2014 Local Food Consumption in Vermont

This paper revisits and updates a 2011 study to count local food consumption in Vermont. We find consumption increased to about $188 million in 2014, with increases across most categories

Costs of food safety certification on fresh produce farms in Vermont

This article addresses the economic costs of good agricultural practices (GAPs) audits of small and medium size farms in Vermont. It focuses on the costs of infrastructure, equipment, and labor required to successfully pass a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) GAPs audit. In-depth interviews and surveys of produce farmers in 2011 revealed that the cost of GAPs certification ranges between $37 and$54 per acre, and an additional 7 hours were required each week during the growing season. Based on this exploratory research, certifying all the farms in Vermont would cost between $228,216 and$3,019,114. Our study explored all the criteria of the certification and measured the costs of GAPs from planning stages to daily record keeping more than one year after the certification was achieved. This study provides information to farmers who are considering GAPs certification. It also provides background information to agricultural service providers and policymakers planning for the future of the fresh produce industry

Editorial: Safeguarding youth from agricultural injury and illness: international experiences

[Extract] Worldwide, agriculture is among the most dangerous industries and one of the few that involves children (<18 years-of-age) in the worksite as laborers or bystanders. Children are exposed to an array of agriculture-related hazards whether working or merely being present in the farm environment. From a public health and child advocacy perspective, safeguarding these young people from preventable disease and injury is important for many reasons. The negative impacts of a childhood agricultural disease or injury range from permanent disabilities, death, family disruptions, and economic hardships including the potential loss of a sustainable family farm enterprise. At the same time, growing up in an agricultural setting can lead to independent, hardworking, successful adults, who gain a range of benefits, including skill development, family time together, improved immune response, and other protective health factors

Gaining and maintaining a competitive edge: Evidence from CSA members and farmers on local food marketing strategies

Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is a widely-used approach for farmers to sell directly to consumers. We used the product, place, price, and promotion (4P) marketing mix framework to examine characteristics that help farms offering CSA maintain member satisfaction and thus competitiveness. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 CSA members and 24 CSA farmers in four states. CSA members additionally completed a modified choice experiment. Qualitative data were coded iteratively, and choice experiment data were summarized and compared across scenarios. CSA members and farmers were motivated by a range of personal, social, environmental, and economic objectives. Members favored high-quality staple vegetables (e.g., lettuce, green beans), ideally produced organically. Trust and a sense of personal connection with the farmer comprised part of the value added of CSA participation. Time and location of share pick-up were very important; thus, farmers tried to offer convenient sites or an enriched pick-up experience. Small changes in price appeared unlikely to impact participation among current members. Social networks and word-of-mouth were powerful for marketing, but may limit the ability to reach diverse populations. Future research should examine the ability of CSAs to meet the needs of those who do not currently participate

Measuring the Costs of Production and Pricing on Diversified Farms: Juggling Decisions Amidst Uncertainties

Farmers must earn revenues that both cover costs and provide adequate returns. The goal of this research was to understand how diversified farmers measure their cost of production and determine prices. We conducted in-depth interviews of diversified Vermont farmers and used the constant comparative method to analyze the data. Farmers and their operations, the process of measuring the cost of production and pricing, farmers’ decision-making process, and tradeoffs in the face of uncertainty are described and analyzed. This study’s findings contribute to current discussions of farmer decision making by developing practical implications for important, but difficult tasks

Editorial: Safeguarding youth from agricultural injury and illness: international experiences

[Extract] Worldwide, agriculture is among the most dangerous industries and one of the few that involves children (<18 years-of-age) in the worksite as laborers or bystanders. Children are exposed to an array of agriculture-related hazards whether working or merely being present in the farm environment. From a public health and child advocacy perspective, safeguarding these young people from preventable disease and injury is important for many reasons. The negative impacts of a childhood agricultural disease or injury range from permanent disabilities, death, family disruptions, and economic hardships including the potential loss of a sustainable family farm enterprise. At the same time, growing up in an agricultural setting can lead to independent, hardworking, successful adults, who gain a range of benefits, including skill development, family time together, improved immune response, and other protective health factors

Health Insurance and National Farm Policy

This research examines how health insurance affects efforts to build a vibrant and resilient farm population. We find health insurance is a national farm policy issue tied to risk management, growing the next generation of farmers, farm succession and land transfer, rural jobs, and rural development

