摘要：During the early part of this century, the US food production and distribution system was more regionally self-sufficient. After the second World War, production and distribution shifted from a regional to a national/global system. Improved transportation afforded buyers the opportunity to source supplies nationally becoming less dependent on local supplies from farms at terminal markets. Supermarket chains began coordinating purchases through a central warehouse. Consequently small producers unable to meet price, volume and delivery requirements, either went out of business or turned to direct marketing as a means of diversifying income and capturing a share of the consumer dollar.
