USDA reports more local food sales in latest survey

Direct farm sales of local foods and the number of farms selling directly are increasing.

In USDA’s latest Local Food Marketing Survey, sales of local foods sold directly by farmers totaled $9 billion, up three percent from 2015, with more than 147,000 operators selling directly, up 12 percent.

Community Food Systems Educator Mariel Borgman with Michigan State University tells Brownfield pandemic brought greater emphasis to buying local.

“We saw CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farms selling out faster than they ever have before and we also saw more participation in agrotourism than we’ve ever seen,” she says.

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