Rebuilding local food systems: marketing and economic implications for communities

The research community has identified value chains as one of the most successful ways for small and mid-scale distributors, focused on providing locally sources foods to structure their businesses. The concept of value chains is still relatively new, so by conducting case studies of successful value chains this thesis provides insight into the best practices for new value chains, organized based on the value chain's main customer. After conducting case studies, the next step was to address one of the claims made by local food proponents: that increased local food consumption has a positive impact on the economy of a community. The local school food procurement program studied in this paper provides evidence that yes, the direct impact on the local economy is positive when there is an increase in local food purchasing. But that impact is quite small and may or may not cover the cost of investment necessary to build the necessary infrastructure. Moreover, that positive impact is dependent on some important linkages between the new food distribution enterprise and other economic actors (workers, owners) in the community.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (M.S.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Agricultural and Resource Economics

Grantor dc:publisher

Colorado State University. Libraries

Year dc:date.issued

2011

Authors dc:creator

• Gunter, Allison Lynn, author
• Thilmany, Dawn, advisor
• Bunning, Marisa, committee member
• Pritchett, James, committee member

• economic impact
• value chain
• local
• IMPLAN
• farm to school

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.

Language dc:language.iso

eng, English

Identifier URI

https://doi.org/10.25675/3.018708

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:mountainscholar.org:10217/49814