Blog

A recent study published in Economic Development Quarterly set out to determine the extent that community-oriented agriculture impacts the local economy. Generalizations could not be made nationally, but regional takeaways were evident. ”There has been a lot of hope, but little evidence, that local food systems can be an engine of economic growth in communities,” Stephan Goetz, a professor of agricultural and regional economics in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and the director of the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development, said in a press release. “Our findings show that, at least in certain regions of the country, community-focused agriculture has had a measurable effect on economic growth.”

Community-focused agriculture, what the study called CFA, has the potential to add to the local economy. The researchers began by explaining that when a farm is selling food directly to the consumer, the moneycirculating stays local. “Agritourism” can boost the economy for the same reason. An event, like strawberry picking, is an impetus for consumers to travel to the farm and region to spend money locally. The study set out to evaluate how initiatives of this ilk can aid growth and how important farming is to the local economic region.  READ MORE