Minding the implementation gap

A mixed-method study of producer capabilities and institutional pressures in U.S. Midwest values-based food procurement

Abstract

Values-based institutional food procurement (VBIFP) aligns institutional purchasing with shared social values, including sustainability, nutrition, and equitable supplier inclusion. Using a mixed-methods approach combining a survey of 189 producers with stakeholder interviews, this study examines producer readiness, participation, and systemic barriers to VBIFP adoption in the U.S. Midwest region, with particular attention on small-scale and ethnic-minority producers. Despite growing adoption of values-based procurement among public institutions, many producers whose operations most closely embody these principles—small-scale, sustainability-oriented, and ethnic-minority suppliers—remain largely excluded from institutional markets. Minimum volume thresholds and certification mandates emerged as the most significant barriers to participation. While small-scale and ethnic-minority producers were more likely to engage in values-based practices like cultivating culturally relevant crops and implement­ing sustainable practices, entrenched procurement norms centered on cost minimization continue to limit their market access. Technological limitations and the lack of supplier aggregation further restrict VBIFP adoption. Integrating resource-based and institutional theories, this study provides empirical evidence showing how producer resource con­straints interact with coercive procurement rules and normative practices to exclude values-aligned sup­pliers. Actionable policy and procurement recom­mendations―including values-aligned scoring, flexible contracting models, and cooperative aggre­gation partnerships―can expand equitable partici­pation in institutional food markets.