On the heels of recent outbreaks of foodborne illness, there’s plenty to be said for knowing where your food is coming from.
According to a new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service, many agree with Stacy Miller, executive director of the Martinsburg, W.V.-based Farmers Market Coalition. The study, which compares data gleaned from the 2007 Census of Agriculture with those of previous years, shows direct-to-consumer farm marketing in the U.S. is growing more than twice as fast as total agricultural sales. Direct-to-consumer sales increased 104.7% from 1997-2007, while total agriculture sales grew 47.6%.
The study also showed that the value of direct-to-consumer food marketing increased during the last decade over all regions of the U.S. The average rate of growth in the 10 fastest-growing states is more than four times greater than for total agricultural sales.
“To me, what it shows is a recognition of value there is in having a relationship with a farmer,” said Miller, who works for an advocacy group that represents farmers markets on state and federal levels.
“It’s not just farmers markets, but also (community-supported agriculture), pick-your-own type of programs, that type of thing,” Miller said. “People are starting to recognize the health aspects and social implications. There’s accountability in knowing where your food comes from … some inherent, built-in credibility and traceability.
“People just want to support agriculture in their communities. They’re getting disillusioned with big industry that they’ve invested their trust in. That’s also visible in the food chain. The model people have had faith in is not working. Direct marketing gives people much more power in the whole process.”
The data in the study was taken from the census, which is prepared every five years, and includes crop production, farm size by sales and acreage and marketing outlets.
Billy Cox, AMS spokesman, said it might be premature to read too much into the report.
“It’s really just a snapshot of the situation as it is now,” he said. “Right now, there are no plans on doing a further analysis on it.”