New USDA ERS Publication on Local Food, Rural Development

From the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC): USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) has released the December issue of its quarterly publication, Amber Waves.  This issue has several articles that might be of interest to followers of NSAC’s work, as the articles address issues such as rural development, farm labor, and local food systems.  Click here to access the December issue of Amber Waves. The articles include:

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• “Labor-Intensive U.S. Fruit and Vegetable Industry Competes in a Global Market” which details how seven fruit and vegetable commodities would likely respond to higher wages and a reduction in the supply of farm workers in the United States.

• “The Two Faces of Rural Population Loss Through Outmigration” an analysis of the various reasons why rural counties lost population between 1988 and 2008 (over a third of rural counties lost more than 10 percent of their population during this time).

• “Local Food Supply Chains Use Diverse Business Models to Satisfy Demand” which found that as demand increases, local foods are reaching consumers through an increasing variety of supply chain arrangements and marketing outlets.

• “Varied Interests Drive Growing Popularity of Local Foods” a discussion of the growing local food movement, including the contentious definition of “local,” the various demands of consumers when it comes to local foods, and the increase of direct-to-consumer sales in local food systems over the last decade.