Re-invigoration of local agricultural economies. Improved profitability of farmers and smaller-scale food processors, as they are able to match what they produce and process to the demands in the local market. Consumers will also benefit as the barriers to satisfying consumer demands are identified and strategies to overcome them are exploited. A common protocol that will be used for all states for collecting and coding the data on local production and consumption will permit multi-institutional collaborations not otherwise possible. Comparison of selected commodity systems as well as comparison of trends and changes in particular commodities, with the overall trends for major commodities.
States select commodities for study.
Uniform data for selected commodities assembled. Study sites selected by states. Second set of interviews completed. Economic and social indicators data collected. In-depth interviews completed.