This project was supported by the Specialty Crop Research Initiative of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA, Grant # 2009-51181-06035. Trade in fresh fruits and vegetables has raised concerns about the distance food travels, food cost, freshness, and climate change associated...

Although the growth in direct markets suggests a significant jump in local food purchasing by households, direct marketing still only accounts for a small percentage of total food sales because conventional food supply chains account for the great majority of food dollars. Since these...