Northland College

The Long-term Goal of This Research Project Is to Improve Access to Local Food for Low-income Households in a Remote Rural Region and to Achieve Economic Sustainability for Small Farms, by Linking Producers and Households Through Local Institutions. Local Food Economies in Rural Regions Face Demand-side Challenges Different From Those Adjacent to or Within Metropolitan Areas, Such as Geographic Dispersion of the Population and Low Purchasing Power. Because of These Challenges, Producers Often Export Food, Resulting in Fewer Healthy Food Choices in the Region, and Consumers Purchase Cheaper Food Imports, Resulting in Significant Leakages Out of the Local Economy. We Aim to Address This Problem by Undertaking In-depth Systematic Research of the Local Food Economy in Two Counties in Northwestern Wisconsin. We Will Develop a Conceptual Model in Order to Identify Leverage Points for Structural Change. the Model Will Be Based on Representative Findings From Household Surveys and Expenditureand Consumption Diaries, With an Emphasis on the Barriers for Low-income Households, and Interviews With Producers and Institutional Stakeholders. We Will Use the Model to Outline Opportunities for Institutional Purchasing and Multi-faceted Marketing and Distribution Strategies That Both Meet the Needs of Rural Residents Across Diverse Demographic Characteristics and Achieve Small Farm Economic Sustainability. in Addition to the Model, We Will Modify BLS "at Home" Food Expenditures to Calculate a More Accurate Estimate of the Economic Leakage Due to Food Imports. the Results Will Be Disseminated Through a Community Stakeholder Workshop, a Report of Programmatic Recommendations for Extension Agencies and Local Organizations, Regional Public Presentations, Academic Conference Presentations and Journal Article Publications. by Expanding the Local Food Consumer Market to Include Low-income Households, Promoting Import Substitution, and Improving the Economic Viability of Small Farms, Thisproject Confronts Issues of Rural Poverty, Food Insecurity and Inequality in the Distribution of Healthy Food. It Will Also Support the Overall Resilience of Rural Communities. the Results of This Study Will Be Transferrable to Regions Across the Country That Share Key Characteristics Identified in the Conceptual Model.