Agriculture Commons^™

Promoting Food Security: The Community Food Security Coalition, Elizabeth A. Berman

University Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

This article discusses community food security as a socio-economic issue, and highlights the Community Food Security Coalition (http://www.foodsecurity.org/), a non-profit organization that is “dedicated to building strong, sustainable, local and regional food systems that ensure access to affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food for all people at all times."

Historical Carbon Emissions And Uptake From The Agricultural Frontier Of The Brazilian Amazon, Gillian L. Galford, Jerry M. Melillo, David W. Kicklighter, John F. Mustard, Timothy W. Cronin, Carlos E.P. Cerri, Carlos C. Cerri

Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Tropical ecosystems play a large and complex role in the global carbon cycle. Clearing of natural ecosystems for agriculture leads to large pulses of CO2 to the atmosphere from terrestrial biomass. Concurrently, the remaining intact ecosystems, especially tropical forests, may be sequestering a large amount of carbon from the atmosphere in response to global environmental changes including climate changes and an increase in atmospheric CO2 Here we use an approach that integrates census-based historical land use reconstructions, remote-sensing-based contemporary land use change analyses, and simulation modeling of terrestrial biogeochemistry to estimate the net carbon balance over the period 1901-2006 for …

Spring Wheat Planting Date Report, Heather Darby, Rosalie Madden, Erica Cummings, Hannah Harwood, Amanda Gervais

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

The localvore movement has revived otherwise historical crops in Vermont, including small-scale grain production. As the demand for local organic wheat has risen over the last few years, University of Vermont Extension has developing best agronomic practices for wheat production in a Northeastern climate. In an organic system, weed management can be one of the biggest challenges. One strategy to manage weeds is to modify planting dates. Early planting dates can establish a crop prior to weed flushes while a late planted crop can help avoid some weed species. Planting date can also have an overall impact on both grain …

Cover Crop Planting Date Trial, Heather Darby, Chantel Cline, Erica Cummings, Rosalie Madden, Hannah Harwood

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

When corn silage is harvested, the entire plant is removed, leaving the soil exposed throughout the winter. Many farmers have started planting cover crops following corn harvest because of increased soil health and fertility. The cover crop protects the soil from erosion and adds organic matter, it also scavenges excess soil nitrogen (N), releasing it again after being terminated in the spring. This keeps the nitrogen from potentially being lost through leaching and brings farmers financial benefits as less nitrogen loss means less fertilizer is needed in the spring. Farmers have asked about best methods for growing cover crops to …

Sunflower Seeding Rate X Nitrogen Rate Trial, Heather Darby, Hannah Harwood, Erica Cummings, Rosalie Madden, Susan Monahan, Amanda Gervais

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Because the majority of sunflowers in the United States are grown in the Great Plains, recommendations for plant populations and fertilization rates are limited to this specific region and climate. Due to the temperate climate of the northeast, it is likely that optimal seeding rates and nitrogen (N) rates for sunflower production will differ from the Great Plains. A crop’s N requirements are often linked to population; this study attempts to evaluate the impact of both seeding rates and N rates on sunflower yield and quality.

Forage Brassica Trial, Heather Darby, Hannah Harwood, Rosalie Madden, Erica Cummings, Susan Monahan, Amanda Gervais

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Forage brassicas are a cool season crop and grow best during the late summer and fall months. This creates the opportunity to fill a gap in feed quality during months not optimal for perennial pasture production. Many producers are interested in extending the grazing season into late fall to improve farm viability. Brassica crops are known for their ability to provide a near-concentrate type diet late in the season, decreasing reliance on expensive imported grain for nutrient requirements. In 2011, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Team conducted a forage brassica trial in Alburgh, VT. The objective …

Cost-Effective Conservation: Calculating Biodiversity And Logging Trade-Offs In Southeast Asia, Brendan Fisher, David P. Edwards, Trond H. Larsen, Felicity A. Ansell, Wayne W. Hsu, Carter S. Roberts, David S. Wilcove

Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

The Sundaland Biodiversity Hotspot of Southeast Asia is widely regarded as one of the most imperiled biodiversity hotspots due to high degrees of endemism coupled with extensive logging and forest conversion to oil palm. The large financial returns to these activities have made it difficult to conserve much of the region's lowland primary forest, suggesting a large trade-off between economic interests and biodiversity conservation. Here, we provide an empirical examination of the magnitude of this trade-off in Borneo. By incorporating both financial values and biodiversity responses across logging regimes, we show that selectively logged forests represent a surprisingly low-cost option …

Economic Opportunity In Local Food Systems: Baselines And Targets, David Conner, Ellen Kahler, Linda Berlin, Doug Hoffer

