Knowledge Bank

Transportation of nutritious and affordable food can create both challenges and opportunities for American households. Increasing the availability and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is a public health goal for physical health, mental health, financial stability, and other benefits. This raises the question of the public sector’s role in influencing the transportation of nutritious and affordable food. In particular, how can policy help to expand the fresh fruit and vegetable market by influencing distribution. This thesis examines the domestic refrigerated trucking industry and the movement of fresh produce. Based upon available data, this study uses four specialty crops, kale greens, apples, collard greens, and carrots as example commodities, due to their cultural, economic and nutritional significance. The datasets are from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS). Each commodity reports truck and shipping movement, shipping points, terminal markets, and retail markets. Using multivariate regressions, this data (2010 to 2023) is examined to better understand effects on quantity shipped and the various prices discovered through these supply chains. Based upon the results, several questions can be answered, such as origins with the highest price and how those correlate to quantity; how the shipping point versus shipping movement prices effect quantity; and what retail markets have the most stores promoting produce. Based upon these answers, broader questions relating to, comparative advantage, consumer preferences, where market imperfections exist, and economic, environmental, and societal sustainability can be addressed. The findings from these questions can help contribute to further inquiry of the public sector’s role in facilitating the transportation of nutritious and affordable food.