Evaluation of Food and Culture Tourism in Door County

Food production and distribution have become increasingly industrialized, resulting in great geographical separation between production and markets. This industrialized food production model has drawn the attention of consumers that are questioning how and where their food is being produced. The industrialized food model has been called into question as food safety issues have arisen with spinach contaminated with E. coli and more recently tomatoes contaminated with salmonella. Further critics allege that the industrialized food production model contributes to global warming by increasing carbon emissions, and makes food less nutritious and tasty by breeding for durability for transport rather than quality. An alternative to the industrial model is the development of local food networks. A local food network is the economic and social infrastructure necessary to produce fresh foods in the same places where those foods are consumed. To understand the organization of the emerging local food network in Door County, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison surveyed both retail establishments and fresh food producers/processors. The attached reports shed light on where the local food networks are today, where the local food network is headed, and what opportunities lay ahead for local food production in Door County.