Local Food Demand in the U.S.: Evolution of the Marketplace and Future Potential

According to U.S. Census of Agriculture statistics, direct sales of edible farm products for human consumption rose dramatically from $404 million annually in 1992 to roughly 3 times that amount ($1.2 billion) by 2007. By 2012, this sales value had topped $1.3 billion per year, representing a 223 percent increase in growth over a 20‐year span and far outpacing the average rate of sales growth in the U.S. agricultural sector. This chapter in the Federal Reserve Board’s 2017 report Harvesting Opportunity outlines the performance of the direct-to-consumer marketing sector and charts its course in the coming years.