Our team of researchers conducted a national survey of over 5,000 households in the fall of 2020. The survey provides important insights into how the pandemic changed the way that U.S. households made food choices and if some of the changes may be sustained post pandemic for their household. This Food Consumer Insights series provides information about what we learned to help guide businesses along local and regional supply chains.
Focusing on collecting and disseminating easily digestible ideas, best practices, and readily adoptable approaches to COVID adaptation, these 1-2 page briefs are designed to be easily shared by LRFS stakeholders to support timely innovation.
Watch the latest webinar: March 15, 2021 – Online Platforms: Pivots and Planning for the Future
Latest Additions
The COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health and social distancing mandates caused unprecedented shifts and disruptions for Local and Regional Food Systems (LRFS). Impacts on farm enterprises, value chain stakeholders, market channels, and food system infrastructure are both vast and varied, and require rapid adaptation by all involved. The pandemic has also brought new and heightened attention to our food system, and LRFS may be positioned to significantly increase the scope and scale of their market reach as a result.
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) along with the cooperating research team led by the University of Kentucky seek to enrich existing efforts within LRFS communities of practice who provide essential support to our nation’s local food producers. During this moment of simultaneous disruption and rapid innovation, our project supports LRFS communities of practice by documenting and disseminating innovations and best practices developed on the ground and drawing on LRFS thought leaders to frame research on COVID-related shifts in LRFS markets with the aim of supporting long term resilience.
Webinars
Latest Webinar May 17, 2021
1-2:30pm EST
Next Steps to Support the Local Food System During Pandemic Recovery: USDA’s Perspective
Join us on the 3rd Monday of each month for a facilitated cross-sectoral discussion on topics including customer retention and engagement, emergency food, cooperative business models, state policies and consumer behavior.
May 17, 2021 – 1-2:30pm EST – Next Steps to Support the Local Food System During Pandemic Recovery: USDA’s Perspective
Social distancing mandates and economic disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedented changes in where, how, and what food U.S. consumers purchased and acquired.
A Fall 2020 national survey of 5,000 households and this project’s Consumer Food Insights series provide insights of how consumers are differently interacting with the food system.
This Webinar’s discussion will combine survey findings with perspectives from industry leaders to better inform businesses along local and regional supply chains about important drivers and suggest to partners and technical assistance providers where there may be new opportunities to support this sector.
Speakers: Dar Wolnik, Farmers Market Coalition and Jimmy Wright, Wright Food Solutions (National Grocers Association) and Andy Ollove, The Fresh Approach
Project Reps: Dawn Thilmany (CSU), Sarah Rocker (Penn State NERCRD), Hailey Edmondson (CSU), Mackenzie Gill (CSU), Jairus Rossi (UK)
(Webinars will be recorded and posted on our website)
Latest Resources
- Added: November 18, 2021
- Datasets, Factsheets Briefs & FAQs
CHOICES Data Visualization Series Quarter 4 2021….
- Added: November 18, 2021
- Factsheets Briefs & FAQs, Reports (5+ pages)
- Article, Journal
The Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics The COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health and social distancing mandates caused unprecedented shifts and disruptions for local and regional food systems (LRFS). The pandemic also brought new and heightened attention….
- Added: November 16, 2021
- Blog Articles
- adaptation, climate change, farming
City Seed, in New Haven, CT interviewed farmers from the markets and conducted research on the impact of climate change on farmers, particularly on pricing, production, and supply…..
- Added: November 10, 2021
- Webpages
Feed the Second Line in New Orleans is working to develop a coordinated network of solar-panel powered restaurants in New Orleans that can continue to operate during/after hurricanes, becoming the "first responders for [the] community." Locating this solar power….
- Added: October 28, 2021
- Webpages
- climate, county government, regional planning, resiliency
After years of extreme weather events in the region and three consecutive years of devastating floods, Monroe County formed the Climate Change Task Force, the fourth such county-led effort in Wisconsin and the most rural. It is now a….
USDA
- Added: October 7, 2021
- Videos & Webinars, Webpages
- USDA
The Pandemic Response and Safety (PRS) Grant Program provides grants to specialty crop producers and processors, other select producers, meat and other processors, distributors, and farmers markets to respond to coronavirus, including for measures to protect workers against novel….
- Added: August 16, 2021
- Other Formats
- evaluation, infographic, innovation, metrics, report
In 2020, FMC piloted an annual report to highlight farmers market adaptations and trends in the era of COVID-19. These types of reports can be used to demonstrate a market’s flexibility and highlight its successes stemming from market innovations….
- Added: August 6, 2021
- Factsheets Briefs & FAQs
- meat, meat plan, meat processing, processor
A short description of essential considerations for starting a meat processing plant. Considerations include regulations, financials, feasibility, and business planning…..
- Added: June 13, 2021
- Innovation Briefs
- innovation brief, innovation briefs
Agritourism operators developed timed, ticketed entry systems to manage the flow of visitors. These systems were often mediated by online platforms. By restricting visitor capacity, farm operators could better allocate resources to create safe conditions for visitors…..
- Added: May 23, 2021
- Innovation Briefs
- innovation briefs
Tribal nations collaborate through coordinating entities, such as the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative (IFAI) to develop policy-based innovations while supporting new programming and sharing best practices. Important areas of work during COVID-19 include targeted efforts to expand livestock….
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