Resilient, sustainable, and adaptable local and regional food systems (LRFS) have been gaining attention from the public, policy leaders, researchers, and educators (agInnovation, 2025; Green et al., 2017; Rimhanen et al., 2023; Low et al., 2015). Several national and global food supply chain disruptions have increased the need to pursue and strengthen alternative food systems: geopolitical conflicts, extreme weather events due to climate variability, the COVID-19 pandemic, and rapid technological change along with identified challenges of food availability and accessibility, malnutrition, and environmental concerns (Arreyndip & Pal, 2025; Soria‐Lopez et al., 2023; Thilmany et al., 2021). The COVID-19 pandemic made it abundantly clear that having shorter, flexible (Thilmany et al., 2021), and multiple redundant pathways for food production, distribution, and access (Rimhanen et al., 2023) are of national interest. LRFS can serve as tools to build more resilient food systems that meet these needs and can be used to address challenges related to sustainability, nutrition, and income diversification (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2023). 

A major focus of LRFS-related work has been to identify and expand production and distribution and refine marketing strategies to conserve resources, increase access to more nutritious and fresher foods, and improve farm profitability. In addition, these efforts have supported broader economic development by expanding opportunities for entrepreneurs and strengthening food-related business networks (Nichols et al., 2022). Nonetheless, more work is needed to continue building LRFS that can adapt and be resilient in the ever-changing world and provide nutritious food, incorporate new technologies, and prepare the next generation to strengthen and sustain these growing systems. 

There are numerous frameworks, principles, and strategies that could fall under the umbrella of LRFS, and although any one of them alone may have limited impact, combined, they have achieved substantial outcomes. Such efforts include those focused on: low-input, sustainable, and regenerative practices on farms and ranches; controlled environment production of fruits, vegetables, and herbs; farm-raised and wild caught aquatic proteins; direct to consumer (on-farm sales, farmers markets, community supported agriculture) and institutional (farm to school) marketing; and value-added processing. The proliferation of efforts is notable, but this complexity can also be confusing for those working to enter or adapt existing efforts to participate in LRFS. Additionally, there is a need to continually identify and fill gaps in the development pathways in order for such systems to be created, maintained, and adapted. For instance, workforce and human capital, especially in the context of an aging agricultural workforce (Buys et al., 2023), and infrastructure (production, cleaning, processing, and storage) (Mittal et al., 2018) are often mentioned as important pressure points but have garnered less research and Extension attention in LRFS discussions.  

Several frameworks and models have been used to organize research, outreach, and educational efforts connected to LRFS, with increasing attention to multidimensional resilience (Cafer et al., 2024; Legnick, 2015). The Community Capitals Framework (CCF) (Flora et al., 2016) may be especially applicable because it examines the ways in which people and organizations build and use different forms of capital: natural (natural resources, including soils), built/physical (infrastructure, buildings, transportation), financial (savings, investments, credit), human (education, knowledge, skills), social (relationships, trust, networks), cultural (diversity, traditional practices), and political (power structures and connections) (Beaulieu, 2014; Emery & Flora, 2006; Flora et al., 2016). Differentiated from being mere resources, assets are classified as “capitals” because they can be invested in, grown over time, and exchanged. When evaluating the research and development needs for LRFS, it appears that while a great deal of attention has been given to natural and financial capital, much less work has been directed toward human capital (with the exception of education for specific production practices) and built capital needs, especially where they intersect. Three examples, among many, include: controlled environment agricultural production; meat and aquatic food processing; and complex coordination and distribution systems for food hubs, farm to institution, and other models. All of these require educational and advanced workforce development coupled with specialized physical infrastructures for LRFS development. 

This multistate project will build on past efforts of the SERA 47 Local and Regional Food Systems coordinating project. The SERA 47 project coordinated the information exchange of research needs and opportunities and promoted Extension efforts across institutional and state boundaries to further develop the work of producers, their engagement with consumers, and the many intermediaries related to LRFS. There was also collaboration on LRFS inventories and assessments. In keeping with current and previous collaborative efforts within SERA 47, this new project seeks to officially transition to a primarily collaborative group with joint activities between research and Extension, all types of Land-Grants, and private and nonprofit partners across state and territorial lines. 

The primary regional focus is on the South, but participants will be welcome nationally, with the potential for regional and sub-regional comparisons. It will be informed by and build on other multidisciplinary efforts, but it is unique in the emphasis on systems development. 

Through engagement with existing multistate project participants, the following working group themes were identified for developing the new multistate project. Team members within each group will work together to move forward the objectives through research, Extension, and education efforts. The working groups are listed below with a description of the associated issues of interest.  

Successful Models of Local and Regional Food Systems: There is a need to identify and document successful LRFS models encompassing all major aspects of the systems including organizational and technological innovations, community development and engagement, partnership/collaboration establishment, and LRFS production, processing, storage, distribution, and marketing. These should include efforts focused on grains, fruits and vegetables, meat and dairy, and aquatic proteins. 

Sustainable Agriculture in Local and Regional Food Systems: This area of focus emphasizes interest in exploring sustainable agriculture production practices within and between LRFS focusing on domains such as production methods, diverse and integrated systems, economic  sustainability, and place-based heritage foods using tools such as life cycle assessment and creating a collaborative network to identify challenges, share solutions, and build partnerships both within and outside of the community. This can help to build LRFS that strengthen economies, reduce negative environmental impacts, and even make positive environmental contributions. 

Marketing Local and Regional Food Systems: There are gaps in knowledge concerning efforts focused on strengthening the visibility of community engagement in LRFS through knowledge and resource sharing. This group aims to decrease the gap by creating educational materials and opportunities around innovative marketing approaches that include, but are not limited to, small farm marketing, farm to institution programs, expanding market reach, brand development, digital outreach, storytelling, value-added products, and agritourism. Through such efforts, producers and community members can gain experience and benefit through economic gains.  

Building Resilient Communities and Food Security: There is need for research, outreach, and educational efforts that focus on the roles of LRFS in building community resilience and advancing food security by ensuring consistent access to safe, nutritious food by strengthening and infusing adaptability into supply chains, identifying and planning for potential supply disruptions, building and supporting community assistance programs, engaging outside food retailers, reducing food waste, and incorporating community involvement in order to build tools for communities to adapt and thrive.