Leslie A. Duram

A Geographic Approach to Place and Natural Resource Use in Local Food Systems

This article illuminates the geographic concept of ‘place’ in local foods. Because the social aspects of local food have been more fully addressed in previous literature, this review focuses instead on the ecological aspects of farming and food. First, the literature on natural resource use in agriculture provides contextual understanding of water use, biodiversity, soils and agro-ecological methods. The complex relationship between climate change and agriculture is described and models assessing the impacts of climate change on agriculture are detailed. The geography of local food is specifically addressed by describing methods for assessing natural resource use in local food, including food miles, consumer transportation, scale and community, agricultural methods and diet. Finally, future research paths are suggested to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the environmental impact of local food. Such research would encompass the geography of local food through development of broader, more inclusive strategy, including the concept of the ‘ecological appetite’ of crops and foods, the union of both social and ecological aspects of resource use, the linkages between rural and urban producers and consumers and the inclusion of farmers’ ecological knowledge. Overall, the geography of local food seeks to assess the where of food production and consumption, while incorporating key issues of how (agro-ecological methods benefiting the community) and what (locally appropriate crops).

A Pragmatic Study of Conventional and Alternative Farmers in Colorado

The adoption of alternative agriculture in the form of organic farming and Holistic Resource Management (HRM) ranching is controlled by individual farmer decision making. Drawing on pragmatism, a method of inquiry based on understanding peoples’ experiences, this paper shows how agricultural land–use decisions are based on numerous factors, including sources of information, individual perceptions of agriculture, and attitudes about the environment that are narrowed to a farmer’s practical range of choice. Descriptive statistics identify variations between groups of conventional and alternative farmers, while qualitative analysis details incremental variations among case study farmers. Based on 57 mail survey responses and 11 case study interviews in Colorado, 12 behavioral characteristics are identified that describe composite reactive and proactive farmers. Differences are linked to variations between an internal and external locus of control. Results indicate that there is a spectrum of attitudes and ch...

A Local Example of Land-Use Change: Southern Illinois—1807, 1938, and 1993†

Abstract This article provides an analysis of a wetland site in southern Illinois from presettlement to the present. The study area is part of the Cache River-Cypress Creek Wetland, which has international importance, as recognized by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Land-cover data for 1807, 1938, and 1993 were created and analyzed with a geographic information system (GIS). Land-use change by topographic setting (uplands, transitional, and bottomlands) and soil productivity was quantified and studied. Interviews with local experts informed this analysis. Results illustrate the complexity of environmental change and its driving forces. First, notable forest and swamp acreage was converted to cropland between 1807 and 1938 and, to a lesser degree, from 1938 to 1993. Second, there were land-use variations by topographic region. Between 1807 and 1938, the largest transformation occurred in the uplands, with substantial acreage converted from forest to cropland. Between 1938 and 1993, however, agriculture decreased in the upland areas as hilly areas reverted to forest cover. At the same time, agriculture expanded in the bottomlands as this land was drained for farming. Third, there are interesting patterns within these categories of land-use change, as soil productivity is an indicator of what lands were taken out of cropland and converted back to grassland and forest.

Agricultural Research and Alternative Farmers’ Information Needs

Research on sustainable agriculture is underfunded in the United States. Therefore, the topical relevance and the dissemination of this research must be carefully targeted to reach farmers. This paper investigates the actual linkages between local alternative farmers and the information dissemination efforts of publicly funded researchers who obtained grants from a federal/regional program. This analysis is based on a mail survey of twenty sustainable farmers in the Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Society, fifty farmers in the Illinois Organic Crop Improvement Association, and forty-two researchers who received grant funding from the North Central Region of the USDAs (United States Department of Agriculture) Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (USDA-SARE) program between 1988 and 1996. Appropriate statistical techniques were employed to analyze the relatively small sample sizes. Findings suggest that the local needs of farmers are not being met by the national and regional efforts of USDA-SARE, although sustainable farmers are somewhat more likely than organic farmers to receive publicly funded research information. Based on this survey research, the USDA should reconsider the focus and goals of its commitment to sustainable agricultural research.

