from the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
|
|
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: |
|
|
JAFSCD SPECIAL SECTION OF PAPERS |
|
|
| Special section sponsored by the Thomas A. Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems |
|
|
JAFSCD has begun publishing a special set of papers in response to the call for papers on community-based circular food systems (C-B CFSs) — local and regional food systems that emphasize a community’s health and well-being while minimizing waste and protecting shared natural resources. From North America to Ireland and Pakistan, accepted papers and commentaries range from human, household, and community-level waste recycling to efforts to create circular food systems through community farming and value chains. Over the next few weeks, the News Flash share out the published articles, starting with the first one (below).
As argued recently by van Zanten et al. (2023), any meaningful progress toward the wide range of UN Sustainable Development Goals requires a transformative change in the food system, including in production, processing, distribution, retailing, consumption, and the utilization of waste, while promoting human and planetary well-being.
van Zanten, H. H. E., Simon, W., van Selm, B., Wacker, J., Maindl, T. I., Frehner, A., Hijbeek, R., van Ittersum, M. K., & Herrero, M. (2023). Circularity in Europe strengthens the sustainability of the global food system. Nature Food, 4, 320–330. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-023-00734-9
|
|
|
JAFSCD article by Catherine Campbell (U of Florida), Cody Gusto (U of Florida), Kathleen Kelsey (U of Florida), Helen Haase (U of Florida & University of Applied Sciences Hamburg), Nevin Cohen (CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy), Kai Robertson (Washington, DC), Gregory A. Kiker (U of Florida), and Ziynet Boz (U of Florida)
A new study utilizing citizen science sheds light on the critical issue of household food waste, revealing the impact of community composting programs on individual behaviors and attitudes. Researchers found that participants in a Florida-based community composting program not only diverted substantial amounts of food waste from landfills but also experienced increased awareness and positive behavioral changes regarding food waste reduction.
The study, which engaged community members in data collection, aimed to understand the volume and nature of household food waste, the primary reasons for its generation, and the impact of a community composting program on participants' lives. Researchers also explored participants' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about food waste and sustainable practices.
“Our findings underscore the power of citizen science in addressing complex environmental challenges,” said Catherine Campbell, lead author of the study. “By engaging community members directly, we gained valuable insights into the realities of household food waste and the effectiveness of community-based solutions.” The article is entitled Household food waste behaviors of participants in a municipal community compost program.
The study revealed that participants held positive attitudes towards reducing food waste, and that the community composting program increased their awareness, reduced their waste generation, and fostered a deeper appreciation for community-based circular food systems (CB-CFSs). Corresponding author Campbell can be contacted at cgcampbell@ufl.edu.
KEY FINDINGS Community composting programs offer an effective solution for diverting household food waste from landfills. Citizen scientists’ daily weighing of food waste identified weekly food waste quantities were higher than previous EPA household waste estimates. Participants had positive attitudes about reducing food waste, but they felt that they had limited ability as an individual to make change.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY AND PRACTICE - Communities could benefit from offering financial incentives, grants, and technical assistance to establish and expand community-based composting initiatives.
-
To develop effective community composting programs, stakeholders should conduct feasibility assessments to ensure that programs are tailored to community needs.
- Education and outreach to community compost program participants and community members more broadly can facilitate greater awareness of food waste and support waste reduction efforts.
SHARE ON YOUR SOCIALS
Ever wondered about the impact of your household food waste? Curious about composting? Check out our latest @JAFSCD article highlighting citizen science, household food waste, and the impact on community composting. #foodwaste #citizenscience #composting Read it for free: https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2025.142.002
Photo above: Citizen science data collection materials as delivered to participants. Photo Credit: Catherine Campbell.
|
|
|
JAFSCD is benefiting greatly from a group of dedicated volunteer copyeditors. In this new rotating section, we honor the folks who are sharing their time and expertise with JAFSCD and our authors. |
|
|
|
"Volunteering as a reviewer and copyeditor for JAFSCD has given me the opportunity to support researchers across the nation and world in sharing relevant, transformative work that addresses critical challenges in our food systems. ready for your content." |
Sara González, PhD, is the Outreach Programs Administrator, Food Systems, with the Hunger Solutions Institute in the College of Human Sciences, Auburn University (USA). She has been helping out JAFSCD as a volunteer copyeditor since September 2024.
|
|
|
JAFSCD SHAREHOLDER SECTION |
|
|
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 |
|
|
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 |
|
|
SEEKING NEW JAFSCD PARTNERS
|
|
|
JAFSCD would appreciate your assistance in finding one or more new JAFSCD Partners to support its transformative work — emphasizing accessibility, equity, and engagement, and progressive editorial policies such as triple-rigor* and positionality or reflexivity statements. Other JAFSCD efforts include our Food Policy and Practice Briefs program, Voices of the Grassroots essays, author mentorship programs, and the Indigenous Food Sovereignty Editorial Circle and its new quarterly column. The additional income from additional partners (@ US$10,000 annually) would support these efforts and allow us to bring a new editor-in-chief on board. This is an advantageous time, as we are preparing to migrate JAFSCD to a new peer-review and publishing platform (Scholastica).
We would like additional JAFSCD Partners to join our current prominent partners:
- Food Systems Research Center at The University of Vermont
- Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University's Institute for Sustainable Food Systems
-
The Inter-institutional Network for Food, Agriculture and Sustainability (INFAS)
- Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) & the University of North Carolina Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (in a joint partnership)
We’d like to recruit a partner in the Midwest or West Coast of the U.S., as well as one outside of North America. Moreover, we would like to add a national or international nonprofit organization, especially one that represents the interests of less privileged voices.
Please contact Duncan Hilchey if you are engaged with an organization that might be interested in becoming an ongoing JAFSCD Partner. He can provide additional information to share with colleagues or you can share this info sheet.
JAFSCD has great potential to contribute to a better world, and having a talented editor-in-chief is a key to unleashing it. Please help us find one or two new JAFSCD Partners to make this happen.
* Credit for the triple-rigor concept goes to the late Christine Porter of the University of Wyoming; see her 10-minute presentation here.
|
|
|
This email is sent to you as a notification of the newest JAFSCD articles and other occasional JAFSCD news. |
|
JAFSCD is an open access, community-supported journal! Your library, program, or organization can become a shareholder to help keep JAFSCD's content available to all, regardless of their resources. We welcome anyone to become an individual shareholder; donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
|
|
|
|
