Writings
Welcome to the ASAP Local Food Research Center (LFRC) Writings page. Here, you will find essays and articles written by LFRC staff on timely food system topics and issues. This page is a space for us to reflect on the direction of the food movement, share insights into our theory of food system change, comment on movement strategies, and critically assess methodologies and approaches.
2012 Census of Agriculture Documents Local Food Growth in WNC
Local food sales in the Appalachian counties of Western North Carolina have grown significantly in the last five years. The 2012 Census of Agriculture, released on May 2, shows that direct sales alone have increased by nearly 70% in the […]Read More ▶▶
At What Cost? Food Hubs, Walmart, and Local Food
By Charlie Jackson and Allison Perrett March 26, 2014 It is generally recognized that we have big problems with our food system. Industry and government policies and practices are concealed in an anonymous and largely unsustainable global economic system that […]Read More ▶▶
Climate Change on Your Plate
Guest Post By Laura Lengnick May 15, 2014 An unprecedented July heat wave in California in 2006 causes the death of 70,000 poultry and more than 25,000 dairy cows. Farmers across the Southeast suffer widespread losses during severe drought conditions […]Read More ▶▶
Connecting People to the Source of Their Food: Changing the Way We Think About Food to Improve Health
Whether it is linking farmers with buyers or teaching children about vegetables growing in a school garden, connecting people to the source of their food is a vital part of building rural food systems that are healthy food systems.Read More ▶▶
Growing a Sustainable Food System
By Charlie Jackson and Allison Perrett Food is the most basic of human necessities, and something we think about several times every day. In our current food system, the decisions on what we eat are commonly value-free, made without much […]Read More ▶▶
Improving Access at NC Farmers Markets – NC Food Desert Committee Presentation
By Charlie Jackson I was invited by the North Carolina House Committee on Food Desert Zones to come to Raleigh and give them a presentation on increasing access at NC farmers markets by low income communities. I made my […]Read More ▶▶
Local Food, Food Democracy, and Food Hubs
Read LFRC’s recently published article, which looks at how and why local food system building in particular can be a means of changing the food system. This article was published in the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development. Abstract: […]Read More ▶▶
Why Buy Local?
Why Buy Local? Our Choices Matter Keep Value in the Local Economy Buying local is about more than how we spend our dollars: It’s about supporting what we value in our community, like fair pay, sustainable agriculture, healthy food, and […]Read More ▶▶
