ASAP's Local Food Research Center
ASAP's Local Food Research Center (LFRC) examines the social, economic, and environmental impacts of localizing food systems. The center will research and test our theory of food system change: localizing food systems strengthens local economies, boosts farm profitability, increases sustainable production practices, and improves individual and public health. This theory is grounded in ASAP's conviction that when the distance between consumer and producer decreases, transparency in the food system increases and drives changes that increase public health, build local economies, and sustain family farms.
Why ASAP?
The organization's impact over the last decade has focused on ensuring that farms can continue farming and that everyone has access to local food. Our approach has been to create supportive environments in which farms, businesses, and consumers can innovate and try new things. As a result of our work, Western North Carolina and the Southern Appalachian region lead the country in developing local food systems that build local economies, sustain farms, and insure that everyone has access to the freshest and healthiest locally-grown foods.
ASAP believes that research is the foundation of our work. Through the activities of the Local Food Research Center, consumers will come to understand the value of eating local food for themselves and the economy, farmers will change growing practices to reflect local demand, businesses will change or invest in more local capacity, new farmers will begin farming and increase production; community organizations and institutions will look to local food as a strategy to address food access, community health, and development issues; and more consumers will have more access to local food.
Initial support for the center is being provided by donors, as well as the USDA Southern SARE program and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.
For more information about the LFRC, contact Allison Perrett.
Growing Local:
Expanding the Western North Carolina Food and Farm Economy
In 2003, ASAP launched a multi-year research project to determine how food and other farm products move through the production and distribution system in Western North Carolina. The study, which concluded in 2007, provides a detailed look at the food and farming economy of Western North Carolina and explores the potential to expand local markets for local farm products.
Specifically, the research explored:
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what food and farm products are currently produced in the region,
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how much of what is produced is also consumed in the region,
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the potential for increasing local consumption of locally-produced food and farm products as a way to strengthen the regional farm economy,
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and where investment of resources or other actions could eliminate barriers currently impeding the purchase of local food.
The research has been funded by the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, a division of the USDA whose goals include advancing knowledge about sustainable farming systems.
You can download a summary of the report here:
Growing Local: Implications for Western North Carolina (619 kb)
Growing Local: Expanding the Western North Carolina Food and Farm Economy
- Full report, includes all reports below plus analysis of research (2.16 mb)
You can purchase a printed copy of the 325 page report for $60 (shipping included) by calling our office at (828)236-1282 or download this order form.
- Analysis, does not include individual reports (890 kb)
Sub-Reports
Consulting by ASAP
Want to start a local food campaign in your community? Interested in expanding your local food work or getting the information you need to be as strategic and effective as possible? We can help!
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