Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Brief summary of annual meeting: Date: October 15-16, 2013 Location: Campus Club in Memorial Union, University of Minnesota 300 Washington Ave. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 Attendance: Christy Anderson Brekken (OSU), Larry Burmeister, Kate Clancy, David Conner, Gail Feenstra, Alicia Fisher (UKY), Lauren Gwin, Shermain Hardesty, Jan Joannides, Rob King, Fred Kirschenmann, Larry Lev, Michelle Miller (UW, replacing Steve Stevenson), Marcy Ostrom, Hikaru Peterson, Keiko Tanaka, Zaohui Wu, Tal Yifat General Project Discussion: As seen by the list of various outputs from the group members, the state project group members individually had a productive year. There were a few new members to the group, which later led to a lively discussion on what the Ag of the Middle is and the multi-state project groups identity. It was also important that two AFRI proposals were generated from the discussion from the 2012 annual meetings, in efforts to offer collaborative opportunities among members to further the project objectives. We had a productive discussion on the Ag of the Middle website (http://agofthemiddle.org/), which was initially developed by a coordinating committee of the Ag of the Middle initiative. The site had been managed by the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS) at UW Madison, affiliated with one of the coordinating committee members. The coordinating committee was officially dissolved in May 2013. The multi-state project group agreed that the web site is invaluable outlet for the projects activities and outputs on Ag of the Middle. A sub-committee was formed to work with the communication manager at the CIAS on redesign and update content. Another sub-committee was formed to pursue the idea of organizing a symposium/conference co-hosted by multiple professional associations to feature the project work on Ag of the Middle. In addition to the two primary associations of the attending members, the sub-committee explored the idea of reaching out to other professional and disciplinary associations who address issues of food systems. A third small group discussed ideas of sharing teaching resources on the topics pertinent to Ag of the Middle and other food systems issues. Their activity will depend largely on whether the member-only access can be created on the Ag of the Middle website. Group members outside the small group showed interest in contributing to the effort. Two other topics discussed by all attendees were on the policy update and funding opportunities outside the federal government, which was shut down during the meeting. We discussed how as individuals affiliated with academic institutions we can voice our concerns to proposed policies such as the Food Safety Modernization Act. Members shared their knowledge of various non-governmental funding agencies. The discussion led to how we should promote the project/group to these agencies. We agreed that we should continue discussing how to reach out to these private/non-profit agencies with the importance of the work on Ag of the Middle, as we successfully made inroads to the land-grant and the USDA. Lastly, each member identified which NC-1198 project objective his/her work contributes most and discussed accomplishments and directions for the coming year. The group consisting of members contributing to the economic objective discussed how to use the Food Systems Indicator developed by King effectively in research and outreach activities and to illustrate the current state of the Ag of the Middle. Only two members were primarily working on the labor and community objective; they were co-authoring a working paper. No member was currently engaged in activities addressing the environmental objective, but the activities were proposed in the AFRI grant proposal on impacts on farmers. Even if the proposal is not funded in the current round, the PIs agreed to pursue the idea in some way. Another large group discussed their work on the policy objective. The group agreed that they have identified research questions on existing policies but have not examined the optimal designs/alterations of policies and programs to enhance future performance of Ag of the Middle entities.

