Progress 07/15/09 to 07/14/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: 1a: Community Based Research and Education. CASFS staff attended many community meetings with activists and agencies working in the food system to identify research needs. These resulted in CASFS participating in the formation of a broad coalition, the Central Coast School Food Alliance (CCSFA) including agencies, school districts, and hospitals. We conducted interviews with CCSFA stakeholders to identify future strategies and develop proposals for collaborative learning sessions and seed projects at participating school districts and hospitals. A community event called Fixing School Food, was held October 2010 and attended by parents, teachers, students, Rep. Sam Farr and Assembly Member Bill Monning. 1b: An advisory committee made up of socially responsible businesses across the U.S. was created to guide a research project to highlight innovative economic models addressing inequalities in the food system. Over 300 businesses across the U.S. were identified. We interviewed 10 of these businesses and published 5 case studies and convened a conference called The Business of Sustainability, January 2010. 1c: We developed a document compiling theoretical and applied environmental and social indicators for the Central Coast of CA. 1d: We organized Agrifood Seminars, some featuring graduate student projects and showed the documentary, The Garden. For campus and community members, CASFS held a series of lectures featuring: Dr. Constanza Ocampo-Raeder, Dr. Wayne Roberts, Dr. Harriet Friedmann, Glynn Lloyd, Dr. Jan Poppendieck, and Dr. Alice Julier. We collaborated on a campus event featuring Anna Lappe. We held a campus fall Harvest Fest in September. CASFS facilitated Harvest for Health and Harvest for Hunger undergraduate courses and Food System Learning Journeys. CASFS helped develop the Food Systems Section of the UC Santa Cruz Sustainability Plan. CASFS staff presented at events including, but not limited to: the CA Department of Food and Agriculture Visioning Process; Bioneers; the CA Student Sustainability Coalition Fall Convergence; Association of Environmental Sciences and Studies at Madison, WI; the University of IL; the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. 2a: CASFS created a UCSC graduate course on theory and practice of sustainable food systems, and (2b): sponsored an undergraduate writing course on labor and food. 2c: We supported 8 graduate and undergraduate students in our Sustainable Agrifood Systems Internship (SASI) program, training them in research methods and program development techniques. SASI interns conducted sustainability and education projects with their campus food systems, coordinated a statewide pre-conference on farm to institution and sustainability, coordinated and presented at the CA Sustainability Conference for Higher Ed. in Los Angeles. CASFS coordinated students across the U.S. in the Real Food Challenge. CASFS funded 2 undergraduate and 16 graduate student research proposals. 3a: A research brief on urban agriculture is being published. 3b: Data on local food system research is being analyzed; 2 peer-reviewed articles and an invited chapter in edited volume were published. PARTICIPANTS: CASFS staff: Patricia Allen, Jonathon Landeck, Jan Perez, Tim Galarneau, Gwendolyn Keith, Rebecca Thistlewaite, Martha Brown, Hilary Melcarek, Liz Milazzo. CASFS Graduate Student Researchers: Joanna Ory, Linnea Beckett, Jimiliz Valiente-Neighbours, Claudia Lopez, Randy Cota. Environmental Science Program (ENVS) Graduate Lecturer: Sean Gillon. Writing Center lecturers: Robin King and Mark Baker. Agricultural Justice Project Agricultural Land Based Training Association, Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, Association for Environmental Studies & Sciences, California Student Sustainability Coalition, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Staff & Faculty sponsors for the SASI program as well as dining administrators (i.e. Cabrillo Community College, De Anza Community College, UC Santa Cruz, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, & San Jose State University), Nutrition & Fitness Collaborative of the Central Coast, Real Food Challenge, Second Harvest Food Bank, Santa Cruz Education Foundation, United Way & Go For Health, Dr. Ravi Rajan (Provost College 8) & Susan Watrous (Core Course Coordinator at College 8), Mike Kittredge (College 8 Programs Coordinator), Katie Monsen (ENVS instructor for EE80s), Chris Bacon PhD (Department of Geography, UC Berkeley), Dustin Mulvaney PhD (Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition & UC Santa Cruz), Scott Berlin & Dwight Collins (UCSC Dining director and head chef), Aurora Winslade (UCSC Sustainability Manager), Sue Matthews (Assistant Vice Chancellor under Student Affairs), Sayo Fujioka (Director of Student Media and Student Organizing & Advising Resources), Joyce Rice (UCSC Student Sustainability & SOAR Advisor) Alan Maloney (Director of Strategic Sourcing for the UC Office of the President), Matt St. Clair (Sustainability Manager for the UC Office of the President), Andrew Couglan (Assistant Sustainability Manager for the UC Office of the President), UCSC student orgs (i.e. Student Environmental Center, Community Agroecology Network, Program In Community & Agroecology, Kresge Student Coop, Students for Organic Solutions, and Education for Sustainable Living Program). Innovative economic models advisory committee: California Center for Cooperative Development, Washington State University Extension Small Farms Program, Swanton Berry Farm, Roots of Change, Agriculture & Land-Based Training Association, Farmer-Veteran Coalition, La Montanita, Food Coop, Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, Smith & Hawken, National Cooperative Grocers Association, Crossroads Resource Center, FarmsReach.com, California State University- Monterey Bay Ag Business Program, Western Rural Development Center. Graduate student researchers were trained in research skills working on projects and preparing articles for publication. SASI Students were trained in research and facilitation skills in converging diverse groups, community workshops, student trainings, etc. