There’s no doubt about it – gears are turning in the world of local food production. From rural communities to large food retailers, local and regional food is a growing business across the country. In the USDA’s Market News division, developing market reports to keep up with the growing need for local food data is a priority for us.
Following Secretary Tom Vilsack’s lead to ramp up local and regional food efforts, USDA Market News – part of the Agricultural Marketing Service – issues a local beef report for the state of Vermont each month. Two Market News reporters from Pennsylvania ventured to the Green Mountain State to meet with existing customers and recruit new ones. Trekking all throughout the state, they visited a total of 10 farms, talked to numerous people about grass-fed beef, and learned about how Market News can better serve this sector of the industry.
USDA Market News reporters gather price and volume data from a number of small producers throughout the state. We publish these locally-raised beef prices and offer general commentary about the market in monthly Market News reports. Being the first of its kind, this report is pioneering the way beef is marketed. It provides local price information for farmers, increases transparency in the marketplace, and enables institutions – such as banks and insurance companies – to properly assess the value of a small or mid-sized farm, which sells its commodities locally.
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