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Local Foods and Local Economic Performance

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  • Maureen Stickel
  • Steven Deller

Abstract

Using US county‐level data, we employ a difference‐in‐difference approach to model the effect of direct to consumer local foods activity on local economic performance. We find no evidence that growth in local foods activity is linked to economic performance measured by per capita income and some evidence of a decline in employment. These results casts doubts on the notion that the promotion of local foods can improve the performance of local economies. While the local foods market can present viable business opportunities for some producers, the overall size of the market is too thin to influence overall local economic performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Maureen Stickel & Steven Deller, 2020. "Local Foods and Local Economic Performance," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(2), pages 335-357, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:apecpp:v:42:y:2020:i:2:p:335-357
    DOI: 10.1002/aepp.13015
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    3. Jason Winfree & Philip Watson, 2021. "Buy Local and Social Interaction," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 103(4), pages 1454-1477, August.
    4. Claudia Schmidt & Steven C. Deller & Stephan J. Goetz, 2024. "Women farmers and community well‐being under modeling uncertainty," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 46(1), pages 275-299, March.

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