Beyond Farmers Markets: Why Local Food Belongs on Grocery Shelves

When South Carolinians buy South Carolina peaches, there are unique regional benefits. Here's how the USDA is helping make that happen.

Several years ago, South Carolina dairyman Tom Trantham presented me with a conundrum. "We grow great peaches here," he said, "some of the best in the country. But once they're picked, they disappear - at least for a little while." After harvest, the South Carolina peaches were shipped to California, where they were repacked and sold wholesale to companies that supply the nation's major grocers. "And then those peaches get put on another truck and shipped right back to South Carolina, where they end up on our store shelves," Tom said. "Can you explain how that makes any sense?" Read full article...