Sustainable Agriculture & Food Policy

"For their corporate people to take this step is very encouraging," said hook fisherman Eric Hesse of West Barnstable. Hesse, who was among a group of five Cape Cod fishermen who sold their catch of cod to Whole Foods in the first quarter of last year, said fishermen and representatives of the chain will meet next week to look into a new agreement to buy locally landed fish. "We were able to establish a relationship with them," he said. "Now, we're in the planning stages again."

"According to our study, if West Virginians bought their fruits and vegetables from local farmers during the growing season, about $190 million would stay in the state instead of flowing beyond its borders," explained Downstream Strategies President Evan Hansen. "These locally spent dollars would circulate in the economy as farmers spend more at supply stores and on other goods and services." Read the full story

Pannonia Ethanol, a corn-ethanol plant in Dunafoldvar, Hungary, is now producing ethanol. Pannonia Ethanol Zrt., a special purpose subsidiary of Ethanol Europe, hired Fagen Europe LLC as the project’s design builder for the facility, which will produce up to 240 MMly (63.4 MMgy) of ethanol in central Hungary, said Eric Sievers, CEO of Ethanol Europe. Read the full story

“More with less, save the rest.” The three key concepts set forth in this phrase have been at the center of many recent domestic and international conversations about the future of agriculture. The discussion regarding the first concept follows the logic that food production will need to double by 2050 to meet demand. This will be due to an overall increase in the global population coupled with increases in the consumption of animal protein, fruits, and vegetables as the standard of living, especially in developing countries, steadily rises.

What is the big problem you are trying to solve?On a big scale, I am working on the viability of agriculture in Vermont – addressing how farmers can produce food in a way that enhances the quality of the soil and the environment, market their products to their community, and maintain the scale of operation that provides a livable wage. Basically, we have a cheap food policy in this country which props up an agricultural production system favoring large, resource and energy intensive farms.

As a doctoral student at UC Santa Cruz studying the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement, Ann Lopez was touched by the struggles of migrant workers and the relatives they left behind in Mexico. In response, she founded the Center for Farmworker Families in 2008 to provide education and economic assistance and advocacy. But the Felton resident and San Jose City College environmental science professor knew little about the business of operating a nonprofit so she turned to the International Humanities Center for help in handling donations and accounting services.

Last week, yet another high-level report on a topic of global concern was published by yet another group of eminent experts – this one on food security and climate change. The eminent experts – the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change – were assembled by a group of donor countries and the World Bank for the one-year task of producing the report and its recommendations. Read her full analysis

A new audio slideshow explores the work of UNH Professor Drew Conroy during the year he spent in Namibia, Africa. Conroy, a professor of applied animal science at the Thompson School of Applied Science, has traveled the world teaching about and researching techniques that are helping people to sustainably feed themselves. Watch the slideshow