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Circular illustration showing processes of food systemsFood systems encompass all the people, processes and infrastructure involved in getting food from the farm to your table. Increasingly, Missourians are seeking information about how their food is produced, harvested, processed, distributed, marketed and accessed so that they can support their local communities. On this website, you — as a farmer or food business owner, consumer or community leader — will find information and resources to help you:

  • Create food systems that provide for profitable, thriving farms and businesses;
  • Steward our natural resources;
  • Ensure a safe and affordable food supply; and
  • Strengthen community relationships in rural and urban Missouri.

  • Introduction to Local Food Systems guide

    This MU Extension guide explores the concept of local food systems and gives an overview of the benefits of creating new opportunities within our community food systems.

  • Sectors of food systems

    The Sectors page provides MU Extension programs and publications and other resources that will help you learn more about and develop different parts of the food system.

  • Partnerships and collaborations

    Learn more about how this is a necessary part of local food systems, including how the MU Extension Food Systems team takes a collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach.

 

Publications

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Sampling Safely at Farmers Markets

Publication date: March 1, 2021

Farmers market vendors will find tips for safely offering samples to patrons in this publication, as well as a summary of sampling regulations. Directions and estimated costs for sanitizing stations are included.TopicsFood ...

Successfully Direct Marketing Beef

Publication date: Feb. 11, 2021

TopicsWhy direct marketingNiche marketsLive beefBeef on the railRetail cutsPricingSeasonal changesFrozen vs. freshUSDA legal definitionsProcessingProduct labelingCustomer FAQsMissouri AgrAbilityInnovative Small Farmer's Outreach ProgramPages32

Selecting an Appropriate Pricing Strategy

Publication date: Feb. 1, 2021

Consumers and competitors easily can access pricing information for goods sold at retail and use this information for various purposes. One example is that a product’s price can signal its perceived quality. Consumers may view a high-priced product ...

Selling Strategies for Local Food Producers

Publication date: Jan. 1, 2021

Figure 1. Fresh, local produce sold at a farmers market.Bill McKelveyProject Coordinator, Division of Applied Social SciencesMary HendricksonAssociate Professor, Division of Applied Social SciencesAlice RoachSenior Research Associate, Division of ...

Local and Regional Food System Resilience During COVID-19

Publication date: Jan. 1, 2021

COVID-19 elevated U.S. food access, affordability and supply chain issues into media, industry and policy discussions during 2020. Known for their short supply chains and locally focused marketing, local and regional food systems (LRFS) nimbly ...

Break-even Pricing, Revenue and Units

Publication date: Sept. 1, 2020

For a value-added agricultural business, break-even pricing informs how to price a value-added product. If a product’s market-accepted sales price is greater than its break-even price, then the business can feel more confident in the financial ...

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