The food industry is at a turning point. As concern for environmental issues and sustainability grows, so to does the demand for high quality healthy produce. Many consumers view locally grown food as a way to address these issues. Proponents of local food chains also claim that food grown near by will encourage a closer relationship between the farmer and the consumer. In this book, expert contributors examine five case studies-apples, blueberries, spring mix, beef and milk-and compare the production of each crops in a different metropolitan areas. For each crop they carefully consider both the local and supermarket supply chain as they explore the social, economic, and environmental issues and potentials associated with each. The results is a more complex, nuanced understanding of locally grown food. Annotation ©2015 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)
Read More
In an increasingly commercialized world, the demand for better quality, healthier food has given rise to one of the fastest growing segments of the U.S. food system: locally grown food. Many believe that “relocalization” of the food system will provide a range of public benefits, including lower carbon emissions, increased local economic activity, and closer connections between consumers, farmers, and communities. The structure of local food supply chains, however, may not always be capable of generating these perceived benefits.Growing Local reports the findings from a coordinated series of case studies designed to develop a deeper, more nuanced understanding of how local food products reach consumers and how local food supply chains compare with mainstream supermarket supply chains. To better understand how local food reaches the point of sale, Growing Local uses case study methods to rigorously compare local and mainstream supply chains for five products in five metropolitan areas along multiple social, economic, and environmental dimensions, highlighting areas of growth and potential barriers. Growing Local provides a foundation for a better understanding of the characteristics of local food production and emphasizes the realities of operating local food supply chains.
Read Less