RESEARCH AND EDUCATION SUPPORT FOR THE RENEWAL OF AN AGRICULTURE OF THE MIDDLE

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: TERMINATED
• Funding Source: HATCH
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0221839
• Project No.: ALA011-2-10005
• Multistate No.: NC-1036
• Project Start Date: Oct 1, 2006
• Project End Date: Sep 30, 2011

Project Director
worosz, M. R.

Recipient Organization
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
108 M. WHITE SMITH HALL
AUBURN,AL 36849

Performing Department
Agri Economics & Rural Sociol

Non Technical Summary
The work of NC1036 concerns the increasing bifurcation of U.S. agricultural sector into very large, consolidated and often contract-based farms on the one hand and very small, often part-time, farms on the other hand. This bifurcation has contributed to the loss of many rural communities. Much of the work of NC1036 focuses on the actors "of the middle"--farmers, food processors, distributors--that have difficulty accessing the volume based markets of the large-scale sector, yet produce too much to effectively engage in the local direct marketing of the small-scale sector. At the same time, emergent market opportunities may make it possible for this agriculture of the middle to develop highly differentiated, value-added products. These products may include foods that a) have superior taste, health, and nutritional qualities; b) are associated with unique food stories that identify where the food comes from and how it was produced; and c) come from supply chains built on business relationships, which are also known as "value chains." My work contributes to these goals by focusing on the beef sector that is differentiate on the basis of one or more a) quality claims (e.g., natural, organic), b) stories (e.g., family farms, particular production and processing techniques) and c) trust base relationships (e.g., face-to-face marketing, point of purchase materials). The work of NC1036 is rooted in multiple methods including economic models, a series of surveys, interviews, and regulatory reviews. My work on the beef sector employs semi-structured face-to-face interviews and review of the formal rules at both the state and federal level. This work will contribute to the expected outcomes and impacts of NC1036, which include: 1. Increase information about and opportunities for mid-scale farmers/ranchers, regional food processors, distributors, and retailers to evaluate value chains. 2. Increase the number of regionally-based value chains that will provide farmers/ranchers greater economic rewards and food consumers greater information and choice regarding their food purchases. 3. Increase the number of existing, conventional, agriculture and food supply chains that will adopt characteristics of regionally-based, value chains. 4. Increase the contribution of regionally-based, value chains to the long-term stabilization of mid-scale farmers/ranchers, regional food processors, distributors, and retailers. 5. Increase the contribution by regionally-based, value chains to support long-term stabilization and renewal of agriculturally-dependent rural areas.

Animal Health Component

(N/A)

Research Effort Categories

Basic

70%

Applied

20%

Developmental

10%

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
604	3320	3080	20%
607	3320	3080	40%
610	3320	3080	40%

Knowledge Area
607 - Consumer Economics; 610 - Domestic Policy Analysis; 604 - Marketing and Distribution Practices;

Subject Of Investigation
3320 - Meat, beef cattle;

Field Of Science
3080 - Sociology;

Keywords

supply chains, value chains, food quality, rural communities,

economic opportunities, disappearing middle,

agriculture-of-the-middle, beef, red meat, alternative, sustainable

Goals / Objectives
OBJECTIVES NC1036 has four objectives. My work, which focuses on the statutory and regulatory barriers to engagement in alternative beef value chains, contributes to objectives three and four. Objective #3. Identify and conduct research to evaluate the functioning of alternative marketing systems that link the producers with consumers. Objective #4. Identify and conduct research to evaluate alternative public policies. OUTPUTS NC1036 has five outputs. my work will contribute most directly to outputs one and two. Output #1. Peer-reviewed academic publications. Output #2. Presentations at professional and/or academic conferences/meetings.

Project Methods
METHODS As stated below, research and outreach associated NC1036 objectives three and four are based on mixed methods. Objective #3: analyze the market structure, conduct and performance characteristics including the distribution of consumer and producer welfare by evaluating case studies of existing successful mid-tier, agrifood value chains using targeted interviews, organizational documents, and round-table discussion approaches. Analyze emerging mid-tier, agrifood value chains using targeted interviews, organizational documents, and round-table discussion approaches. Objective #4: analyze targeted national and state legislation and regulations, communicate to bio-physical and socio-economic scientists information/research needs to support new legislation and/or regulations, and analyze the political forces likely to be supportive or oppositional to new legislation and/or regulations. In my analysis of the statutory and regulatory barriers along alternative beef value chains, I used a case study approach. Focusing on successful value chains, data were collected via targeted face-to-face interviews and organizational documents, as well as state and federal statues, regulations, and directives. EFFORTS Efforts associated with NC1036 include a range of outreach products and collaborations with associations including the Association for Family Farms (AFF) (www.associationoffamilyfarms.org). A primary function of the AFF is the development of mid-tier, agrifood value chains in regions across the country. It is expected that my study of the statutory and regulatory barriers to engagement in alternative beef value chains will inform the work of AFF. EVALUATION While evaluation of NC1036 is broad, this subproject will be evaluated on the basis of peer-reviewed academic publications and presentations at professional and/or academic conferences/meetings.

Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: OUTPUTS 1. Activities: *BEEF -- Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) continued analysis of Michigan beef values-based supply chain regulatory structure and started analysis for Alabama. Nearly all data, including face-to-face interviews of actors in Alabama, has been collected. Longitudinal analysis of slaughter facilities, using HLM modeling, has been started. Student trained in quantitative data collection to study end-point (i.e., consumption) of *MINIATURE CATTLE values-based supply chain, and a survey instrument was developed. *SATSUMA -- GRA began data collection and transcription of notes from stakeholder meetings and face-to-face interviews to examine the values-based supply chain. Quantitative and qualitative data on *ORGANIC values-based supply chain in Alabama was collected by an undergraduate Honors student who was taught and trained in the methods. Communication with small-scale producers and processors via eXtension (Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network, www.nichemeatprocessing.org) and local fruit and vegetable growers has continued. Communication with members of the organic sector has begun. 2. Events: annual Rural Sociological Society meetings; statewide organic conference; multi-state project meeting. 3. Services: continued working with an animal science graduate student and began worked with an anthropology undergraduate honors student, both of which required methods training. Served on the Steering Committee for a state-wide organic conference. Served as a consultant for a restaurant survey (i.e., buyers of values-based foods). Interviewed about values-based production in Alabama. Met with major supply chain buyer looking to acquire values-based products from Alabama. 4. Products: collaboration with students and faculty across many disciplines and institutions including Tuskegee University and Alabama A&M University. A grant proposal was written to add an identical values-based supply chain study of SEAFOOD. A survey was developed to study end-point (i.e., consumption) of MINIATURE CATTLE values-based supply chain and another was developed to study barriers and constraints along the ORGANIC values-based supply chain. Curricula developed for a graduate level course on values-based supply chains. USDA Grant received for the ORGANIC conference. DISSEMINATION Rural Sociological Society meetings Consulted on a restaurant survey for Homegrown Alabama, a student lead group at the University of Alabama that runs the Farmers' Market, Tuscaloosa, AL. Alabama Statewide Organic Farming Workshop: Identifying the Challenges and Constraints to Growth of the Organic Produce Industry in Alabama, 28 - 29 Oct 2011.Member, Steering Committee with faculty and staff from Tuskeegee (K. Kpomblekou-A, A. Bovell-Benjamin), Alabama A & M University (R. Mankolo, R. Ward, D. Mortley), and Auburn University (J. Garrett, H. Fadamiro), as well as the Federation of Southern Cooperatives (O. Idehen), the Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network (K. Wynne) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (K. Iversen). Reid, R. Interviewed for Discovering Alabama about the state of the Alabama agrifood system. PARTICIPANTS: Graduate Research Assistants working on this project are Riva Denny and Jamie Flood from Rural Sociology, Tabitha Welch from Animal Science; and undergraduate Honors student from Anthropology, Erica Meissner. ORGANIC Steering Committee from Tuskeegee (K. Kpomblekou-A, A. Bovell-Benjamin), Alabama A & M University (R. Mankolo, R. Ward, D. Mortley), and Auburn University (J. Garrett, H. Fadamiro), as well as the Federation of Southern Cooperatives (O. Idehen), the Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network (K. Wynne) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (K. Iversen). TARGET AUDIENCES: All values-base supply chain stakeholders in Alabama. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: The initial intent of this project was to focus on red meat. During the course of the second year it became possible to include organic values-based supply chains and a grant was written to include seafood. The most significant change was the extension of this project to NCDC 223.

