Robert P. King, Larry Lev, Laurie Houston, Gail Feenstra, Shermain Hardesty, and Jan Joannides
September 2017
Small and medium-size farmers are important because of their contributions to economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Most of these farmers, however, can’t compete with larger producers in producing bulk commodities and while some have been successful selling fresh products through farm-direct and intermediated markets (such as sales to retailers and restaurants), those niches are quite limited. The “Beyond Fresh and Direct” Project explores the opportunities and challenges that small and medium-size farms encounter when they seek to enter the rapidly-growing specialty food marketplace. This sector consists of “…foods that exemplify quality and innovation, including artisanal, natural, and local products that are often made by small manufacturers, artisans, and entrepreneurs.”
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