Local food is a growing and important part of American agriculture that is evolving from the ground up to respond to diverse consumer demands. The growing appeal of local and regional food systems is their ability to connect people and places through food to ensure healthy people, farms, communities, and economies. Local food businesses are energizing young people and drawing new recruits to agriculture at a time when they are critically needed. Through local food systems, people are also often connected with a host of social values from equity to education to environmental stewardship. This dynamic interplay between commerce, place, and community distinguishes local and regional food systems and provides opportunities for local job creation, economic development, and community education about food and nutrition, among other potential benefits.
Vision: AGree envisions a 21st century food system in which farms and ranches are productive and able to meet growing demand for affordable and nutritious food; farming and ranching are profitable enterprises that support vibrant local and regional economies; and environmental quality is maintained or improved. AGree believes one strategy for achieving this vision is strengthening and revitalizing local and regional food systems that bring together agricultural production, health, nutrition, social justice and anti-hunger interests, as well as those working to grow local economies and strengthen livelihoods. Our vision for American agriculture embraces the full spectrum of options, recognizing that local and regional food systems are a growing component.
Strategy: AGree embraces diverse agricultural systems to achieve sustainability, productivity, and profitability goals. The Local Food Initiative seeks to support the growth of vibrant, profitable, equitable, and self-sustaining community-based food systems by advancing the following strategies:
Consensus Recommendations: Local Food: Revitalizing Community-based Food Systems
Our paper addresses a number of important enabling factors for local food systems as well as the series of challenges faced by these systems. Factors include leadership; adequate access to credit and capital, risk management tools, and farmland; training; data and information; infrastructure; and regulatory support, among others.
AGree is engaged on several fronts to support the strengthening and expansion of local food systems. These efforts are occurring within the context of AGree’s Local Food Initiative, but also in our work to catalyze action across all eight AGree Initiatives, driven by a series of consensus recommendations. Ongoing work includes:
President Trump has highlighted the importance of agriculture and said he expects his nominee for Secretary of Agriculture, Governor Sonny Perdue, to "deliver big results." AGree is standing by to assist. 4 pages. February 2017.
The right food and agricultural policies can improve the health of America’s families, economy, farms and the environment, as outlined in recommendations AGree is presenting to presidential candidates. AGree’s Call to Action provides core elements in a strategy for elevating food and agriculture as a national priority. 4 pages. January 2016.
AGree's Recommendations on Local Food. September 2015.
This paper analyzes the Agricultural Act of 2014, which was signed into law by President Obama on February 7, 2014, following a long and contentious legislative journey. The paper explains new and unique aspects of programs such as conservation; crop insurance; the farm safety net; nutrition; food aid reform; local and regional food systems; and assistance to beginning farmers. Stephanie Mercier, 12 pages. March 2014.
Document includes AGree’s vision for 2030, its mission, and six principles that AGree will use to guide its work. 3 pages. May 2012.
This document describes four interconnected challenges confronting the global food and agriculture system. The challenges necessitate changes in U.S. policy and demand innovative private sector and civil society actions. To address these challenges, AGree has identified a comprehensive framework of strategies that, together, address the four challenges. 33 pages. May 2012.
