Seeds of Resilience: Learning from COVID-19 to Strengthen Seed Systems in Vermont

Seeds are central to crop-based production systems, yet in the United States seeds have been largely overlooked in both research and local and regional food systems initiatives. This report seeks to address the gap in seed-related research by assessing current strengths and vulnerabilities of Vermont’s seed systems. In particular, the findings presented in this report illuminate how seed systems can maintain function in the face of external shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and how we can apply the lessons learned toward building resilience for an uncertain future due to factors such as climate change. Despite the turmoil caused by the pandemic, the last several years have provided a unique opportunity to identify strategies to strengthen Vermont’s seed systems. The data presented and discussed in this report build on existing research and showcase a myriad of seed-related efforts in Vermont. We use an interdisciplinary approach to study the supply and demand for seed among farmers and gardeners in Vermont during the COVID-19 pandemic. To contextualize our report, we begin with a brief summary of findings taken from the 2020 and 2021 Vermonter Polls regarding seed system trends. Data from these surveys, conducted by the UVM Center for Rural Studies, were collected in February-March 2020 (before and during the onset of the pandemic in Vermont) and February- March 2021 (nearly a year into the pandemic). We then present the findings from two online surveys of commercial farmers (n=73) and non-commercial seed growers (n=75) in Vermont, which include a specific focus on five commonly grown crops in Vermont: garlic, tomatoes, squash, lettuce, and potatoes. In the future, this work can guide collaborative and participatory responses to seed system vulnerabilities exposed by the COVID-19 crisis

COVID-19 Crisis Catalyzed Disruptions in the Thai Seafood Supply Chain

This research studied the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Thai Seafood Supply Chain (ThaiSSC) and the responses taken by the supply chain from the beginning of the pandemic through the first quarter of 2022. Twenty-four semi-structured 1-to-1 in-depth interviews with veterans and leaders of the Thai seafood industry (farmers, processors, seafood brokers, importers, exporters, government officials and distributors) revealed the overall negative impact of the pandemic due to drastic changes in peoples’ livelihoods, and laws and regulations. Nevertheless, ThaiSSC maintained its overall structure, due to the transformations of many actors in the chain. Prompatanapak and Lopetcharat (2020) reported the transformation resembled to this findings. Hence, the COVID-19 pandemic was a catalyst in accelerating these transformations from several years to a few months. This demonstrates the resiliency of the ThaiSSC, even though, about 30% of its connections disappeared due to the diminished influences of several stakeholders. Pre-processors and sourcing agents emerged as important new actors in the Thai seafood supply chain. The new roles and functions of these actors in the Thai seafood supply chain after the COVID-19 pandemic are reported and compared with those from before the pandemic

Faculty Research in Progress, 2018-2019

The production of scholarly research continues to be one of the primary missions of the ILR School. During a typical academic year, ILR faculty members published or had accepted for publication over 25 books, edited volumes, and monographs, 170 articles and chapters in edited volumes, numerous book reviews. In addition, a large number of manuscripts were submitted for publication, presented at professional association meetings, or circulated in working paper form. Our faculty\u27s research continues to find its way into the very best industrial relations, social science and statistics journal

The Impeachment of President Clinton: An Ugly Mix of Three Powerful Forces

Popp argues that the 1998-99 impeachment debacle resulted in large part from an ugly mix of three extremely powerful forces--an independent counsel who abused his virtually unlimited power; extreme congressional partisanship that was motivated by the desire to gain control of the government; and media outlets that continuously sought to profit from the sensationalism of it all and consistently flouted standards of professional journalism along the way

Avoiding Asda? Exploring consumer motivations in local organic good networks

Supermarkets such as Asda (owned by Wal-Mart) have responded to the growth in direct marketing and alternative agri-food networks by promoting local produce ranges, and increasingly sourcing organic produce from the UK. Thus consumers now have a choice of outlets for local and organic produce. This paper examines the implications of that choice for direct marketing in particular, and sustainable consumption in general. The paper tests the hypothesis that consumers make a conscious choice to engage in an alternative food network when they purchase through direct marketing channels, and that they are deliberately avoiding mainstream supermarkets. Research findings are presented from a survey of customers of a local organic food cooperative in Norfolk, UK which examines consumer motivations and perceptions of alternative and mainstream food provisioning. The hypothesis is confirmed: consumers expressed wide-ranging preferences for participation in the alternative food system, though there is some concern that the convenience and accessibility of supermarket provision of local and organic food threaten to erode the wider social and community benefits achieved by direct marketing initiatives

Identification of key process areas in the production on an e-capability maturity model for UK construction organisations

Uptake of e-procurement by construction organisations has been slow (Martin, 2008). Positive e-business achievements in other industries, point towards the potential for the construction industry to accomplish similar results. Since the Modernising Government White paper set targets through best value indicator BV157 for implementation in the public sector, Government has supported many initiatives encouraging e-procurement. These are based on documented efficiency and cost savings (Knudsen, 2003; Minahan and Degan, 2001; McIntosh and Sloan, 2001; Martin, 2008). However, Martin (2003, 2008) demonstrates only a modest increase in the uptake of e-procurement in the UK construction industry. Alshawi et al (2004) identified the significance of possessing a model to sustain the embedment of any business process within an organisation. Saleh and Alshawi (2005) describe a number of model types used to gauge maturity in an organisation. One of these models is the capability maturity model. Paulk et al (1993) released the Software Capability Maturity Model (CMM) in 1991. Since then many CMM’s have evolved. This paper reports on how a CMM based on Drivers and Barriers to e-procurement identified in Eadie et al (2009) can be developed to gauge the maturity of an organisation in relation to e-procurement. This paper presents details of a research project which used factor analysis to produce a set of Key Process Areas (KPA) from the drivers and barriers identified in Eadie et al (2009). These KPAs were then subjected to a mapping process linking them to maturity levels to develop a CMM to analyse the e-procurement capability of construction organisations. The mapping will be reported in a later paper. This termed as e-readiness of organisations will indicate the current state of a construction organisation in terms of its readiness to carry out e-procurement. The paper describes in detail the identification of the KPA’s

Property taxation and democratic decentralization in developing countries

governance;decentralization;developing countries;local finance;property tax;urban development

News Media Trust and Mistrust During the COVID-19 Pandemic

With the uncertainty and growing information surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, news media consumption has increased drastically compared to pre-pandemic consumption. At the start of the pandemic, 94% of Americans reported closely following COVID-19 news, with more than half of Americans spending more than two hours consuming COVID-19 news everyday (SSRS, 2020). With the news media serving as a critical source of information through this public health crisis, the public’s reactions, behaviors, and attitudes to the pandemic stem from the level of trust they have in the news media to share COVID-19 information. Because of this, this study examines trust in the news media and its possible impacts on public health. A survey of 314 individuals explored how trust in the news media varies with COVID-19 coverage on a national and local level and how trust and mistrust in the news media relates to an individual’s willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Findings suggest that trust in the news media is lower with COVID-19 coverage compared to general news coverage, with many participants believing news sources exclude COVID-19 facts. When comparing trust in COVID-19 coverage between national and local news providers, trust was highest in local sources for the majority of participants. In general, the study found that individuals are more likely to be vaccinated if they have high levels of trust in the news media. The findings suggest that trust in news media is significant in navigating public health crises, as mistrust in the news media can lead individuals to undermine the efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic