Examination of What Might Be Done to Move Modeling Local Foods Forward

Abstract

Local food systems have experienced a dramatic rise in prominence, although only a small percentage of food actually comes from these systems. That rise in prominence has come coupled with a renewed academic interest in modeling local foods within an economic development context. This research will identify the necessary steps for building a computable general equilibrium (CGE) framework. As CGE modeling describes the shifts a regional economy would experience if producers and consumers were to convert from common production agriculture to small, localized food systems, this thesis takes the position that in order to fully address economic benefits of local food systems, a CGE is necessary.Once data requirements are resolved, the described model can examine economic tradeoffs of shifting the Oklahoma food supply to locally grown. With this model, research will be able to inquire whether or not the region would be economically better off if consumers bought an increased percentage of locally grown produce each year. An increase of both local food demand and supply are described as the primary drivers of the transition within the model.