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences included faculty, students, young adults, community leaders and agrifood stakeholders, activist organizations, agencies, farmers, growers, other food related enterprises, and the general public. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The CCSFA is now meeting regularly with participants from school districts and community groups throughout Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties; CASFS research helped identify issues the Alliance can address and submitted a California Department of Food and Agriculture proposal to support further CCSFA work. The innovative economic models project focused on the Triple-Bottom-Line combining equal concerns of people, planet and profit when making business decisions. 140 people attended The Business of Sustainability conference where 30 presenters shared their hands-on experience. Recordings and 5 published case studies are available on our website and the UC eScholarship Repository with high demand. The Sustainable Food Systems course had to be expanded from 45 to 60 people in 2010. The course explored what agrifood systems are, food and agriculture's role in our economy and society and how policy at different scales impacts food systems. The writing course on labor and food system was waitlisted and enrolled 22 undergraduate students in 2010. These students examined food habits, food system distribution, labor and social justice issues around agriculture and food processing. The Harvest for Health and Harvest for Hunger engaged over 350 students. SASI interns impacted their food systems at UCSC, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, San Jose State, and both Cabrillo and DeAnza Community Colleges. SASI cross-pollinated agrifood and education concepts across campuses in CA and the nation through their engagement with the Real Food Challenge. Projects included food system seminar series, food justice speaker series, food systems round tables, cooking classes, working with dining services on sustainable procurement through campus food policy, waste reduction, starting campus community gardens for leadership development training, and more. For example, from 2010-2011 an intern from Cabrillo College increased their sustainable sourcing based on the Real Food Calculator from 9% to 22% in 2011, implemented a Fall lecture series, a course and a permaculture demonstration plot on campus. CASFS staff and SASI participants played significant roles in further developing the UC sustainability policy in food procurement. CASFS facilitated 20 interns working on the Real Food Challenge from across the nation. CASFS gave 18 UCSC students research fellowships ranging from $1,200 to $10,000 each. Recipients were from: Environmental Studies, Anthropology, Developmental Psychology, Sociology, Kresge College and the Digital Arts New Media Program. Topics ranged from parents beliefs about food and children's evaluations about parental control; labor violations, indigenous farm workers and the sustainability discourse; to atrazine restrictions and the implications for environmental sustainability, and more. Students presented results in May 2011. Faculty, students and parents attending all expressed the importance of this funding opportunity for this student research. The students' research summaries, video and PowerPoint reports are posted to the CASFS website. Funding for the fellowships came from private donors; USDA funds facilitated staffing and leveraged donor contributions.
Publications
- Allen, P. 2010. Realizing justice in local food systems. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 3:2.
- Allen, P., and H. Melcarek. 2010. Food Justice Movement. In Green Food, P. Robbins, D. Mulvaney, and J. G. Golson (Eds). Sage Reference Series on Green Society. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
- Perez, J., Parr, D., & Beckett, L. 2010. Achieving program goals An evaluation of two decades of Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development. Vol. 1 (1).
- Thistlewaite, R. (Ed. M. Brown) 2010. The Farmers Diner: Middlebury and Quechee, Vermont. Innovative Business Models Case Study Series. Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems.
- Thistlewaite, R. (Ed. M. Brown) 2010. Bon Appetit Management Co.: Palo Alto, California. Innovative Business Models Case Study Series. Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems.
- Thistlewaite, R. (Ed. M. Brown) 2010. Destiny Organics: Forest Park, Georgia. Innovative Business Models Case Study Series. Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems.
- Thistlewaite, R. (Ed. M. Brown) 2010. Organically Grown Company: Eugene and Portland, Oregon and Kent, Washington. Innovative Business Models Case Study Series. Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems.
- Thistlewaite, R. (Ed. M. Brown) 2010. Alvarado Street Bakery: Petaluma, California. Innovative Business Models Case Study Series. Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems.
