The Food System project will identify opportunities to increase food production and improve food security in the Columbia Basin-Boundary region. The research will focus primarily on identifying areas where the RDI can provide information to food system actors to help improve the food production, processing, distribution and retail sectors.  As it is generally recognized that many problems within our food system could be overcome if farming became more economically viable, this project will focus on economic development opportunities. Specific opportunities will be identified based primarily on the three recently completed Agriculture Plans in our region, and on advisory committee consultations. The most promising options will be investigated in greater depth, and research findings will be presented to specified user groups - producers, processors, distributors and retailers.