Part 1. Understanding local food systems from a supply chain perspective. From farms to consumers: an introduction to supply chains for local foods / Miguel I. Gómez and Michael S. Hand -- Research design for local food case studies / Robert P. King, Michael S. Hand, and Gigi DiGiacomo -- Part 2: Case studies on local food supply chains. Apple case studies in the Syracuse MSA / Miguel I. Gómez, Edward W. McLaughlin, and Kristen S. Park -- Blueberry case studies in the Portland-Vancouver MSA / Larry Lev -- Spring Mix case studies in the Sacramento MSA / Shermain D. Hardesty -- Beef case studies in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA / Robert P. King, Gigi DiGiacomo, and Gerald F. Ortmann -- Fluid milk case studies in the Washington D.C. area / Michael S. Hand and Kate Clancy -- Part 3: A synthesis of case study findings. Product prices and availability / Kristen S. Park, Miguel I. Gómez, Gerald F. Ortmann, and Jeffrey Horwich -- What does local deliver? / Larry Lev, Michael S. Hand, and Gigi DiGiacomo -- Can local food markets expand? / Edward W. McLaughlin, Shermain D. Hardesty, and Miguel I. Gómez -- What role do public policies and programs play in the growth of local foods? / Michael S. Hand and Kate Clancy -- A look at the future / Robert P. King, Miguel I. Gómez, and Michael S. Hand.