The total food industry system in the United States is visualized as a nationwide network linking major market area components (products, consumption and structure) to major systems components (e.g. information systems, financial structure, transport and legal-regulatory) for the major market areas of the country. Emphasis is placed on identification and measurement of the linkages and relationships between and among this myriad of system components. A cooperative national effort is urged to model the system for measurement and evaluation of current and future food systems.