Material Presented At The Short Course Conference For Dairy Plant Operators And Milk Distributors Offered By Dept Of Animal And Dairy Husbandry University Of Vermont And State Agricultural College And Annual Meeting Of The Vermont Dairy Plant Operators And Managers Association

This comprehensive overview of local food systems explores alternative definitions of local food, estimates market size and reach, describes the characteristics of local consumers and producers, and examines early indications of the economic and health impacts of local food systems. Defining ¿local¿ based on marketing arrangements, such as farmers selling directly to consumers at regional farmers¿ markets or to schools, is well recognized. Statistics suggest that local food markets account for a small, but growing, share of U.S. agricultural production. For smaller farms, direct marketing to consumers accounts for a higher percentage of their sales than for larger farms. Charts and tables.

Milk and dairy products are a vital source of nutrition for many people. They also present livelihood opportunities for farm families, processors and other stakeholders in dairy value chains. Consumers, industry and governments need up-to-date information on how milk and dairy products can contribute to human nutrition and how dairy-industry development can best contribute to increasing food security and alleviating poverty. This publication is unique in drawing together information on nutrition, and dairy-industry development, providing a rich source of useful material on the role of dairy products in human nutrition and the way that investment in dairy-industry development has changed.