Researchers at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) are working to increase local agriculture and expand local food production to support industry and provide jobs to rural America.
Local agriculture is a growing industry in northern New England, with the help of legislation in Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire. To help these efforts, UNH conducted a regional survey about consumer values and perspectives pertaining to local foods and agriculture.
Researchers found that 54 percent of those surveyed said it was “very important” that any type of fresh produce be grown on local farmland. Other factors considered “very important” to consumers included supporting the local economy (46 percent) and buying produce that is grown without pesticides (45 percent).
NIFA supports the research through the Hatch Act and the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.