Accomplishments - October 2012 to September 2013: Outputs: Activities: Grants Submitted by members Peterson, H.H., G.W. Feenstra, S.D. Hardesty, M.R. Ostrom, K. Tanaka, C. Anderson-Brekken, and A.M. Fisher. Impacts of Values-Based Supply Chains on Small and Medium-Sized Farms. 2014-2017. Submitted to the USDA-AFRI, Small & Medium-Size Farms Priority area. Under review. Lev, L., R. King, J. Joannides, G. Feenstra, S. Hardesty. Cultivating Specialty Food Industry Sales: New Opportunities for Small and Medium-Sized Farms. Submitted to the USDA-AFRI, Small & Medium-Size Farms Priority area. Under review. Lass, D., and D. Conner. Farmer Profitability in the New England Farm to Institution Market: Impacts of Transaction Costs and Market Structure. 2014-2017. Lass, PI; Conner co-PI. Submitted to USDA-AFRI. Under review. This project would measure farmer willingness to engage in institutional markets, identify opportunities and barriers and design educational and outreach materials. Stephenson, G., and L. Gwin. Beyond Direct: Asessing the Potential of Local and Regional Wholesale Markets to Enhance Farmer Prosperity. Submitted to the USDA-AFRI, Small & Medium-Size Farms Priority area. Under review. Grants and Awards Received by members Social-Economic Dimensions of the Nutrient Reduction Strategy. Cathy Kling, Lois Wright Morton, and J. Gordon Arbuckle Jr. $116,000. Iowa Nutrient Research Center. 2013-2014. Developing an Integrated Management and Communication Plan for Sudden Death Syndrome. D. Mueller, L. Leandro, J. Arbuckle, C. Bradley, M. Chilvers, S. Cianzio, J. Faghihi, A. Fakhoury, V. Ferris, G. Hartman, D. Malvick, A. Tenuta, G. Tylka, and K. Wise. $500,000. North Central Soybean Research Program. 2013  2015. Mary Harris (PI), Matt Helmers, (PI), J. Gordon Arbuckle Jr. (Co-PI), Matt Liebman, Matt ONeal, Lisa Schulte-Moore, and John Tyndall. Facilitation of Multipurpose Prairie STRIPs Adoption by Iowa Farmers. $52,511. Iowa State Soil Conservation Committee R&D Grant Program. 2012-2013. J. Gordon Arbuckle Jr. (Co-PI) and Edward Cox. Sustainable Agricultural Land Tenure and Risk Management for Extreme Climatic Events. $46,299. Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. 2/1/2013 to 1/31/2014. Lisa Schulte-Moore (PI), J. Gordon Arbuckle Jr. (Co-PI), Kristi Franz, Emily Heaton, Matt Helmers, Kirsten Hofmokel, Tom Isenhart, Matt Liebman, and John Tyndall. Integrating Project Knowledge, Land Use Scenarios, and InVest Modeling: The Next Step in Developing a Payment for Ecosystem Services Scheme for the Big Creek Watershed. $35,460. Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. 2/1/2013 to 1/31/2014. Fostering sustainable livestock production in Vermont: prospects for value chain partnerships. Vermont Agricultural Experiment Station, 2012-2014. (Conner, PI). $34,905 Peer-reviewed by internal UVM panel. This project measures the preponderance of value chain partnerships in the VT livestock sector. Feenstra, G. Davis Farm-to-School Evaluation, from Yolo Farm to Fork. SAREP will evaluate outcomes of the Davis Farm-to-School Program, particularly the extent to which DJUSD increases farm fresh food for school lunch. SAREP contract: $6,690 for 6/1/13  12/31/13. Feenstra, G. Capitalizing on new values-based marketing channels: Using market tours to link small, beginning, and immigrant producers with wholesale buyers, Gift from Farm Credits. ASI/SAREP award: $60,000 for 7/13-6/14. Feenstra, G. Yolo County Farm to School Planning and Implementation: Evaluation, from Yolo County (part of their CDFA funded project). SAREP will evaluate program components. ASI/SAREP award: $60,000 for 10/12  6/15. Grant Proposals Submitted, not Funded Takle, E.S., C. Anderson, J.G. Arbuckle, W.J. Gutowski, M.J. Helmers, T.G. Johnson, C.M Ammann, J. Delmuth, H. Lazrus. Midwest Integrated Sciences and Assessments (MISA): An Innovation Space for Decision Making. Submitted to NOAA, April 2013. $3,536,742. Not Funded. Milestones: We currently have a few existing collaborations among the members and many activities with members collaborating with colleagues outside the NC-1198 project. Successful outcomes of the grants generated by discussions from the 2012 annual meeting and changes to the Ag of the Middle website will be milestones looking ahead.