- Galarneau, T. and M. Brown (eds.). UCSC Campus Food Guide. 2010. Food Systems Working Group and the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems.
- Pitts, T. (ed.). UCSC Campus Garden Guide. 2010. Food Systems Working Group and the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems.
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Progress 07/15/09 to 07/14/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: 1a: Community Based Research and Education. CASFS staff attended many community meetings with activist and agencies working in the food system. Additionally, a survey was conducted to identify research needs of community organizations working to change the food system. During this process, CASFS participated in the formation of a broad coalition formed, known as the Fixing School Food Alliance, for whom we conducted interviews with stakeholders to help identify future strategies for the multi agency and NGO group's efforts. This effort is continuing. 1b: Innovative economic models were researched. An advisory committee made up of socially responsible businesses across the U.S. was created to help develop and carry out this project. Over 300 food-related businesses across the U.S. were identified who are developing economic models that address inequalities in the food system. We conducted interviews with the leaders of 10 businesses and published 5 case studies. January we convened a conference called The Business of Sustainability, with over 30 presenters and 140 participants. 1c: We developed a document compiling important theoretical and applied environmental and social indicators for the Central Coast of CA. 1d: We held Agrifood Seminars featuring graduate student projects and a showing of the documentary, The Garden. CASFS held a series of lectures from 11/12/2009 through 4/12/2010, featuring: Dr. Constanza Ocampo-Raeder, Dr. Wayne Roberts, Dr. Harriet Friedmann, Glynn Lloyd, Dr. Jan Poppendieck, and Dr. Alice Julier. CASFS collaborated on a food system and climate change event featuring Anna Lappe. We held a fall Harvest Fest, Harvest for Health and Harvest for Hunger undergraduate courses and Food System Learning Journeys for students engaging 350 students. CASFS helped develop the Food Systems Section of the UC Santa Cruz Sustainability Plan. CASFS staff presented at events including, but not limited to: CA Department of Food and Agriculture Visioning Process; Bioneers; CA Student Sustainability Coalition Fall Convergence; Association of Environmental Sciences and Studies, Madison, WI; University of IL; Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. 2a: CASFS created a UCSC graduate course on theory and practice of sustainable food systems, and (2b):sponsored an undergraduate writing course on labor and food. 2c:We supported 8 graduate and undergraduate students in our Sustainable Agrifood Systems Internship (SASI) program, training them in methods, research, resources, and agrifood program development techniques. SASI's did projects around sustainability and education with their campus food systems, coordinated a statewide pre-conference on farm to institution and sustainability, designed and presented an academic poster, and participated as panelists in a food track session at the CA Sustainability Conference for Higher Ed. in Los Angeles. CASFS received 2 undergraduate and 16 graduate student research proposals. 3a: A peer reviewed article on urban agriculture and a research brief are in draft form. 3b: Data on local food system research is being analyzed and a peer reviewed article was published. PARTICIPANTS: CASFS staff: Patricia Allen, Jonathon Landeck, Jan Perez, Gwendolyn Keith, Rebecca Thistlewaite, Martha Brown, Liz Milazzo. CASFS Graduate Student Researchers: Joanna Ory, Linnea Beckett, Jimiliz Valiente-Neighbours, Claudia Lopez, Randy Cota. Environmental Science Program (ENVS) Graduate Lecturer: Sean Gillon. Writing Center lecturers: Robin King and Mark Baker. Agricultural Justice Project Agricultural Land Based Training Association, Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, Association for Environmental Studies & Sciences, California Student Sustainability Coalition, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Staff & Faculty sponsors for the SASI program as well as dining administrators (i.e. Cabrillo Community College, De Anza Community College, UC Santa Cruz, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, & San Jose State University), Nutrition & Fitness Collaborative of the Central Coast, Real Food Challenge, Second Harvest Food Bank, Santa Cruz Education Foundation, United Way & Go For Health, Dr. Ravi Rajan (Provost College 8) & Susan Watrous (Core Course Coordinator at College 8), Mike Kittred (College 8 Programs Coordinator), Katie Monsen (ENVS instructor for EE80s), Chris Bacon PhD (Department of Geography, UC Berkeley), Dustin Mulvaney PhD (Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition & UC Santa Cruz), Scott Berlin & Dwight Collins (UCSC Dining director and head chef), Aurora Winslade (UCSC Sustainability Manager), Sue Matthews (Assistant Vice Chancellor under Student Affairs), Sayo Fujioka (Director of Student Media and Student Organizing & Advising Resources), Joyce Rice (UCSC Student Sustainability & SOAR Advisor) Alan Maloney (Director of Strategic Sourcing for the UC Office of the President), Matt St. Clair (Sustainability Manager for the UC Office of the President), Andrew Couglan (Assistant Sustainability Manager for the UC Office of the President), UCSC student orgs (i.e. Student Environmental Center, Community Agroecology Network, Program In Community & Agroecology, Kresge Student Coop, Students for Organic Solutions, & Education for Sustainable Living Program. Innovative economic models advisory committee: California Center for Cooperative Development, Washington State University Extension Small Farms Program, Swanton Berry Farm, Roots of Change, Agriculture &, Land-Based Training Association, Farmer-Veteran Coalition, La Montanita, Food Coop, Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, Smith & Hawken, National Cooperative Grocers Association, Crossroads Resource Center, FarmsReach.com, California State University- Monterey Bay Ag Business Program, Western Rural Development Center. Graduate student researchers were trained in research skills working on projects and preparing articles for publication. SASI Students were trained in research and facilitation skills in converging diverse groups, community workshops, student trainings, etc. