Local Foods Marketing Channels Encompass a Wide Range of Producers

Farmers selling locally grown food through farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and other local food outlets account for a small, but growing, segment of U.S. agriculture. Consumer demand for locally produced food is driven by demand for freshness, support for the local economy, and personal communication with the producer (see “Varied Interests Drive Growing Popularity of Local Foods” in the December 2010 issue of Amber Waves).