Date and Time
The common popular image of the geography of U.S. agriculture is that the nation’s “Heartland” (or breadbasket) dominates in producing the nation’s food. Maps prepared by the USDA’s Economic Research Service have long shown that it is primarily counties in the nation’s center that depend on farming for 25% or more of their income, or at least 16% of their jobs, even as fewer and fewer counties meet this designation. This image leaves only a smaller role for regions such as the Northeast to play in assuring the nation’s food supply.
This webinar will review the significant contributions of agriculture in the Northeast region. In particular, we show how the region differs from the nation in terms of local agriculture, direct marketing, female-operated farms and in terms of greater production of nutrient-dense foods. Moreover, NE agriculture is less reliant on federal subsidies and yet farm numbers are holding up more than is the case elsewhere in the nation. We also review recent trends related to community development, including the rise of breweries and their implications for local supply chains.