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences included faculty, students, young adults, community leaders and agrifood stakeholders, activist organizations, agencies, farmers, growers, other food related enterprises, and the general public. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The Fixing School Food Alliance is now meeting bi-weekly with participants from school districts and community groups throughout Santa Cruz and Monterey counties; CASFS research has helped identify issues the Alliance can address to move forward. The innovative economic models project focused on the Triple-Bottom-Line combining equal concerns of people, planet and profit when making business decisions. There was a waiting list for The Business of Sustainability event. 140 people were able to listen to 30 presenters share their hands-on experience. We have high demand on our website for the 5 case studies published. The Sustainable Food Systems course was set up for 45 people but 60 signed up. The course explored what agrifood systems are and their components, discussed food and agriculture's role in our economy and society based on historical, political and economic contexts and how policy at different scales impacts food systems. Students also attended CASFS lecture series and contributed meaningfully to the discussions. We will sponsor this class again next year. There is a higher demand now that students have learned of its existence. The writing course on labor and food system was listed for 22 undergraduate students and had a long wait-list. These students examined food habits, food system distribution, labor and social justice issues around agriculture and food processing. We plan to expand it next year and offer it for more credits. Sustainable Agrifood System Interns (SASI) impacted their food systems at UCSC, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, San Jose State, Cabrillo Community College and DeAnza Community College. SASI cross pollinated agrifood and education concepts across campuses in CA and the nation through their engagement with the Real Food Challenge. Projects included food system seminar series, food justice speaker series, food systems round tables, cooking classes, working with dining services on sustainable procurement through campus food policy, waste reduction, starting campus community gardens for leadership development training, and more. CASFS staff and SASI participants played significant roles in further developing the UC sustainability policy in food procurement. CASFS gave 18 UCSC students research fellowships ranging from $1,200 to $10,000 each. Recipients were from: Environmental studies, Anthropology, Developmental Psychology, Sociology, Kreskge College and Digital Arts New Media Program. Topics included: parents' beliefs about food and children's evaluations about parental control; labor violations, indigenous farm workers and the sustainability discourse; the role of ecosystems goods; native flora in food security; land cover changes: a case of southwestern Ethiopia; agricultural decisions in response to atrazine restrictions and the implications for environmental sustainability, and more. Students and faculty were pleased with this unique opportunity for research funding. Students will present research results in a CASFS discussion series this year. The funding for the fellowships came from private donors; USDA funds facilitated the promotion and selection process and leveraged donor contributions.
Publications
- Allen, P. 2010. Realizing justice in local food systems. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 1-14. Advance access published online May 14, 2010.
- Perez, J., Parr, D., & Beckett, L. 2010. Achieving program goals An evaluation of two decades of Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development. Vol. 1 (1).
- Thistlewaite, R. (Ed. M. Brown) 2010. The Farmers Diner: Middlebury and Quechee, Vermont. Innovative Business Models Case Study Series. Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems.
- Thistlewaite, R. (Ed. M. Brown) 2010. Bon Appetit Management Co.: Palo Alto, California. Innovative Business Models Case Study Series. Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems.
- Thistlewaite, R. (Ed. M. Brown) 2010. Destiny Organics: Forest Park, Georgia. Innovative Business Models Case Study Series. Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems.
- Thistlewaite, R. (Ed. M. Brown) 2010. Organically Grown Company: Eugene and Portland, Oregon and Kent, Washington. Innovative Business Models Case Study Series. Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems.
- Thistlewaite, R. (Ed. M. Brown) 2010. Alvarado Street Bakery: Petaluma, California. Innovative Business Models Case Study Series. Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems.
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