The Local Food System Vitality Index
Identifying successful development priorities for local food systems (LFSs) is a challenge for producers, LFS advocates, Extension agents, and policymakers. Consumer perceptions and preferences regarding what constitutes an active, healthy, and vibrant LFS often differ within and between diverse c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems
2018-11-01
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| Series: | Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/649 |
| _version_ | 1797760862156488704 |
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| author | Jairus Rossi Timothy A. Woods Alison F. Davis |
| author_facet | Jairus Rossi Timothy A. Woods Alison F. Davis |
| author_sort | Jairus Rossi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Identifying successful development priorities for local food systems (LFSs) is a challenge for producers, LFS advocates, Extension agents, and policymakers. Consumer perceptions and preferences regarding what constitutes an active, healthy, and vibrant LFS often differ within and between diverse communities. Producers, development entities, and others would benefit from rapid assessment processes that provide detailed information on consumer preferences and potential market opportunities within their LFS.
In this paper, we introduce the analytic possibilities of our Local Food System Vitality Index (LFSVI). Using data collected from a pilot survey in Lexington, Kentucky, we rapidly assess the performance of 20 different components of our LFS. The LFSVI differs from most other food system and quality-of-life indices by focusing on the perceptions of resident food consumers.
In our analysis, we identify that Lexington residents generally associate farmers markets, farm-to-fork restaurants, local product diversity, and retail sourcing of local food with high overall vitality of the local food system. While residents score the first three components as high performing, they perceive the retail component to be less functional. We use results such as these to compare which aspects of the LFS are valued versus which are high performing. We do this comparison across different resident food consumer segments in and between geographic locations. Throughout our analysis, we discuss how this index method is generally applicable and conducive to identifying LFS development priorities. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T19:04:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d64075edd35048018cba48eeb1210cac |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2152-0801 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T19:04:40Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
| spelling | doaj.art-d64075edd35048018cba48eeb1210cac2023-08-02T06:20:32ZengLyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food SystemsJournal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development2152-08012018-11-018310.5304/jafscd.2018.083.014The Local Food System Vitality IndexJairus Rossi0Timothy A. Woods1Alison F. Davis2University of KentuckyUniversity of KentuckyUniversity of KentuckyIdentifying successful development priorities for local food systems (LFSs) is a challenge for producers, LFS advocates, Extension agents, and policymakers. Consumer perceptions and preferences regarding what constitutes an active, healthy, and vibrant LFS often differ within and between diverse communities. Producers, development entities, and others would benefit from rapid assessment processes that provide detailed information on consumer preferences and potential market opportunities within their LFS. In this paper, we introduce the analytic possibilities of our Local Food System Vitality Index (LFSVI). Using data collected from a pilot survey in Lexington, Kentucky, we rapidly assess the performance of 20 different components of our LFS. The LFSVI differs from most other food system and quality-of-life indices by focusing on the perceptions of resident food consumers. In our analysis, we identify that Lexington residents generally associate farmers markets, farm-to-fork restaurants, local product diversity, and retail sourcing of local food with high overall vitality of the local food system. While residents score the first three components as high performing, they perceive the retail component to be less functional. We use results such as these to compare which aspects of the LFS are valued versus which are high performing. We do this comparison across different resident food consumer segments in and between geographic locations. Throughout our analysis, we discuss how this index method is generally applicable and conducive to identifying LFS development priorities.https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/649Local Food SystemsPerformance IndicesFood System VitalityFood System Development |
| spellingShingle | Jairus Rossi Timothy A. Woods Alison F. Davis The Local Food System Vitality Index Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development Local Food Systems Performance Indices Food System Vitality Food System Development |
| title | The Local Food System Vitality Index |
| title_full | The Local Food System Vitality Index |
| title_fullStr | The Local Food System Vitality Index |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Local Food System Vitality Index |
| title_short | The Local Food System Vitality Index |
| title_sort | local food system vitality index |
| topic | Local Food Systems Performance Indices Food System Vitality Food System Development |
| url | https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/649 |
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