Source: CLEMSON UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
SPECIALTY CROPS AND FOOD SYSTEMS: EXPLORING MARKETS, SUPPLY CHAINS AND POLICY DIMENSIONS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1008724
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
S-1067
Project Start Date
Nov 13, 2015
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2020
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
CLEMSON,SC 29634
Performing Department
Agricultural Sciences
Non Technical Summary
This project focuses on a rather comprehensive set of priority issues associated with evolutions in the food supply chain as responds to changing consumer preferences for fresh fruits and vegetables. The work of htis project team is multi-disciplinary, but with a decidedly emphasized orientation toward the use of economic principles and tools in its work. The project employs a number of different methods to analyze how food supply chain innovations are being implemented in an effort to meet increased consumer demand for food products that are source identied and/or certified as to their specific production techniques.
Animal Health Component
66%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
66%
Developmental
34%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
60362303010100%
Knowledge Area
603 - Market Economics;

Subject Of Investigation
6230 - Marketing systems and sectors thereof;

Field Of Science
3010 - Economics;
Goals / Objectives
Analyze the relative benefits and costs, to producers and consumers, of government and industry-led marketing and policy programs (certifications, Country of origin labeling, farmers markets, California/Arizona Leafy Greens Marketing Agreements) using both theoretical approaches and empirical evidence from multi-state applied research projects. Assess the changing coordination and supply chain management strategies being implemented in the fruit and vegetable sector and identify strategic organizational and marketing implications for a set of firms that are diverse in terms of commodity, marketing approach and size of operation (including small and mid size farms).
Project Methods
case studiessurveysdata analysiseconomic impact studiesfeasibility studies

Progress 11/13/15 to 09/30/20

Outputs
Target Audience:Local food system development stakeholders including producers, distributors, market managers, local government personnel, NGO personnel, and volunteers along with local food system networks and organizations. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?An online local food system course was developed and piloted, with SSAWG funding, to a mixed group of Extension Agents, NGO personnel, and other stakeholders. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Via journal articles, books and book chapters, and Extension workshops. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Participated in a (funded) multi-state USDA AFRI proposal to develop a Local Foods Vitality Index that involves primary data collection from both producers and consumers; allowing for more informed local decision making regarding food systems investments. Serve as advisor and support a graduate student in conjunction with a USDA-AMS LFPP funded project in the Upstate region of South Carolina focused on food system assessment. Work with colleagues from Auburn University and Matson Consulting in connection with USDA-NIFA project focused on food hub feasibility and food system viability study in several locations in Alabama. Like many others in this research group, I am increasingly focused on local and regional food systems development as a marketing strategy for small-scale producers. During the past year, I have been building up the infrastructure to better position for more active research in the future, including securing resources to re-deploy MarketMaker as a research tool for multiple applied research projects. Submitted a successful NIFA Small/Medium Farms grant proposal. Initiated work on that project focused on the development of Southern Heritage Crops. Collaborating with a group of NIFA-funded researchers, led by Dr. Lisa Chase at the University of Vermont, to analyze data and develop research products from a national survey of agritourism operators. Have extended this work into an international collaboration with colleagues from the European Union. We have translated surveys into French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German. Plans are to deploy these surveys early in 2021.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Deller, Steven, R. David Lamie, and Maureen Stickel, Local Foods Systems and Community Economic Development, Community Development: The Journal of the Community Development Society, Volume 48, Issue 5. 9 October 2017
  • Type: Books Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Lamie, R. David and Steven Deller. Local Food Systems and Community Economic Development, Book, Routledge 2019
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Lamie, R. David and Steven Deller, Motivations for a Book on Local Food Systems Development, Book Chapter in Lamie, R. David and Steven Deller. Local Food Systems and Community Economic Development, Routledge 2019
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Deller, Steven, R. David Lamie, and Maureen Stickel, Local Foods Systems and Community Economic Development, Book Chapter in Lamie, R. David and Steven Deller. Local Food Systems and Community Economic Development, Routledge 2019


Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19

Outputs
Target Audience:Local food system development stakeholders including producers, distributors, market managers, local government personnel, NGO personnel, and volunteers along with local food system networks and organizations. Changes/Problems:My appointment was recently changed from 25% Research to 90% Research. I expect this will result in additional capacity to devote to this project, especially if our graduate program evolves in positive directions. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? An online local food system course was developed and piloted, with SSAWG funding, to a mixed group of Extension Agents, NGO personnel, and other stakeholders. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Via journal articles, books and book chapters, and Extension workshops. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Work with the MarketMaker team to develop local/regional platforms that will increase available data for use in applied research projects focused on the development of regional food systems. Further develop and refine content for online local food systems training program including development of case studies. Continue to work with University of Kentucky on development of Local Food Systems Vitality Index for several regions in South Carolina and other southeastern states.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Participatedin a (funded) multi-state USDA AFRI proposal to develop a Local Foods Vitality Index that involves primary data collection from both producers and consumers; allowing for more informed local decision making regarding food systems investments. Serveas advisor and support a graduate student in conjunction witha USDA-AMS LFPP funded project in the Upstate region of South Carolina focused on food system assessment. Work with colleagues from Auburn University and Matson Consulting in connection with USDA-NIFA project focused on food hub feasibility and food system viability study in several locations in Alabama. Like many others in this research group, I am increasingly focused on local and regional food systems development as a marketing strategy for small-scale producers. During the past year, I have been building up the infrastructure to better position for more active research in the future, including securing resources to re-deploy MarketMaker as a research tool for multiple applied research projects.

Publications

  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Deller, Steven, R. David Lamie, and Maureen Stickel, Local Foods Systems and Community Economic Development, Taylor and Francis, 2019
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2019 Citation: Dickes, Lori, Temitope Aruganadei, and R. David Lamie. Rural Innovation and Entrepreneurial Motivation: The Case of Agritourism with New and Beginning Farmers in a Southern US State. Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy. [Revised and resubmitted 7 June 2019]
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Lamie, R. David and Steven Deller, Motivations for a Book on Local Food Systems Development, Taylor and Francis, 2019
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Chiodo, Emilio; Fantini, Andrea; Dickes, Lori; Arogundade, Temitope; Lamie, R. D.; Assing, Lucilene; Stewart, Corinne; Salvatore, Rita. 2019. "Agritourism in Mountainous RegionsInsights from an International Perspective." Sustainability 11, no. 13: 3715.
  • Type: Books Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Lamie, R. David and Steven Deller. Local Food Systems and Community Economic Development Routledge: Taylor and Francis, 2019


Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18

Outputs
Target Audience:Regional planning agencies, emerging farmers. Changes/Problems:The major problem I am facing is difficulty in accessing good graduate student resources from campus. Also, we lost our primary research faculty with interest in this topic a few years ago.Being housed in an off-campus center with a primary Extension appointment and lacking other faculty with more substantial research appointments on the topic makes it difficult to make substantial progress. However, communication between the field and campus is improving and these challenges are better recognized. We expect these improvements to result in better integration and cohesion resulting in a more viable research program in the future. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Developed and delivered two statewide workshops; one on the development and management of Community Supported Agriculture ventures, the other on the development and support of Food Hubs. The food hub workshop was followed by a Midlands regional workshop focused on assessing the feasibilty of a food hub or similar infrastruture investment. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Via journal articles and Extension workshops. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Work with the MarketMaker team to develop local/regional platforms that will increase available data for use in applied research projects focused on the development of regional food systems. Further develop and refine content for online local food systems training program including development of case studies. Work with University of Kentucky on development of Local Food Systems Vitality Index.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Participated in a (funded) multi-state USDA AFRI proposal to develop a Local Foods Vitality Index that involves primary data collection from both producers and consumers; allowing for more informed local decision making regarding food systems investments. Developed a small-scale research project in a small selection of corner stores in South Carolina where we observed consumer reaction to changes in quality dimensions and prices of fresh produce, with particular attention being paid to whether or not the products were local in origin. The results from this project are currently being compiled. Currently involved in an ongoing project to assess the viability of a food hub or similar produce aggregation project in the Midlands of South Carolina. Like many others in this research group, I am increasingly focused on local and regional food systems development as a marketing strategy for small-scale producers. During the past year I have been building up the infrastructure to better position for more active research in the future, including securing resources to re-deploy MarketMaker as a research tool for multiple applied research projects.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Deller, Steven, R. David Lamie, and Maureen Stickel, Local Foods Systems and Community Economic Development, Community Development: The Journal of the Community Development Society, (January 2018; online version published in September 2017 at Taylor and Francis Online)
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Lamie, R. David and Steve Deller, editors. Special Issue of Community Development, the Journal of the Community Development Society focused on local/regional/community food systems development and the challenge of interdisciplinary research. (January 2018; online version published in September 2017 at Taylor and Francis Online)
  • Type: Other Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2018 Citation: Webb, Sara and R. David Lamie. AMSTA Case Studies and Good Practices Guidebook. Development of seven case studies of USDA Local Food Promotion Program and Farmers Market Program grants in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. (in process)
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Lamie, R. David and Steven Deller, Motivations for a Special Issue on Local Food Systems Development, Community Development: The Journal of the Community Development Society, (January 2018; online version published in September 2017 at Taylor and Francis Online)


Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17

Outputs
Target Audience:Producers with interest in pursuing local/regional marketing channels. Community and economic development decision makers interested in supporting local/regional food systems development strategies. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) development workshop --- October 13. Phillips Market Center. Target audience of over 50 producers already operating or considering operation of a CSA. Invited Dr. Tim Woods, from the University of Kentucky, to share his national level research on CSA models and success factors. MarketReady/Wholesale Successtraining - delivered a training in York, SC to about 20 producers interested in exploring wholesale markets. AMSTA Case Study work - Made site visits to approximately 12 food systems projects where USDA-AMS Local Food Systems Development grant funding was deployed. I anticipated that case studies will be used in future AMSTA trainings in South Carolina and other AMSTA states. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Workshops and publications as noted elsewhere. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Focus on food hub feasibility work and regional food systems assessments. Focus on publication of results.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The major emphasis of my work is onLocal/Regional/Community Food Systems Development I worked withSouthern Rural Development Center Local Food Systems Extension Committee thatculminated in a regional integrated research and extension project, SERA47: Strengthening the Southern Region Extension and Research System to Support Local and Regional Foods Needs and Priorities. Under the aegis of this project, we developed a directory of southern region Land Grant assets involved in local food systems andorganized three regional meetings of the SERA47. I served as the inaugural chair of SERA47 and led the effort to self-organize into five work groups and to formulate a comprehensive work plan. We submitted a full AFRI grant proposal to continue implementation of the work plan, but unfortunately it was not funded. I am serving as co-chair of the SERA47 sub-committee focusing on documentation of LGU response to LFS constituency demands where I am working with Steve Turner and James Barnes from Mississippi State to conduct some novel research on how targeted LGUs are branding LFS development efforts within their web presence. I serve as theSouth Carolina Lead on the Local Food Systems for Extension Agents and other Professionals, a multi-state (NC, VA, SC) collaborative project, funded through SSARE, to develop and implement a local food systems graduate level course to county Extension Agents. I serve on the Advisory Committee, several curriculum development sub-committees, and as a presenter of workshops focused on the business development and economic and social impact aspects of local food system development. We secured a second round of SSARE funding to develop this into an online course that we will blend with in-person field study events and South Carolina-specific content. I serve as theSouth Carolina Lead on the USDA-AMS Technical Assistance Program that delivered training for USDA-AMS grant opportunities for community, county, and regional non-profits, government agencies, and activists focused on local food system development and farmers market promotion efforts. An increased number of applications were submitted to USDA resulting in at least three funded projects in South Carolina. The second round of funding allowed us to provide more trainings with similar results. A third round of funding is focused on the development of case studies to highlight specific successful projects in SC, NC, and GA. Case studies were published in October 2017 and I am positioning this work with USDA-AMS to seek support to do more of this work as they position their programs for support in the upcoming Farm Bill. I served as PI of a USDA-RD grant for the Stronger Economies Together (SET) program that resulted in explicit regional goals for agricultural and food systems development, setting the stage for applied research and technical assistance on Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) development work and Food Hub feasibiltiy assessment. This resulted in a statewide workshop focused on CSA development that was attended by over 50 participants. A similar statewide workshop on food hub development is planned for 2018.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Welborn, Katie and R. David Lamie, Local Food Distribution in the Midlands: Identifying Barriers to and Opportunities for Food Producing Farmers Entering Wholesale Markets, Journal of Food Distribution Research. Volume 48, Issue 1. March 2017.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Lamie, R. David and Steve Deller, editors. Special Issue of Community Development, the Journal of the Community Development Society focused on local/regional/community food systems development and the challenge of interdisciplinary research. (September 2017)
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Lamie, R. David and Steven Deller, Motivations for a Special Issue on Local Food Systems Development, Community Development: The Journal of the Community Development Society, (September 2017)
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Deller, Steven, R. David Lamie, and Maureen Stickel, Local Foods Systems and Community Economic Development, Community Development: The Journal of the Community Development Society, (September 2017)
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Zapata, Samuel D. Olga-Isengildina-Massa, Carlos E. Carpio, and R. David Lamie. Does E-Commerce Help Farmers Markets? Measuring the Impact of MarketMaker, Journal of Food Distribution Research. Volume 47, Issue 2. July 2016.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Ebodaghe, Denis, Dave Lamie, Laban K. Rutto, Kim Niewolny, Nii Tackie, Reza Rafie, Scott Elliott, Beth Nelson, Shaniqua Armstead, and Ngowari Jaja. Proceedings of the 7th National Small Farms Conference: Creating and Sustaining Small Farms and Ranches. USDA-NIFA. 2017. Available online at http://www.vsu.edu/nationalsmallfarmconference/Draft%20proceedings.pdf.
  • Type: Other Status: Submitted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Webb, Sara and R. David Lamie. AMSTA Case Studies and Good Practices Guidebook. Development of seven case studies of USDA Local Food Promotion Program and Farmers Market Program grants in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. (in process)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Submitted Year Published: 2017 Citation: SantaMarta, Leticia Chico, R. David Lamie, and Sean Gaule. Desaf�os y opportunidades para un desarrollo viable y sostenible en la agricultura mundial (Challenges and opportunities for sustainable and sustainable development in world agriculture), Las Tierras de Castilla y Leon. Available online at https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/revista?codigo=9495 (2017)
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: 2016 Food Access Update: Evaluating Access to Healthy Food in South Carolina. Co-authored report of SC Food Access Task Force available at http://sccommunityloanfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/2016-Task-Force-Report-Update.pdf


