SAES-422 Multistate Research Activity Accomplishments Report
Sections
Status: Approved
Basic Information
- Project No. and Title: NE185 : Commodities, Consumers, and Communities: Local Food Systems in a Globalizing Environment
- Period Covered: 01/01/2000 to 01/01/2001
- Date of Report: 09/11/2001
- Annual Meeting Dates: 08/10/2001 to 08/10/2001
Participants
<u>Project Participan s </u> <ul> <li> Beth Barham, Dept. of Rural Sociology, Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO <li> William Heffernan, Dept. of Rural Sociology, Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO <li> Mary Hendrickson, Univ. of Missouri-Extension, Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO. <li> Leonard Bloomquist, Dept, of Rural Sociology, Kansas State Univ., Manhattan, KS <li> Rachel Hage, Dept. of Rural Sociology, Kansas State Univ., Manhattan, KS <li> Michael Hamm, Dept. of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, NJ <li> Anne Bellows, Dept. of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, NJ <li> Gail Feenstra, UC Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program, Univ. of California, Davis, CA <li> Viviana Carro Figueroa, Dept. of Agricultural Economics & Rural Sociology, Univ. of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, PR <li> Tom Lyson, Dept. of Rural Sociology, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY <li> Jennifer Wilkins, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY <li> Gil Gillespie, Dept. of Rural Sociology /Farming Alternatives Project, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY <li> Clare Hinrichs, Department of Sociology, Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA <li> Raymond Jussaume, Dept. of Rural Sociology, Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA <li> Jack Kloppenburg, Jr., Dept. of Rural Sociology, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI <li> Steve Stevenson, Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI <li> Steve Lilley, Dept. of Sociology & Anthropology, North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC <li> Audrey Maretzki, Dept. of Nutrition, Penn State University, University Park, PA <li> Joan Thomson, Dept. of Agriculture & Extension Education, Penn State University, University Park, PA <li> Helene Murray, Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN <li> Gerard D'Souza, Agriculture & Resource Economics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV <li> Bill lacy, Vice Provost International Programs, Univ. of California, Davis, CA <li> Tim Kramer, Agricultural Research Service, Little Rock, AR <li> Frank Mangan, Dept. of Plant and Soil Sciences, Univ. of Massachusetts, ?????, MA <li> Edith Thomas, Project Advisor, USDA, Washington, D.C. </ul> <u>NGO Participants</u><ul> <li>Carlos Muniz-Perez, INACC project in Barranquitas, Puerto Rico <li>Adela Rosa, Cooperativa Organica Madre Tierra <li>Francisco Figuueroa and Miguel Delgado, APARI, Cidra, Puerto Rico</ul>
Accomplishments
The regional research project, Consumers, Commodities, and Communities: Local Food Systems in a GlobahzingEnvironment (NE-185), has developed and refined an array of protocols for studying the food systems of individual counties or regions in our respective states. The methodologies employ both quantitative and qualitative tools for gathering information about trends in the production, processing, distribution, access, and policy dimensions of the food system. Work has been completed on the selection of common "food system indicators" so that all participating states can gather the same data for comparability. Studies are also analyzing attitudes and relationships among a variety of food system stakeholders. In addition, research is documenting conventidnal and alternative commodity networks, as well as the challenges and opportunities faced by farmers and rural communities. Throughout this project, local non-governmental organizations have been involved in developing the methodologies, identifying key community stakeholders, and gathering data. The involvement of these groups will help ensure that the results of the project will be disseminated widely and that the information will be used. As indicated above, the use of information generated by the project is well underway, impacting issues from food production through food policy setting.
Work Planned for Next Year:
The next year will be the fourth in NE-185‘s initial five years. Focus will be placed on making wide use (across numerous states) of research protocols crafted during the first three years. This is particularly true of the foodshed template developed by California for Objective 3, and the food retail establishment typology and data collection protocol developed by New York for Objective 1. Several states will be applying methodologies like these to three or more counties. Methodologies associated with Objective 2 will be more varied, with a shift in emphasis to analyses of alternative food commodity chains. Project participants and local NGOs will continue to explore and develop outreach strategies at the state level, including an increasing interest in local foodlag festivals. At the project level, plans will be made during the next year for project-wide outreach products. Possibilities include: a joint conference with journalists at the University of Missouri, practical and academic publications, food system curricula for educators, a fully developed web site, and a book summarizing the findings from Objectives 1, 2, and 3.
Work during the fourth year will also focus on applying for a five-year renewal of NE185. Project officers for 2001 include: Steve Lilley (chair), Jennifer Wilkins (vice chair), and Leonard Bloomquist (secretary). The annual meeting for 1002 is projected for October in Davis, California.