It wasn’t too long ago that beef was far less traveled, and families often put a side of beef away in the freezer for the winter. Modern day conveniences make beef and the beef buying experience more suitable to a faster pace of life, but old traditions are hard to let go. Across the board, we’re seeing a return to buying local, and—although modern conveniences are still enjoyed—local beef is also more accessible.
USDA Market News, part of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, recently created a series of market reports on locally or regionally produced agricultural products, including beef. As a part of the 2014 Farm Bill, the reports provide farmers, other agricultural businesses and consumers with a one-stop-shop for market and pricing information for local and regional food outlets.
In Vermont, local and regional food systems are a well-established norm. When making routine trips to Vermont at the request of the Vermont Beef Producers Association (VBPA), we noted that the majority of producers in the area were selling their products directly to consumers. As we developed more local and regional market reports, VBPA recognized the potential value and impact the data would have for smaller producers. Within a month VBPA put together a contact list of producers willing to contribute price information on direct sales for our local beef report.
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