Growing a Student Organic Garden within the Context of University Sustainability Initiatives

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the evolution of a student organic garden at a large public university, as an example of student initiatives that promote both university sustainability and student-focused sustainability education on campus. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted quantitative and qualitative analysis to document the evolution of the university’s Local Organic Gardening Initiative of Carbondale (LOGIC), which is the student-initiated and -operated organic garden at Southern Illinois University. Findings – The student organic garden evolved in three stages, each of which had specific goals and accomplishments. Stage I (establishment): students in Geography courses took action to get the garden established; key components included funds from a sustainability scholarship and student-initiated camps Green Fund, dedicated undergraduate students, negotiating campus bureaucracy and motivating broad support. Stage II (evolution): a high tunnel was added to the origina...

Information dissemination in alternative agriculture research: An analysis of researchers in the North Central region

Agricultural research and education significantly influence the direction of U.S. agriculture by improving the practices available to farmers and by decreasing uncertainties associated with adopting new farming practices. Because sustainable agriculture is management-intensive, access to information is particularly important in adopting and implementing sustainable farming practices. Given that relatively little funding is allocated to sustainable agriculture research by the federal government, successful dissemination of these research results is critical. This paper presents an analysis of the dissemination efforts of 42 researchers funded through the USDAs North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. Results show that these SARE researchers purposefully consider the effectiveness of various dissemination methods in reaching targeted audiences and attempt to involve farmers in their dissemination efforts. Overall, researchers note that information dissemination is limited by farmer interest. Additional barriers exist, most notably insufficient resources and institutional biases. In the future, the ways in which information is compiled and made available must be improved, and responsibility for farmer outreach should be better coordinated.

Diverse Experiences in Diversity at the Geography Department Scale

Departments are critical intervention points for enhancing diversity in any academic discipline, yet their experiences related to diversity differ widely. This article explores how several geography departments that vary by region, setting, and institutional type have experienced and promoted diversity. We also explore geography at different types of institutions, particularly minority-serving institutions and land-grant colleges and universities. We conclude that plans for improving the recruitment and retention of diverse students and faculty should make explicit the connection between structural factors, such as institutional contexts, and the agency of geography departments as key actors.

A Framework to Assess State Support of Organic Agriculture

ABSTRACT Support for organic farming varies from state to state, and there have been few attempts to document what types of support currently exists. This research assesses regionally specific and relevant support available to organic farmers at the state level. This exploratory study develops a framework of ten key categories of organic agricultural support: (1) Leadership, (2) policy, (3) research, (4) technical support, (5) financial support, (6) marketing and promotion, (7) education and information, (8) consumer issues, (9) inter-agency activities, and (10) future developments. Data from state departments of agriculture, land grant universities, extension services, and other state-level agencies provide the basis for a numerical assessment of support in each category. State assessments are based on the number of activities, availability of information, and attention from personnel for each of the ten categories. A pilot study of Minnesota and Illinois was conducted to verify the utility of the framework and to explore the variation of support available within a region. This assessment framework is a valuable tool for farmers, researchers, state agencies, and citizen groups seeking to document existing types of organic agricultural support and discover topics that need more attention.

University food gardens: a unifying place for higher education sustainability.

This research describes the key characteristics of campus food gardens and investigates their contribution to overall campus sustainability. An email-survey of 52 campus garden managers in North America provided quantitative and qualitative data for this analysis. It was found that gardens are often student initiated and managed, but also bring together diverse stakeholders from the campus and community. These sites increase sustainability awareness as well as overall institutional sustainability. University food gardens provide formal education that overcomes many institutional barriers to interdisciplinary programs. Informal education also occurs at these sites through experiential learning which leads to greater environmental awareness among garden participants. Campus gardens increase sustainability of institutions by providing local organic food, sustainability education, campus biodiversity, and community-building. Overall, this research indicates that campus food gardens take root for the long-term with strong student participation and institutional support.

A pragmatic assessment of government support for organic agriculture in Ireland

Drawing on a pragmatic approach, this paper provides an analysis of government support for organic farming in Ireland. Varying levels of encouragement and programmes are provided to farmers in their conversion from conventional to organic production, and in their maintenance of organic production. As support policies vary across regions and are linked to European Union legislation, it is challenging to document the many types of support in place. This paper investigates relevant technical, financial, and policy support available to organic farmers in Ireland. As an exploratory study, it develops an assessment of Ireland within eight key categories of organic agricultural support: policy, leadership, technical support, financial support, research, education and information, marketing and promotion, and future outlook. Information and data from the Irish Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (DAFF), the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority (Teagasc), and other government and semi-governmental agencies were utilized to assess the level of support in each category. This assessment provides key findings which will allow policymakers, organizations and citizens to better understand the current situation and set a path for the future development of organic farming in Ireland.