Arjenhallintaa ruoanlaiton kautta -projekti Kokkolan Ensikoti Iidassa

Opinnäytetyöni on projektiopinnäytetyö. Arjenhallintaa ruoanlaiton kautta-projekti toteutettiin Kokkolan ensikoti Iidassa. Projektin sisältönä toteutettiin opasvihon toteutus, jonka runko toimi toiminnallisten interventioiden reseptivihkona. Tavoitteena oli saada 0sallistujille arkiruoan valmistukseen tarvittavaa tietoa ja keinoja sekä tietoa yhdessä syömisen tärkeydestä. Tässä projektiopinnäytetyössä oli tarkoituksena toteuttaa kuuden kerran interventiokokonaisuus henkilöille, jotka saisivat tukea ja ohjausta arjenhallinnan keinoihin. Arjenhallintaa työssäni lähestyin ruoanvalmistuksen ja yhteisen ruokailun kautta. Ensikoti Iida valikoitui interventioiden toteuttamiseen, koska Ensikodilla oli huomattu kuntoutuksessa olevilla perheillä ja vanhemmilla olevan arkiruoan valmistuksessa kehitettäviä alueita. Ruoanvalmistukseen voidaan sitoa paljon arjenhallinnan muita osa-alueita. Projektiopinnäytetyön tavoitteena oli tuoda esille osallistujille perheiden yhteisten ruokailujen tärkeys. Yhteisillä ruokailuilla voidaan kehittää monipuolisesti lapsen taitoja. Yhteisillä ruokailuilla voidaan lisätä vanhemmalla onnistumisen tunnetta omassa vanhemmuudessaan. Projektiopinnäytetyön tavoitteena oli saada osallistujille innostusta ja motivaatiota terveellisempään ja edullisempaan kotiruoan valmistukseen, millä olisi monipuolinen hyöty arjenhallinnassa. Projektiopinnäytetyön aikana toteutettiin viisi onnistunutta interventiota. Ensimmäisessä interventiossa kerroin projektiopinnäytetyöni tarkoituksesta. Seuraavassa kolmessa interventiossa valmistimme aterian. Viimeisessä interventiossa kerättiin palautteet sekä keskusteltiin interventioista. Projektiopinnäytetyöni tuloksissa voidaan havaita oman asenteen muutos positiivisempaan suuntaan arkiruoan valmistamiseen liittyen, oma-aloitteisuuden lisääntyminen ruoanlaittoa kohtaan sekä selkeämpi suunnitelmallisuus ruoanlaittoa ajatellen. Tuloksina nousi esille myös arkiruoan terveellisyys, yhteisten ruokailujen tärkeys sekä yhteisen tekemisen mielekkyys. Opinnäytetyö antaa positiivista huomiota arjenhallinnan perustaidoille ja niiden taitojen vahvistamiseen. Yhdessä syömisen tärkeydellä nostetaan esille mm. lasten hienomotoriikan kehitystä ja sen sosiaalista painoarvoa.My Thesis is a Project Thesis. Everyday Management trough Cooking-project was excecuted at Kokkolan ensikoti Iida. A notebook that contained some food recipes was made for the functional interventions. As a goal was to give the participators hints about making ordinary daily food, and how important a common meal together with your family is. The goal in this Project Thesis was, to have six different Interventions for those people who, are in need of help with their everyday management and their daily eating habits. I approached the theme Everyday management trough cooking, making your own food and eating together. Ensikoti Iida was selected as the place for the Intervention, because they had noticed that the families who were on rehabilitation there, were in need of guidance in the skills of making food. A lot of other things in our daily routines are connected to the way we eat and share our meals. A meal shared with both adults and children develops many social and motoric skills for children. For parents, a successful dinner also gives a good sense of succeeding as a parent. The Project Thesis goal was to inspire the participators to make healthy food together, and to show how a self made meal is both cheaper and tasteful. Five successfull Interventions were made in this Project Thesis. At the first Intervention I presented the purpose for this project. In the next three Interventions we made a meal. At the last Intervention feedback was given. In the results of my Project Thesis we can see a positive change in the attitudes towards cooking your own food, an increase in spontaneous cooking, and more planned visits to the grocery store. As a result came also out more healthy meals, the importance of shared meals and the joy of making food together. The Project Thesis gives a positive view on on basic skills of everyday management and how important it is to maintain them. Common meals give children at a young age good social skills, and develops fine motoric abilities