Impacts
This project is still in its early phases, thus documentation of outcomes/impacts is not possible. However, a change in knowledge as a result of the ORGANIC conference has been found via preliminary analysis of the conference data. In addition, the following grants were funded as part of this project and the results of which will contribute to future impacts: 1. Kpomblekou-A, K., M.R. Worosz, R. Mankolo, J. Dorgan, J. Zippert, K. Wynne, A. Bovell-Benjamin, D. Mortley, and L. Nyochembeng. 2011. Organic Farming Planning Proposal for Research and Extension in Alabama, U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative, Washington DC. 2. Kpomblekou-A, K., R. Mankolo, L. Nyochembeng, A. Bovell-Benjamin, D. Mortley, C.J. Garrett, M.R. Worosz, and H. Fadamiro. 2011-2012. Increasing Production and Consumption of Organic Fruits and Vegetables in Alabama through Education and Coordinated Research Efforts, Alabama Agricultural Land Grant Alliance, Planning Grant.

Publications

• Meissner, E. 2011. Barriers and Constraints to Organic Production and Certification in Alabama. Undergraduate Honors Thesis, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Auburn University, Auburn Alabama.
• Denny, R. and M.R. Worosz. 2011. The Population Ecology of Slaughterhouses in the United States, 1967-2010. Paper presented during the annual meetings of the Rural Sociology Society, Boise ID, 28-31 Jul.
• Flood, J.E. and M.R. Worosz. 2011. Reaping our Fortunes The Role of Third-Party Logistics Firms in Commodity Systems. Paper presented during the annual meetings of the Rural Sociology Society, Boise ID, 28-31 Jul.

Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10

Outputs
OUTPUTS: OUTPUTS 1. Activities: Graduate Research Assistant was recruited and hired. Analysis of Michigan red meat regulatory structure was started, and data on the Alabama regulatory structure was collected. Several grants proposals were written and communication with small-scale producers and processors via eXtension (Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network, www.nichemeatprocessing.org) and local fruit and vegetable growers about has begun. 2. Events: presentations made at a) Professional Agricultural Workers Conference, b) Economics of Improved Food Safety Practices, and the Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network conferences. 3. Services: began working with an animal science graduate student on the the literature relevant to consumer data collection. 4. Products: collaboration with students and faculty in agricultural economics, animal science, and agronomy at Auburn, as well as faculty at several southeastern universities (i.e., on grant applications). DISSEMINATION Worosz, M.R., A.J. Knight, C.K. Harris, and D.S. Conner. 2010, Jan. Barriers to entry into the specialty red meat sector: The role of food safety regulation. Technical Resource, eFeedLink, (http://www.efeedlink.com/meat/ meatprocessing/). PARTICIPANTS: Graduate Research Assistants working on this project are Riva Denny and Jamie Flood from Rural Sociology, Nathan Forczyk from Agricultural Economics, and Tabitha Welch from Animal Science. It is too early in this project to document other faculty and staff contributions. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: The initial intent of this project was to focus on red meat. During the course of the first year it became possible to include fruit and vegetable production. There have been no other changes.

Impacts
Documentation of outcomes/impacts is incomplete because this is a new project. The following grants were funded as part of this project and the results of which will contribute to future impacts: 1. Worosz, M.R. 2010-2012. Beef Value Chains: Barriers and Constraints between "Farm Gate and Dinner Plate." AAES Hatch Funding Program, Young Investigator Award, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn, AL. 2. Bratcher, C., L. Kriese-Anderson, S. Rodning, R. Muntifering M.R. Worosz, L. Strickland, D. Givens, J. Elmore. 2010-2011. Investigation of Miniature Cattle Growth, Carcass and Retail Yield Performance. Beef-Forage Research Grant (Beef Check-Off), Department of Animal Science, Auburn University, Auburn, AL.

Publications

• ABSTRACTS Denny, R. and M.R. Worosz. 2010. Meat Inspection Regulations: The Federal State Relationship. Paper presented at the Professional Agricultural Workers Conference, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, 05 Dec.
• Flood, J. and M.R. Worosz. 2010. Satsuma Mandarin Production in Southern Alabama. Poster presented at the Professional Agricultural Workers Conference, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, 07 Dec.
• Forczyk, N., N. Wilson, and M.R. Worosz. 2010. Price Effects of the Largest Beef Recall in US History. Paper presented at the Economics of Improved Food Safety Practices conference, sponsored by the NEC-63, AAEA Food Safety and Nutrition sections, and US Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, Monterey, CA, 28 Sept.
• MANUSCRIPT Bain, C., E. Ransom, and M.R. Worosz. 2010. Constructing credibility: Using technoscience to legitimate strategies in agrifood Governance. Journal of Rural Social Sciences, in press.
• Stuart, D. and M.R. Worosz. 2010. The myth of efficient food production technologies: An exploration of networks, risk, and reflexivity. under review.