What specific function did the digital platforms arising in the later stages of the farm-to-table movement solve?
Answer
The micro-transaction scaling problem inherent in hyper-local sourcing
The emergence of digital platforms later in the history of farm-to-table was not about inventing the philosophy itself, but about building the necessary logistical bridge to support it at scale. Specifically, these technological tools were designed to solve the complex issue of managing numerous micro-transactions required when sourcing small, inconsistent amounts from multiple small farms. This addressed the difficulty of scaling operations that direct purchasing from small producers inherently created, which traditional bulk distribution models were never set up to handle.
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