What does " the nature and range of agricultural products" mean? Although the nature and range of agricultural products found in most American communities are shaped by the decisions made by large multinational firms, important environmental, social, political, and economic reasons justify the re-emergence of a smaller-scale, more locally controlled food system. A new civic agriculture is emerging and taking hold in every region of the country. Community Supported Agriculture, farmers' markets, specialized agricultural districts, alternative food stores, and consumer cooperatives represent important manifestations of the movement toward a civic agriculture.