Opportunities for Agriculture Working Paper Series

Numerous studies have measured the economic impact of increased consumption of locally grown foods. As many advocates have set goals for increasing consumption of locally grown foods to a specific percentage, the missing piece of information is, what is the current percentage of locally grown food being consumed in a given city, state or region. To date, no credible set of methods has been used to measure the percentage of food consumption that is locally grown. In this paper, we apply previously developed methods to measure how much food is currently eaten and would be eaten if USDA Dietary Guidelines …

Place-Based Marketing Opportunities For Vermont, Jane Kolodinsky, Abby Smith

Opportunities for Agriculture Working Paper Series

Vermont is widely recognized as a national leader in the place-based marketing of the state’s food products. This has been accomplished through the work of Vermont farmers and producers, and the support and programs of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets and a variety of nonprofit organizations. Together, these groups have been able to take advantage of the connection made by many consumers between Vermont products and the idea of quality. This connection has often enabled Vermont products to command a price premium, both in markets within the state and in other areas of the country.

Preliminary market …

Regional Food Systems Planning: A Case Study From Vermont’S Northeast Kingdom, Christopher Koliba, Erica Campbell, Heather Davis

Opportunities for Agriculture Working Paper Series

The number of food systems plans being developed across the United States and Canada are growing. These plans have been undertaken by states, regions, counties and municipalities and share a common focus on advancing the capacity of the food system. This paper provides an overview of how one rural, three-county region, the Northeast Kingdom (NEK) of Vermont, has undertaken a regional food system planning and assessment process. The project is led by a regional planning commission and economic development corporation, Northeastern Vermont Development Association (NVDA). Working with the region’s leading local food hub organization, the Center for an Agricultural Economy …

Working Towards The Common Table: How Vermont Addresses Social Justice And Food Access With Local Food And Why It Matters, Linda Berlin, Jean Hamilton, Rachel Schattman

Opportunities for Agriculture Working Paper Series

Hunger and food insecurity are growing concerns in the United States and around the world. Consequently, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) designated Global Food Security as one of the five focal areas for the National Institute for Food and Agriculture. Recently, the USDA released a report indicating that 13.6% of Vermonters are food insecure (up from 9.6% in 2004-2006) and 6.2% are hungry (“very low food security”) compared to the national averages of 13.5% food insecure and 5.2% hungry (Nord, Coleman-Jensen, Andrews, & Carlson, 2010). At the same time, farmers in Vermont are struggling. The average net income …

Taste Of Home: Migration, Food And Belonging In A Changing Vermont, Pablo Bose, Alisha Laramee

Opportunities for Agriculture Working Paper Series

In this paper, we look at the question of food and migration in the context of both rural and urban Vermont. In the case of the former, we focus on the situation of foreign-born migrant farm workers on dairy farms and orchards and their search for familiar flavors and ingredients. We examine in particular the food supply chains that bring desired foodstuffs to workers on isolated farms and the paradox of desiring and purchasing the tastes of Latin America and the Caribbean while living and working in the midst of apparent bounty. In the case of urban Vermont we focus …

Alternative Organic Fungicides For Apple Scab Management And Their Non-Target Effects, Morgan L. Cromwell, Lorraine P. Berkett, Heather M. Darby, Takamaru Ashikaga

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

A major challenge in organic apple production in humid production regions is the available fungicide options for apple scab [Venturia inaequalis (Cooke) Wint.] management. The standard sulfur/lime sulfur fungicide program can be injurious to the applicator, the apple ecosystem, and the apple tree itself. The objectives of this study were to compare the efficacy of three potential alternative fungicides [potassium bicarbonate (PB), neem oil (NO), and Bacillus subtilis (Bs)] with a standard organic sulfur/lime sulfur (SLS) fungicide program and a non-treated control (NTC) for management of apple scab and to evaluate potential non-target impacts on pest and beneficial arthropod populations. …

Creating A Community Food System: The Intervale Center (Http://Www.Intervale.Org), Elizabeth A. Berman

University Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Interpreting The Results Of Heavy Metal Soil Tests, Vernon P. Grubinger, Donald Ross

UVM Extension Faculty Publications

Agricultural soils normally contain low background levels of heavy metals. Contamination from industrial activities or byproducts can increase the natural levels of heavy metals in soil, creating a health hazard to people, livestock and plants. Fertilizers and other soil amendments also add small amounts of heavy metals to the soil, which can build up over time with repeated applications. This fact sheet shows the aggregated results of thousands of UVM heavy metal soil tests from across many soil types and management practices on farms and gardens in Vermont, and discusses best management practices for soils with elevated levels of heavy …

Managing Weeds On Organic Vegetable Farms: Case Studies, Vernon P. Grubinger

UVM Extension Faculty Publications

This series of three case studies captures the knowledge and practices of experienced commercial organic vegetable farmers in Connecticut and Vermont. Each case study provides background on the farm operation and their production practices, then describes how mechanical weed cultivation tools and cover crops are used as part of a whole-farm weed management strategy.