspection Act and the Wholesome Poultry Products Act authorized states with inspection programs certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as "at least equal to" the federal program to inspect meat and poultry products for distribution within a state's borders. The state programs are able to provide more technical support and guidance than the USDA, which now caters almost exclusively to large processors. More...
• University Support of Locally Grown Foods
  Colleges and Universities, especially the nation's land grant universities are a perfect laboratory for policies that support locally-grown and/or organic food supplies. The University of Wisconsin's Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems completed a survey of schools in 1998 and identified a handful that had policies in place that supplied their food service departments with significant quantities of locally grown and/or organic food. More...
• WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Act
  The WIC Farmer's Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) is a small program but a significant program because it acknowledges the role of farmers' markets in sustaining small farmers and local communities. The stated purpose of the program is to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to women and children who are nutritionally at-risk, and to expand the use and awareness of farmers' markets and increase sales there. More...

More:

• Robyn Van En Center/National CSA Resources
• Alternative Farming Systems Information Center's section on CSAs
• Sustainable Agriculture Network Directory of CSAs
• National Directory of Farmers Markets - find all the farmers' markets in the United States
• What is Community Supported Agriculture and How Does It Work? - University of Massachusetts Extension
• Organic Consumers Association
• Familyfarmer.org
• Community Food Security Coalition
• Local Harvest
• Community Supported Agriculture of North America
• Trends and Prospects for Sustainable Agriculture Products in Food Service Operations of Colleges and Universities - by Douglas Johnson and Steve Stevenson, UW Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, 1998