Life Sciences Commons^™

From Tap To Table: Consumer Values, Producer Attitudes, And Vermont Maple Syrup In A Dynamic Landscape, Aidan Conor Mccracken

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Harvesting the sap of maple trees [Acer saccharum] for use in the production of syrups and sugars has a storied history stretching back to the pre-Columbian practices of North America’s indigenous peoples. Since its adaptation by European settlers in the late seventeenth century and into the present day, the production of maple syrup has become especially integral to the livelihoods and cultural identities of farmers in Vermont. While oftentimes esteemed as a timeless agrarian tradition, market forces and environmental changes have led maple syrup producers (or sugarmakers) to adopt new production practices that scarcely resemble the taps, buckets, and draft …

Examining Vermont Agricultural Producers’ Willingness To Pay For Extension One-On-One Business Planning Services And Future Programming Considerations, Anthony Kitsos

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

ABSTRACT

Extension agricultural business programs have provided enhanced individualized services to Vermont’s agricultural producers by using a variety of external funding sources combined with base departmental funds. These farm business programs are uniquely positioned to deliver one-on-one outreach education and information that not only has a direct benefit to private farm business owners but indirectly serves the public good by enhancing farm business viability. Meanwhile, there is an ongoing cultural shift among Extension professionals and farm owners who acknowledge that Extension programs cannot be sustained at low or no cost to participants. Funding for Extension programming has been declining for …

Organic Dairy Profitability In Vermont: Measuring The Impacts Of Management And Market Forces On Farm Financial Performance, Jonathan Patrick Walsh

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

The total number of operating dairy farms in the US has decreased by 74.1% over the past 25 years, dropping from 155,339 in 1992 to just 40,219 in 2017. As milk prices have fallen and become more volatile, profit margins have tightened, causing farmers to leave the business due to low profitability. Some Vermont farmers are currently looking for new economic strategies. One approach has been to transition from conventional to organic production in order to take advantage of better prices and new market opportunities. In order to make production decisions, farmers need accurate financial information on the costs and …

Consumer Support For Renewable Energy Systems: A Case Study Of Community Biodigesters In Vermont, Katelynn Maria Conedera

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

From the steady rise in dairy farm closures to concerns over algae blooms in Lake Champlain, Vermont’s dairy industry is facing a multitude of challenges. While many potential solutions have been proposed, this study focuses specifically on community anaerobic digester systems (CADS) to aid in manure management, help to mitigate runoff, produce renew energy, and even provide an alternative revenue source to participating farms. CADS technology converts the gas emissions from manure and other organic substances into biogas through a process called anaerobic digestion. Unlike traditional on-farm biodigesters, which are often only financially viable for the largest dairy farms, CADS …

Choices And Preferences Of Vermont Master Gardeners - Do Socio-Demographics Matter?, Grace Matiru

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to characterize the choices, preferences and motivations of fruit and vegetable gardeners in Vermont, and to determine whether socio-demographic characteristics affect some of these choices, preferences and motivations. Using a survey of Vermont Extension Master Gardeners (EMGs), data were gathered over a 3-year period (2011-2013). The findings show most EMGs (>90%) garden in private home gardens, and the most popular vegetables grown were tomatoes, herbs, and salad greens. Beans, cucumbers and peppers sere also popular and among fruits, blueberries, apples, raspberries and strawberries were grown by over 40% of EMGs. Approximately 10% of EMG …

Examining Two Green Payment Options To Support Dairy Farm Viability In Northern New England: Anaerobic Digestion And Organic Production, Deborah Ann Krug

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

This thesis explores the details and profitability of two distinct operational strategies utilized by dairy operations as alternatives to expanding milk production. It features farms that have either transitioned to organic production or installed a farm-scale anaerobic digester, motivated in part by the opportunity for market specialization or income diversification to increase the viability of their dairy farm businesses.

The first analysis examines the demographics and production characteristics impacting the profitability of organic dairy farmers in Vermont and Maine. This provides policymakers, educators, lenders, and suppliers with a profile of this sector that accounts for 23% of dairy farms in …

Farmer Adoption Of Best Management Practices Using Incentivized Conservation Programs, Jennifer Christine Miller

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Many farms in the United States impose negative externalities on society. Population growth and the accompanying increase in demand for food further promote this trend of environmental degradation as a by-product of food production. The USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides financial assistance to farmers who wish to address natural resource concerns by making structural improvements or implementing best management practices (BMPs) on their farms. Regional examinations of program implementation and incentive levels are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of EQIP at both the farm and environmental level. This research addresses this need in the following two ways. First, …

Diversification Activities Of Vermont Dairy Farmers: A Study Of Raw Milk And Local Beef Processing In The State., Ryan Leamy

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

The vast majority of earned agricultural dollars in Vermont come from the dairy industry, but with volatility in the market in recent years, including rising costs of feed and the fluctuating price of milk, state officials have begun to recommend diversification of farm activities to instill resiliency into the system. The research presented in this thesis explores two avenues for diversification, farm-to-consumer sales of raw milk and local beef production.

The second chapter utilizes diffusion theory to understand the prevalence of raw milk consumption in Vermont, develop a profile of the raw milk consumer, document the motivations of raw milk …