Arbuckle, J. Gordon Jr. 2013. Farmer support for extending Conservation Compliance beyond soil erosion: Evidence from Iowa. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 68(2): 99-109. Arbuckle, J. Gordon Jr. 2013. Farmer attitudes toward proactive targeting of agricultural conservation programs. Society & Natural Resources 26:625-641. Arbuckle, J. Gordon Jr. 2013. Clean Water State Revolving Fund Loans and Landowner Investments in Agricultural Best Management Practices in Iowa. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 49(1): 67-75. Arbuckle, J. Gordon Jr., Lois Wright Morton, and Jon Hobbs. 2013. Understanding Farmer Perspectives on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation: The Roles of Trust in Sources of Climate Information, Climate Change Beliefs, and Perceived Risk. Environment and Behavior. doi:10.1177/0013916513503832 Arbuckle, J. Gordon Jr., Patti Cale-Finnegan, and Tony Toigo. 2013. Applied Social Science Research to Improve Water Quality Programming: Participatory Evaluation of Iowas Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program. Water Resources Impact 15(2): 3-5. Arbuckle, J. Gordon Jr., Lois Wright Morton, and Jon Hobbs. 2013. Farmer beliefs and concerns about climate change and attitudes toward adaptation and mitigation: Evidence from Iowa. Climatic Change. 118:551563. DOI 10.1007/s10584-013-0700-0. Arbuckle, J. Gordon Jr., Linda Stalker Prokopy, Tonya Haigh, Jon Hobbs, Tricia Knoot, Cody Knutson, Adam Loy, Amber Saylor Mase, Jean McGuire, Lois Wright Morton, John Tyndall, Melissa Widhalm. 2013. Climate Change Beliefs, Concerns, and Attitudes toward Adaptation and Mitigation among Farmers in the Midwestern United States. Climatic Change Letters. DOI 10.1007/s10584-013-0707-6. Becot, F., Nickerson, V., Conner, D. & Kolodinsky, J. 2012. Costs of Food Safety Certification on Fresh Produce Farms in Vermont. HortTechnology, 22(5). 705-714. Buckley, J., Conner, D., Matts, C. and Hamm, M. Social relationships and farm-to-institution initiatives: complexity and scale in local food systems. Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition (Accepted for publication May 6 2013). Campbell, D., I. Carlisle-Cummins and G. Feenstra. Community food systems: Strengthening the research to practice continuum. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems and Community Development, Vol 3(3). [http://www.agdevjournal.com/volume-3-issue-3/343-community-food-systems.html?catid=133%3Aopen-call-papers]. Clancy, K. 2013. Values-based food supply chains: Program participation and policy challenges. CIAS, University of Wisconsin. Conner, D., Izumi, B., Liquori, T. and Hamm, M. 2012. Sustainable School Food Procurement in Large K-12 Districts: Prospects for Value Chain Partnerships. Agricultural and Resource Economics Review 41 (1): 100113. Conner, D. Institutional Food Service. In P.B. Thompson and D.M. Kaplan (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Agricultural and Food Ethics [in press]. Feenstra, G. and D. Campbell. Local and regional food systems. In P.B. Thompson and D.M. Kaplan (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Agricultural and Food Ethics [in press]. Gwin, L., A. Thiboumery, R. Stillman. 2013. Local Meat and Poultry Processing: the Importance of Business Commitments for Long-Term Viability. Washington, DC: USDA Economic Research Service. Gwin, L. and A. Thiboumery. 2013. Local Meat Processing: Business Strategies and Policy Angles. Vermont Law Review (June). Hardesty, S., G. Feenstra, T. Lerman, D. Visher, D. Thilmany-McFadden, A. Gunter, T. Gilpatrick and G. Nurse. In press- 2014 (should go online any day nowsee OnLine First at http://edq.sagepub.com/. Values-based Supply Chains: Supporting Regional Food and Farms. Economic Development Quarterly. Hinrichs, C. Clare. 2013. Regionalizing food security? Imperatives, intersections and contestations in a post-9/11 world. Journal of Rural Studies 29: 7-18. Hinrichs, Clare and Liz Charles. 2012. Local food systems and networks in the US and the UK: Community development considerations for rural areas. Pp. 156-176 in Rural Transformations and Rural Policies in the UK and US, edited by M. Shucksmith, D. Brown, S. Shortall, J. Vergunst and M. Warner. New York: Routledge. King, Robert P. and G.W Stevenson. 