from the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
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JAFSCD is the world’s only community-supported journal. JAFSCD content is open access (free) thanks to the generous support of our shareholders: the JAFSCD Shareholder Consortium, Library Shareholders, a growing number of Individual Shareholders, and our six JAFSCD Partners: |
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JAFSCD peer-reviewed article by Serge Wiltshire Brian Beckage, Chris Callahan, Lisa Chase,David Conner, Heather Darby, Jane Kolodinsky, Jana Kraft, Deborah A. Neher, WalterPoleman, Taylor H. Ricketts, Daniel Tobin, Eric J.B. von Wettberg, and Meredith T. Niles (all at the U of Vermont)
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Measuring sustainability in food systems is complex. While both the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the U.S. farm bill have made attempts at a high level to define food systems sustainability, a gap remains in the literature for regional food systems.
In a new JAFSCD article, Regional food system sustainability: Using team science to develop an indicator-based assessment framework, researchers at the University of Vermont (UVM) describe how they undertook a process and funding approach to begin developing a framework to measure and track sustainability that integrates components across food systems at a regional scale. Using a transdisciplinary team science approach, they focused on framework development and conceptualization, ensuring that diverse perspectives were captured. The article shares the significant progress made in refining the framework, moving closer to operationalizing the assessment tool.
Their research was the basis for the now ongoing UVM Food Systems Research Center’s (FSRC) Sustainability Metrics project, a three-year, transdisciplinary collaborative initiative to assess how to measure sustainable food systems in the U.S. Northeast. The project includes five teams of researchers focusing on consumer-facing agriculture, farmer social values and decision-making, soil health, maple syrup production, and plant-based proteins.
FSRC Director Polly Ericksen says, “No single discipline can work on all aspects of food systems by themselves. Looking at food systems as a complex interconnected entities helps people to find more solutions, but also requires that they work across disciplinary boundaries.” RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OTHER TEAM SCIENTISTS
Allow time for collaborative reflection and consensus formation among diverse teams. Organize teams to work across topics, scales, and methods to reach a more integrated framework. Engage in long-term funding structures (e.g., multiyear grants) to support evolving project phases.
Build flexibility into the framework to accommodate different scales and complexities (e.g., local vs. regional food systems).
Develop a core set of indicators with supplementary, context-specific modules for various systems (e.g., cropping vs. animal systems).
Create an online portal that includes public, private, and academic datasets, integrating both qualitative and quantitative data. Normalize data into a standardized scale where possible.
Reflect on whether sustainability goals should be normative or descriptive (i.e., value-based or purely factual). Consider cross-cutting links between indicators, recognizing interdependencies.
Explore the concept of community embeddedness to better understand the social processes underpinning sustainability outcomes.
SHARE ON YOUR SOCIALS
How do we measure sustainability in food systems? Researchers at the University of Vermont (UVM) are addressing this complex challenge by developing a framework to track sustainability across regional food systems. Their new article in @JAFSCD outlines the progress they've made, using a transdisciplinary team science approach to ensure diverse perspectives are integrated.
This work contributes to the UVM Food Systems Research Center's (FSRC) Sustainability Metrics project, which focuses on areas like soil health, farmer decision-making, and plant-based proteins. @uvmvermont #Sustainability #FoodSystems #UVMResearch
Learn more about their efforts to shape the future of sustainable food systems—read the @JAFSCD article for free: https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2024.141.011
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| The Department of Agricultural Economics, Rural Sociology, and Education (AESE) Extension Program Specialist |
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The Department of Agricultural Economics, Rural Sociology, and Education (AESE) at The Pennsylvania State University is seeking candidates for an Extension Program Specialist who will conduct Extension programs, develop enterprise budgets, and create and update publications for the Penn State “Ag Alternative” series. The role includes supporting research projects and offering expert advice on risk management. The candidate will effectively build solid connections with stakeholders and their organizations. This position requires a master’s degree plus three years of relevant experience or equivalent work experience.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS OR TO APPLY |
POSITION OPENING FROM A JAFSCD SHAREHOLDER |
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The successful candidate will develop and lead externally funded research and extension programs that support and strengthen the viability of the New Jersey agricultural sector and individual farms. Through active engagement with the agricultural community, the Specialist will identify existing and emerging opportunities and needs, conduct applied research to assess what technical assistance and policies would help farmers take advantage of these opportunities, and provide educational outreach in the agricultural community across different scales of operation, commodities, and production systems.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS OR TO APPLY |
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