[Pitchfork]

The answer for both this farmer and for consumers interested in buying locally grown agricultural products is to find or set up a local food coop. Our family joined one recently for access to locally raised meat products from animals raised without unhealthy confinement that requires heavy anti-biotic doping and which are fed a diet without any rendered meat products. The downside is you'll have to attend coop meetings with a heavy population of birkenstock-wearing granola types who would like to see the meat section replaced by the TOFU aisles! Fortunately healthy eating that supports local farmers is a principle that crosses the ideological spectrum and you'll find conservatives too.

[Freebird Forever]

The answer for both this farmer and for consumers interested in buying locally grown agricultural products is to find or set up a local food coop.

Another option which has had success in some areas is the formation of CSA's

In basic terms, CSA consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community’s farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production. Members or shareholders of the farm or garden pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of the farm operation and farmer’s salary. In return, they receive shares in the farm’s bounty throughout the growing season, as well as satisfaction gained from reconnecting to the land. Members also share in risks, including poor harvest due to unfavorable weather or pests. — USDA definition

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) requires a high level of trust between the community and the farmer. Its physical basis is diversified small-scale agriculture (what used to be called truck farming). It is more suited to some areas of the U.S. than to others. CSAs thrive where small farms can provide a diverse array of consumer-ready products such as vegetables, fruits, herbs, meats, honey, milk products, and eggs to large urban populations (the market) in close proximity to the farm. CSAs are less adapted to sparsely populated regions characterized by large-scale commodity farming.