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N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The Locavore Index, created in 2012, is a ranking of the 50 states in terms of their commitment to local foods. It was created to advocate all states to work to improve access to healthy local food.

The Locavore Index bases its findings on four different measures. They include the number of farmer’s markets, the number of consumer-supportive agriculture operations (CSAs), the number of food hubs and the percentage of each state’s school districts with active Farm-To-School programs.

North Dakota ranked fourth in last year’s rankings, but has fallen to seventh this year. Vermont topped the list. Maine was second, New Hampshire was third, Oregon was fourth and Hawaii was fifth.