For UK information, you might look at the New Economics Foundation website (www.neweconomics.org). There are some relevant articles on 'transforming markets' under the Economics tab. They did some good work on comparing the circulation of money within the local community on food at a supermarket and the same with a local 'veggie box' scheme. It used to be on the website; you might find it if you dig around a bit. Also Paul Allen at Centre for Alternative Technology (www.cat.org.uk) has done work on "Relocalization of the Food Chain"; I don't see the paper on the website but you could email him and I bet he'd send it to you. Similarly, Prof Kevin Morgan (http://www.cf.ac.uk/cplan/staff/morgan_k.html)has done a lot of food chain research and I have one of his papers on disc here somewhere. He, also, is quite good at sending stuff if you ask nicely.

I don't know how much good academic stuff would do you, however, as county councils tend to have anyone BUT the locals in mind and aren't reknown for listening to academic research. We're fighting Tesco's here in our west Wales town, but I reckon we'll lose. It's outside the town centre, intends to sell just about everything, will leave its town centre current site with an embargo on it against any other food retailer moving in (which could work counter to the county's own agri-food policies) and will be the biggest Tesco in Wales.

I think there is somewhere in Wales that kept a multi-national out, possibly Builth Wells. Other towns failed, however; like Cardigan and Brecon. Again, probably a lot to do with the local authority's attitude. And they are quite often just trying to do anything to meet the national government's targets for GDP growth, and hang the social costs. (Which takes one into the murky world of arguments for an indicator other than GDP in Economic Development) Also, Chief Executives make 'their name' on the size of developments they can attract to the area ... so they can move up the ladder to some bigger council and leave us with the long-term effects.

On a moderating note, however, it always pays not to make sweeping statements. For instance, Tesco is (as Super Market Chains go) the most open of those in UK to accepting local or regional produce and are also very good at paying the small producer within a reasonable billing period.

Of course, there's a whole other tangent we could follow (I think someone touched on it already). R-J, you talk about 'those of us' who move to rural areas to get away from urban rat race. Long-term rural residents aren't trying to 'get away' from it and may have different values. (and would probably be happy to spend more of their income on good food if their housing prices weren't so apalling, having been driven up by people selling up in the cities). There's been a lot of work done on this, as well; Bill Reimer's work at Concordia University in Montreal comes to mind.

sian
(who, until recently, worked in rural development)