Growing local : case studies on local food supply chains / edited by Robert P. King, Michael S. Hand, and Miguel I. Gómez.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Print version record.

Part 1. Understanding local food systems from a supply chain perspective. From farms to consumers: an introduction to supply chains for local foods / Miguel I. Gómez and Michael S. Hand -- Research design for local food case studies / Robert P. King, Michael S. Hand, and Gigi DiGiacomo -- Part 2: Case studies on local food supply chains. Apple case studies in the Syracuse MSA / Miguel I. Gómez, Edward W. McLaughlin, and Kristen S. Park -- Blueberry case studies in the Portland-Vancouver MSA / Larry Lev -- Spring Mix case studies in the Sacramento MSA / Shermain D. Hardesty -- Beef case studies in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA / Robert P. King, Gigi DiGiacomo, and Gerald F. Ortmann -- Fluid milk case studies in the Washington D.C. area / Michael S. Hand and Kate Clancy -- Part 3: A synthesis of case study findings. Product prices and availability / Kristen S. Park, Miguel I. Gómez, Gerald F. Ortmann, and Jeffrey Horwich -- What does local deliver? / Larry Lev, Michael S. Hand, and Gigi DiGiacomo -- Can local food markets expand? / Edward W. McLaughlin, Shermain D. Hardesty, and Miguel I. Gómez -- What role do public policies and programs play in the growth of local foods? / Michael S. Hand and Kate Clancy -- A look at the future / Robert P. King, Miguel I. Gómez, and Michael S. Hand.

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.

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