Progress 11/13/15 to 09/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience:New and beginning farmers, local food system actors Changes/Problems:The work of this research project would be better aligned with my interests if explicit goals were developed focusing on the research needs of emerging farmers and food entrepreneurs, local food system development actors, and if it would include the production of animal products. I plan to redefine my future trajectory with this group to better align my current work with this group. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Conducted workshops with new and beginning farmers Organized and led meetings with local food system development groups including the Midlands Local Food Collaborative and the South Carolina Food Policy Council Leading Stronger Economies Together program and integrating local food systems development dimension into that work. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?publications presentations workshops What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Organized and led 11-county organization, Midlands Local Food Collaborative, that is involved in supporting agricultural and food systems change as part of a broader economic development framework for the region. Leveraging local planning organizations with research capacity to help backstop this effort. With NC State and Virginia Tech, helped to create and deliver an a graduate course for Extension Agents on local food system development. With University of South Carolina colleagues, in conjunction with the Midlands Local Food Collaborative, conducted preliminary assessment of demand for local food products with regional distributors.

Publications

  • Type: Websites Status: Accepted Year Published: 2016 Citation: https://localfood.ces.ncsu.edu/local-foods-grad-course/local-food-training-videos/
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2017 Citation: Lamie, R. David and Steve Deller, Special Issue of Community Development, the Journal of the Community Development Society focused on local/regional/community food systems development and the challenge of interdisciplinary research. Writing two articles and serving as co-editor. Currently organizing core authors and preparing open call for proposals. Funding secured to cover publication costs. Expected publication early 2017.
  • Type: Other Status: Submitted Year Published: 2016 Citation: Lamie, R. David and Carrie Baxley. Economic Impact Assessment of GrowFood Carolina. Technical Report.
  • Type: Other Status: Accepted Year Published: 2016 Citation: Welborn, Katie and R. David Lamie. Local Food Distribution in the SC Midlands. Policy brief published by USC Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities.