Agricultural and Resource Economics Commons^™

Case Studies To Examine Farmer Perceptions And Implementations Of Buffer Capacity In Southeastern Ontario, Bryan Collins

Journal of Applied Farm Economics

Buffer capacity measures the ability of a system to maintain its original function when confronted with outside stresses and is often considered to be a key component of resilience. Farmers in southeastern Ontario are facing several threats such as seasonal drought and volatile markets, prompting necessary responses on how to effectively manage their farms. This research study used an exploratory grounded theory approach to inquire how farmers seek to enhance buffer capacity on their farm by asking (1) what short-term threats their farm faces and (2) what strategies they are employing to navigate those threats. Ten farms in the Inverary …

Comprehensive Assessment Instruments For Place-Based Sustainable Agriculture: A Scoping Review, Rebecca Voisin, Stephanie Godrich, David Blake, Ros Sambell, Saranne Herrington, Janine Joyce, Pierre Horwitz, Amanda Devine

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

A rapid transformation to sustainable agricultural production systems is necessary, requiring on-farm monitoring and measurements of key agricultural sustainability indicators. While many assessment methods for agricultural sustainability incorporate a three-pillar model of sustainability: environment, economic, and social, a step beyond this is required to support both human and planetary health. This review takes the position that a more nuanced, yet broader framing of agricultural sustainability is warranted, and identifies the measurement of additional pillars including health and nutrition, production, and responsible governance, plus overlooked aspects including Indigenous cultures. A peer-reviewed and grey literature search was conducted identifying articles (n = …

Views On Biosecurity And Food Security As We Work Toward Reconciling An Approach That Addresses Two Global Problems For A Sustainable Outcome, Marnie L. Campbell, Chad L. Hewitt, Chi T.U. Le

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The interrelationships between food security and biosecurity are crucial but often overlooked. Biosecurity acts as a safeguard for food security, yet efforts to achieve food security can increase pressures on biosecurity. Decisions prioritizing one over the other involve both short- and long-term trade-offs. Recognizing the connections between global issues is essential for a balanced approach to ensure sustainable outcomes. Considering that, we aimed to identify knowledge gaps, key considerations, and demographic patterns in experts’ views on food security and biosecurity using an online survey with 162 international experts, including researchers, decision-makers, and journal editors from 23 countries. Our results reveal …

Sustainable Rural Development: Is It Possible To Boost Rural Economies While Protecting The Environment?, Jack M. Hempleman

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

Amidst rapid depletion of our carbon budget, the need to change our practices to be more in line with Earth’s limits has become important in every sector of our economy. From advances in renewable energy generation to the growth of urban gardening, people around the world are taking action to change the way they interact with our planet. However, growing concerns have been raised that protections for the environment will disproportionately harm struggling communities. For instance, rural communities in the United States already exhibit disproportionately high poverty rates, income inequality, and unemployment, as well as lower quality healthcare and public …

Egyptian Women’S Agriculture Contribution; Assessment Of The Gender Gap For Sustainable Development, Noha El Khorazaty

Theses and Dissertations

Women’s contribution to the agriculture sector in developing countries is undeniable, yet they do not have equal access to the resources and opportunities they need to be more productive. Sustainable development entails inclusive and effective management of natural resources, this entails gender equity in agriculture. Bridging the gender gap in agriculture far exceeds the benefits of the individual. According to the latest estimates bridging the yield gap in agricultural productivity could possibly decrease the numbers of undernourished people in the world by around 100 – 140 million people. Sustainable agriculture development and gender equity necessitate policy interventions targeting the gender …

Assessment Of The Growth In Social Groups For Sustainable Agriculture And Land Management, Pretty Jules, Simon Attwood, Richard Bawden, Henk Van Den Berg, Zareen P. Bharucha, Jacob I. Ricks

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

For agriculture and land management to improve natural capital over whole landscapes, social cooperation has long been required. The political economy of the later twentieth and early twenty-first centuries prioritized unfettered individual action over the collective, and many rural institutions were harmed or destroyed. Since then, a wide range of social movements, networks and federations have emerged to support transitions towards sustainability and equity. Here, we focus on social capital manifested as intentionally formed collaborative groups within specific geographic territories. These groups focus on: (1) integrated pest management; (2) forests; (3) land; (4) water; (5) pastures; (6) support services; (7) …

Intercropping For Water Conservation: Environmental And Economic Implications Of A Sustainable Farming Practice In California's Central Valley, Sophie Baker

Scripps Senior Theses

California’s agricultural sector is the biggest water consumer in the state and faces intense pressure to reduce its overall water usage. Industrialized monoculture systems dominate the industry and often disregard long-term environmental and economic externalities for short-term profit maximization. To maintain longstanding food security and economic stability as well as protect the state’s water supply, it is critical that these systems transition to more sustainable and resilient production mechanisms. As an alternative to monoculture, intercropping affords greater potential to conserve water, protect soil quality, and increase crop yields, among other metrics of sustainability. However, there has been much controversy over …

Climate Change, Agriculture, And Adaptations: Policy Recommendations For Conservation Agriculture, Sydney Abraham, Mel Dollison

Climate and Society

This paper examines the intersection of climate change and agriculture with a focus on possibilities for sustainable agriculture in a warmer world. The authors consider the impacts (both positive and detrimental) of climate change on food production systems before engaging with a variety of adaptive strategies including crop diversification, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and conservation agriculture (CA). These strategies are then applied within the context of sub-Saharan agricultural policy. Ultimately, the authors suggest that policymakers should support rural agriculture by prioritizing conservation agriculture as a critical piece of both mitigation and adaptation policy.

Community Supported Agriculture At Indian Creek Nature Center's Sugar Grove Farm: Sustainable Farming For Iowa, Erin Anzalone

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Agriculture is the largest revenue source for the state of Iowa and the state’s two priority crops are corn and soybeans. Farming practices that emphasize monoculture production of these crops can reduce biological diversity and habitat for all-important pollinators, and exacerbate runoff and erosion that sends nutrient-rich soil, herbicides, and pesticides into streams and rivers. The industrial agriculture model is lucrative now, but unsustainable for Iowa over the long run. Sugar Grove Farm, a subset of Indian Creek Nature Center (ICNC), plans to grow a variety of food crops on a large-scale, economically sustainable farm, and support low-income households in …

Net Zero Energy Dairy Production: Powering Minnesota Dairy Farms With Renewable Energy, Mckenzie Dice

Honors Capstone Projects

The goal of this project was to determine if the West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC) dairy production could achieve a net zero energy status, meaning that the dairy operation uses as much as energy on-site as the amount of energy that is produced on-site for the dairy operation. There are several ways to accomplish this goal, principally through energy conservation, by means of installing more energy efficient technologies, as well as the installation of on-site renewable energy. At the WCROC dairy, a new utility room has been installed to introduce energy efficient technologies to the dairy operation, as …

From Farm To Fork, Sarah Morath

University of Akron Press Publications

Interest in the food we eat and how it is produced, distributed, and consumed has grown tremendously in the last few years. Consumers are exchanging highly processed, genetically engineered, chemical-laden, and pesticide-contaminated food often associated with big agribusinesses for fresh produce grown using organic methods. The growth of farmers markets from 1,755 in 1994 to more than 8,200 in 2014, in both urban and rural areas, is just one indication that consumers are interested in knowing who produced their food and how the food was produced.

This book addresses the importance of creating food systems that are sustainable by bringing …

The Dispute Over Seeds: Indigenous And Peasant Struggles For Food Sovereignty In Chiapas, Mexico., Carol Hernandez-Rodriguez

Student Research Symposium

This research project explores the implications of these developments for indigenous and peasant communities in Chiapas, Mexico, whose food sovereignty depends on the conservation and reproduction of native seeds.

The research project focuses on the following questions:

1. How do neoliberal policies in the agrarian system impact the food sovereignty of indigenous and peasant communities in the Global South?

2. How are indigenous and peasant communities in Chiapas contesting neoliberal policies and strengthening their food sovereignty?

Monhegan: A Prescription For Resilience, Kenneth Paul Kiel Gross

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

Monhegan, like many island communities, is threatened by the loss of population as its young adults migrate to the mainland. The purpose of this study is to develop a resilient population on Monhegan Island.

Knowing the problem is easy, as is asking the obvious question, “How do we get people to move to this area?” This is a problem that confronts not only Monhegan, but also other Maine islands and even Maine itself.

Several factors make Monhegan’s future uncertain. The first is the gradual shift from commercial fishing, the mainstay of its economy, as it becomes more reliant on tourism …

Food Policy: Urban Farming As A Supplemental Food Source, Bessie Didomenica, Mark Gordon

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

Food policy has a unique role for public, nonprofit, private, and academic stakeholders. Growing food in the city is a challenge worldwide. Food systems can be destroyed by external (weather extremes) and internal (zoning regulations) forces. This study explores urban farms as a secondary food source and their common themes across four sectors. A Northeastern U.S. city was the case study to examine how it implemented its formal urban agriculture program. The positive social change implications of urban farms include greater food visibility and food access in low-income areas and more consumer awareness about growing fresh food. This study contributes …

Economic Feasibility Of Aquaponics In Arkansas, Leah Ashley English

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Concerns regarding population growth and resource scarcity have led to a recent renaissance of food production research. Over the past few decades, scientists have discovered new and innovative methods for growing food that, cumulatively, may hold the key to efficiently and sustainably feeding an ever-increasing world population. One method, known as aquaponics, has shown promise as being a sustainable solution for producing food locally in all parts of the world. Although many studies have shown aquaponic food production to be technically feasible, there are relatively few studies concerning the economic feasibility of aquaponics in various regions. To determine whether aquaponics …

Fishing For A Sustainable Future: Aquaponics As A Method Of Food Production, Richard Ramsundar

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis compares and explains the advantages aquaponics farming has over modern industrial intensive farming. Through a comparison natural capital usage, conservation, recycling and cost, the thesis advocates for the expansion of aquaponics usage in urban settings. The thesis also explains the history of intensive farming and aquaponics in America, the science of how aquaponics operates, the economic and environmental costs of modern intensive farming versus aquaponics farming, and the social implications of aquaponics. Lastly, I propose a policy that reallocates farm subsidies by modifying the Farm Bill. Then I propose policies that support creating a new standard of farm …

Presentations And Posters From The 2015 Research That Matters Sustainable Food Conference: People, Policy, & Practice, Various Authors

Food and Gardening Working Group

The University of South Florida Sustainable Food Conference: People, Policy, & Practice brought together food researchers from USF and the larger Tampa Bay community to share ideas and findings that will pave the path toward more sustainable and resilient communities. It featured research papers and presentations from all disciplines and methodologies addressing issues concerning food production, distribution, retail, and/or consumption.

The Native American Organic Garden: Using Service Learning As A Site Of Resistance To The Boarding School Tradition, Donna Chollett

Anthropology Publications

As educators, we owe it to our students to enable them to transgress structural impediments and to create sustainable alternatives from the margins of the industrial agro-food system. Policies of assimilation, allotment, and enclosure of the Native American commons and ecosystems brought devastation to Native cultures. Dependence on government commodities replaced Native food sovereignty and contributed to malnutrition, obesity, and diabetes as diets responded to corporately produced and processed foods. Young people often feel disempowered and ask how they might confront such formidable forces as corporate control of our agro-food system, destruction of natural resources, and threats to human health. …

Sustainable Production Of Swine: Putting Lipstick On A Pig?, Michelle B. Nowlin

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The New England Food System In 2060: Envisioning Tomorrow's Policy Through Today's Assessments, Margaret Sova Mccabe, Joanne Burke

Law Faculty Scholarship

This Essay analyzes how the New England states' planning processes are envisioning revitalized local, state, and regional food systems. This Essay has five parts. First, it begins with examining compelling reasons for promoting more sustainable food systems based on national and global trends, and identifies strategies for promoting regional food systems approaches with a brief introduction to the major influences on the national and New England food system. Second, it describes the states' planning efforts and their enabling legislation or source of authority.

The Essay then introduces the New England Food Vision 2060 (the Vision) an emerging discussion of food …

Genetically Engineering Crops For A Sustainable Agriculture, David E. Ervin, Rick Welsh

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The article examines the role of genetically engineered (GE) crops in fostering a more sustainable agriculture. An overview of the National Academy of Sciences metal study of the impacts of GE crops on farm sustainability in the U.S. is given. The two types of GE crops are discussed, one which produces its own insecticide called insect resistant (IR) crops and the other is engineered to resist particular herbicides. An explanation for sustainable agriculture is also presented.

What Drives Academic Bioscientists: Money Or Values?, David E. Ervin, Sharmistha Nag, Hui Yang, Steven T. Buccola

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The article determines the factors that drive academic bioscience to better understand the role of genetically engineered (GE) crops in the sustainability of U.S. agriculture. Some challenges brought about by GE crops in the U.S. farm sustainability include tracking and controlling water pollution, protecting against herbicide resistance and nitrogen fixation. Professional norms are also considered as a great factor driving the academic bioscience.

Planting Prosperity And Harvesting Health: Trade-Offs And Sustainability In The Oregon-Washington Regional Food System, Sheila A. Martin, Tia Henderson, Meg Merrick, Elizabeth Mylott, Kelly Haines, Colin Price, Amy Koski, Rebecca Dann

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

This assessment reveals food system sustainability trends in Oregon and Washington, focusing specifically on the producers in both states and the consumers in the Portland- Vancouver region. We began the assessment by asking a group of food system stakeholders from Oregon and Washington to define broadly supported goals for a sustainable food system. They also helped us identify the data necessary to understand trends in the food system. This information can be used in the future to establish benchmarks and to assess future progress toward food system sustainability goals. Framed by stakeholder concerns, this report will assist program and policy …

The Interface Of Agricultural Land Leasing, Conservation, And Value Sets: An Analysis, John Cole, Larry Janssen, Bruce Johnson

Economics Staff Paper Series (1969 - 2017)

This paper explores the hypothesis that tenants do not farm leased land with the same management integrity as their owned property. It assesses today's agricultural land leasing practices in the context of sustainable resource management, specifically addressing the influences of human attitudes and value sets.

University-Industry Relationships: Framing The Issues For Academic Research In Agricultural Biotechnology, David E. Ervin, Terri Lomax, Steven T. Buccola, Kristen Kim, Elizabeth Minor, Hui Yang, Leland L. Glenna, Elizabeth Jaeger, Dina Biscotti, Walter J. Armbruster, Kate Clancy, William B. Lacy, Rick Welsh, Yin Xia

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

More must be done to understand how academic researchers involved in agricultural biotechnology are impacted by a growing number of relationships with industry partners, concluded a new report released today by the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology (the Pew Initiative) and Portland State University. The report, University-Industry Relationships: Framing the Issues for Academic Research in Agricultural Biotechnology looks at the advantages and disadvantages to universities and academic scientists who engage in relationships with industry. It specifically outlines the need for information regarding influences on academic scientists' research agendas, the intellectual property rights and technology innovations involved in the relationships, …

Transgenic Crops And The Environment: Missing Markets And Public Roles, David E. Ervin, Sandra S. Batie

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The rapidity of change has left scant opportunity for investigation of the consequences of adoption of transgenic crops on long-term ecosystem or economic system functioning. Economic theory suggests that, if the "Biotechnology Revolution" is left to market forces alone, there will be neglected public goods. Theory and limited empirical evidence suggests that there are significant incentives for private firms to discount and neglect certain environmental impacts and to develop products that meet mainly the needs of those able and willing to pay. Negative distributional impacts on rural societies and economies will not normally enter the private calculus nor will the …

Private Agro-Environmental Management: Green Business Rising, David E. Ervin, Frank Casey

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article focuses on the role of business environmental management (BEM) in the food industry. Types of BEM; Benefits of implementing the practice; Importance of giving producers flexibility; How private strategies and ventures may succeed. This article is adapted from a keynote address prepared for Challenging the Agricultural Economics Paradigm, a symposium honoring Luther G. Tweeten, Anderson Professor of Agricultural Marketing, Trade and Policy, September 10-11, 2000, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.

Transgenic Crops: An Environmental Assessment, David E. Ervin, Sandra S. Batie, Rick Welsh, Chantal L. Carpentier, Jacqueline I. Fern, Nessa J. Richman, Mary A. Schulz

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The report focuses on the environmental impacts of transgenic crops, and covers biosafety regulations in the US and EU, intellectual property rights, and market and trade developments.

Organic Versus Sustainable Fed Cattle Production: A South Dakota Case Study, Donald Taylor, Dillion Feuz, Ming Guan

Economics Staff Paper Series (1969 - 2017)

This is an exploratory study of "organic11 versus "sustainable" agriculture applied to fed cattle production. Two interrelated premises underlie the study. The paramount factors considered in current certification standards for organic beef production, in our judgment, are (1) protection of animal health and welfare and (2) production of a differentiated product intended to be conducive to consumer health and which, therefore, will command a price premium in the market. Second, we believe the concept of sustainability embraces concerns extending beyond those currently embodied in organic production standards. The theme of organic versus sustainable fed cattle production is examined through development …

Asean-4: Agricultural Diversification In The 1990s, Donald Taylor

Economics Staff Paper Series (1969 - 2017)

Agricultural "diversification" is a prominent theme in ASEAN-4 (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand) today. Since formulation of Indonesia's First 5-Year Development Plan in 1969, the four primary concepts guiding the country's development have been intensification, extensification, rehabilitation, and diversification. In the Fifth Plan (1989-94), diversification was shifted up to top priority (Kasryno, et al., 1992, 1; Saroso, 1991, 184). Malaysia's policies for export diversification have resulted in the value added from tin and rubber relative to the total value of primary exports decreasing from 63% in 1970 to 15% in 1990 (Yaacob, 1992, 4). Within agriculture, Malaysia has adopted policies …