2013. Values-Based Food Supply Chains: Co-op Partners Warehouse. http://www.cias.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/cooppartnersfinal061313.pdf King, Robert P., Larry Lev, and Marcia Ostrom. 2013. Using Values-Based Food Supply Chain Case Studies in University Classes. http://www.cias.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/valuechainunivclassfinal082913.pdf Lev, L.; G.W. Stevenson. 2013. Values-based food supply chains: An introduction to nine case studies. CIAS, University of Wisconsin. Lev, L.; G.W. Stevenson. 2013. Values-based food supply chains: Shepherds Grain. CIAS, University of Wisconsin. Morton, Lois Wright, Jon Hobbs, and J. Gordon Arbuckle Jr. 2013. Shifts in Farmer Uncertainty Over Time About Sustainable Farming Practices and Modern Farmings Reliance on Commercial Fertilizers, Insecticides and Herbicides. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 68(1): 1-12. Ostrom, M; G.W. Stevenson. 2013. Values-based food supply chains: Full Circle. CIAS, University of Wisconsin. Scherr, Rachel, Rachel Cox, Gail Feenstra and Sheri Zidenberg-Cherr. 2013. Integrating local agriculture into nutrition programs can benefit childrens health. California Agriculture Vol 67(1): 30-37. Stevenson, G.W. 2013. Values-based food supply chains: Good Earth Farms. CIAS, University of Wisconsin. Stevenson, G.W. 2013. Values-based food supply chains: Home Grown Wisconsin Co-op. CIAS, University of Wisconsin. Stevenson, G.W. 2013. Values-based food supply chains: Idahos Bounty. CIAS, University of Wisconsin. Stevenson, G.W. 2013. Values-based food supply chains: Organic Valley. CIAS, University of Wisconsin. Stevenson, G.W. 2013. Values-based food supply chains: Red Tomato. CIAS, University of Wisconsin. Stevenson, G.W.; L. Lev. 2013. Values-based food supply chains: Country Natural Beef. CIAS, University of Wisconsin. Stevenson, G.W.; R. Pirog. 2013. Values-based food supply chains: Strategies for agri-food enterprises-of-the-middle. CIAS, University of Wisconsin. Yifat, Tal, Olivia Parry and Sarah Lloyd. "The Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative: building infrastructure for a regional food system". In Alfonso Morales and Julie Dawson, Cities of Farmers: Problems, Possibilities and Processes of Producing Food in Cities. University of Iowa Press, forthcoming. Extension reports Arbuckle, J. Gordon Jr., Paul Lasley, and John Ferrell. 2012. Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll: 2012 Summary Report. Extension Report PM3036. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Extension. (12 pp.) Campbell, D., C. Marshall, G. Feenstra, and R. Galt. 2012. Community food system bibliography, Davis, CA: UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program/Agricultural Sustainability Institute. [http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/sfs/CFSresources]. Lasley, Paul, John Ferrell, and J. Gordon Arbuckle, Jr. 2013. The Role of Farm Families in Local Community Philanthropy. Extension Report PM3049. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Extension. (8 pp.) Values-based food supply chain case study: Co-op Partners Warehouse. 2013. CIAS Research Brief #87. Values-based food supply chain case study: Country Natural Beef. 2013. CIAS Research Brief #79. Values-based food supply chain case study: Full Circle. 2013. CIAS Research Brief #92. Values-based food supply chain case study: Good Earth Farms. 2013. CIAS Research Brief #88. Values-based food supply chain case study: Home Grown Wisconsin. 2013. CIAS Research Brief #69. Values-based food supply chain case study: Idahos Bounty. 2012. CIAS Research Brief #86. Values-based food supply chain case study: Organic Valley. 2013. CIAS Research Brief #80. Values-based food supply chain case study: Shepherds Grain. 2012. CIAS Research Brief #81. Values-based food supply chain case study: Red Tomato. 2013. CIAS Research Brief #82. Working paper Skilton, P., and Z. Wu. Governance Regimes for Protected Geographic Indicators: Impacts on Food Marketing Systems.