Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Looking for food facts? Check out this resource

Back to Leopold Letter Spring 2008

Food Facts: Results from Marketing and Food Systems Research summarizes the findings of the Leopold Center’s research, demonstrations, studies and surveys in the rapidly growing area where food culture, economics and environmental issues intersect.

The new resource is available as an interactive Web site and in a printed version, which features the photography of Leopold Center Director Jerry DeWitt.

“This resource makes the results of our marketing and food systems research more accessible and useful for a variety of target audiences,” said Rich Pirog, leader of the Leopold Center’s Marketing and Food Systems Initiative.

Users of the new resource will see key findings from initiative-funded work and related projects. The results are categorized by type of project, from food miles and place-based research to research on niche meat markets, transaction costs and various facets of the grape and wine industry. The resource is designed for use by farmers, food entrepreneurs, local food system practitioners and other researchers.

“In recent years, the Leopold Center has supported projects leading to the development of new web-based tools for farmers who want to enter specialty markets,” Pirog noted. “The section on tips and tools should be especially helpful when producers consider marketing specialty crops and livestock.”

Pirog called the new resource a “work in progress. We’ll be adding information as new project results are available.” Future topics include consumer surveys, opportunities for minority farmers and financing new farm-based enterprises. 

Back to Leopold Letter Spring 2008