In terms of defining distance, opinions are quite varied. Distances that are
perceived to constitute local may vary by region. Population density is
important because what is considered local in a sparsely populated area
may be quite different from what constitutes local in a more heavily populated region. This is referred to as “flexible localism,” with the definition of
“local” changing depending on the ability to source supplies within a short
distance or further away, such as within a State (Ilbery and Maye, 2006). For
example, in King County, WA, a densely populated urban county, a survey
of 54 producers found that 66 percent defined local market as their own or
surrounding counties (Selfa and Qazi, 2005). On the other hand, in Grant
County, a sparsely populated rural and agriculturally based county, only 20
percent of 61 producers surveyed considered their local market to be their
own or surrounding counties.