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COLUMBIA - Through the Local Food Linkages Project, University of Missouri Extension researchers and University of Nebraska are finding ways for local farmer goods to expand in rural area.

Local farmers and food producers fill out surveys to aid in uncovering the opportunities and difficulties that come with community food expansion.

MU Extension Professor Mary Hendrickson stated that research shows that metro-area farmers do most of the local food marketing. Hendrickson is also one of the study's primary investigators. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service reports rural areas sale just more than $6,000 per farm, whereas metro areas are selling $11,000 per farm.

The USDA also has confirmed that there has been a 17 percent increase in farmers markets in 2011 from the previous year making 7,175 markets total in the U.S.

The study will target the northern Ozarks - Dent, Phelps, Iron, Crawford, Reynolds, Shannon and Texas counties - and the Old Trails Region - Ray, Lafayette, Carroll, Saline and Chariton counties