The Missing Middle: How Processing Infrastructure Could Keep Southern Oregon’s Food Economy Local
Southern Oregon is the focus of this article, but the structural challenges described here appear across rural food systems throughout
Southern Oregon is the focus of this article, but the structural challenges described here appear across rural food systems throughout
Small farms across Southern Oregon are not failing due to lack of effort or creativity. Research shows the real barriers are structural: fragmented funding pathways, misaligned timelines, and systems built for scales that do not reflect how local producers actually operate. This article examines what the data reveals, why coordination matters, and what collective approaches could realistically strengthen the region’s food system.