NTRES331 Products Spring 2006 Power Points 2006-Agriculture-Presentation

8/14/2019 NTRES331 Products Spring 2006 Power Points 2006-Agriculture-Presentation

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Sustainable Agriculture inNew York State

Sean Williamson

Dana Shapiro

Seth Paddock


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Quest ionues t ion What existing governance mechanismsWhat existing governance mechanisms

promote sustainable agriculture in Newpromote sustainable agriculture in New

York?York?

What strategies work?What strategies work?


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What is sust a inablehat i s sus t a inab leagr icu l tu re?gr icu l tu re?

Agriculture practices that willAgriculture practices that will Satisfy human food and fiber needsSatisfy human food and fiber needs

Enhance environmental quality upon which theEnhance environmental quality upon which theagricultural economy dependsagricultural economy depends

Make the most efficient use of nonrenewableMake the most efficient use of nonrenewableresourcesresources

Sustain economic viability of farmsSustain economic viability of farms

Enhance the quality of life for farmers and societyEnhance the quality of life for farmers and societyas a wholeas a whole

(SARENE, 2006)(SARENE, 2006)


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Why sust a inablehy sust a inab leagr icu l tu re?gr icu l tu re?

AgroAgro--industrial modernization succeeded inindustrial modernization succeeded inincreasing food production but has also led to:increasing food production but has also led to: Environmental degradationEnvironmental degradation

Water pollution, soil erosion, loss of habitatWater pollution, soil erosion, loss of habitat

Economic marginalizationEconomic marginalization Farmers and regions unable to compete in the globalFarmers and regions unable to compete in the global

market face serious economic challengesmarket face serious economic challenges

Social problemsSocial problems

OutOut--migration from rural areasmigration from rural areas Loss of community vitalityLoss of community vitality

Disconnection between consumers and producersDisconnection between consumers and producers


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New York Agr ic u l t u reew York Agric u l t u re 25 percent of New York25 percent of New Yorks land used fors land used for

agricultureagriculture

3 billion dollar industry3 billion dollar industry


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Methodsethods Analysis of three existing approaches toAnalysis of three existing approaches to

sustainable agriculturesustainable agriculture

NYS Agricultural EnvironmentalNYS Agricultural Environmental

Management (AEM)Management (AEM) Sustainable Agriculture Research andSustainable Agriculture Research and

Education (SARE)Education (SARE)

NY Sustainable Agriculture Working GroupNY Sustainable Agriculture Working Group(NYSAWG)(NYSAWG)


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Agric u l t u ra l Env ironm ent a lgr ic u l t u ra l Env ironm ent a lManagementanagement Introduced in 2000Introduced in 2000 Epoch IIEpoch II

Voluntary, incentive basedVoluntary, incentive based

Offers grants to farmers whoOffers grants to farmers who comply withcomply with

environmental regulationsenvironmental regulations

Customized and localCustomized and local


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Analys isnalys is - Prosros There is a lot of money availableThere is a lot of money available -- 4545

million so farmillion so far

Places local farmers in executivePlaces local farmers in executive

positionspositions

9,000 plus farmers9,000 plus farmers

Effectiveness can depend onEffectiveness can depend on who youwho youaskask


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Analys isnalys is - Consons

Is it really sustainable?Is it really sustainable?-- monetary dependencemonetary dependence No method of measuring improvement orNo method of measuring improvement or

monitoring environmental damagemonitoring environmental damage -- focuses onfocuses on

use ofuse of bestbest management practicesmanagement practices Too much emphasis on moneyToo much emphasis on money

VoluntaryVoluntary -- no real punishments for not takingno real punishments for not taking

partpart


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Sust a inab le Agric u l t u reust a inable Agr ic u l t u reResearc h and Educ at ionesearc h and Educ at ion A federal program initiated in 1988A federal program initiated in 1988 Promotes sustainable Ag primarilyPromotes sustainable Ag primarily

through competitive research andthrough competitive research and

education grantseducation grants

Objectives consistent with definition usedObjectives consistent with definition used

in the Introduction; equal elements ofin the Introduction; equal elements ofconservation, profitability and quality ofconservation, profitability and quality of

life issues.life issues.


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Case St udyase St udy

A New York farmer submitted a projectA New York farmer submitted a projectproposal for converting her tractor to electricproposal for converting her tractor to electric

powerpower

SARE administrators reward a grant based onSARE administrators reward a grant based oncorrespondence with SARE goals and potentialcorrespondence with SARE goals and potentialapplicationsapplications

Upon completion of the project the farmerUpon completion of the project the farmerplaces stepplaces step--byby--step instructions online for otherstep instructions online for otherfarmers to utilizefarmers to utilize


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SARE st rengt hsARE st rengt hs11-- Clear goals directed at sustainable AgClear goals directed at sustainable Ag22-- Local focus and organizationLocal focus and organization

33-- IncentiveIncentive--basedbased

44-- Research instills constant innovationResearch instills constant innovation

55-- Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN)Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN)


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Regional organizat ionegional organizat ion


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Problem s w i t h SARErob lem s w i t h SARE

Limited fundingLimited funding NE region received only $2.5 million forNE region received only $2.5 million for

grants in 2006; NY involved with 12 grantsgrants in 2006; NY involved with 12 grants

Difficult to fund SARE over conservationDifficult to fund SARE over conservationinitiatives with more immediate resultsinitiatives with more immediate results (AEM)(AEM)

Practicality problemsPracticality problems

Hardships: distributing information andHardships: distributing information andvoluntary adoption of new conservationvoluntary adoption of new conservationpracticespractices


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SARE analys isARE analys is

Several characteristics of SARE encourageSeveral characteristics of SARE encouragesustainable Ag and move towards Epoch 3sustainable Ag and move towards Epoch 3

Funding major problemFunding major problem

Future policies must produce more tangibleFuture policies must produce more tangibleand immediately results while maintaining theand immediately results while maintaining the

attributes that make the research andattributes that make the research and

education mechanism so promisingeducation mechanism so promising


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New York Sustainable AgricultureNew York Sustainable Agriculture

Working GroupWorking Group

Mission: to foster and promote sustainable

agriculture practices and sustainable localand regional food systems

Vision: economically viable,environmentally sound, and socially just

community-based food systems that providecommunity food security for all New Yorkresidents


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Howow

CrossCross--constituency organizing, education andconstituency organizing, education andadvocacyadvocacy

Bringing grass roots knowledge of the foodBringing grass roots knowledge of the foodsystem to the policy arena at local, state andsystem to the policy arena at local, state and

federal levelsfederal levels Bringing new resources to the small familyBringing new resources to the small family

farmers, smallfarmers, small--scale food producers, regionalscale food producers, regional

distributors local retailers and consumers indistributors local retailers and consumers intheir efforts to rebuild sustainable communitytheir efforts to rebuild sustainable community--based food systems throughout New Yorkbased food systems throughout New YorkState.State.


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Pro jec t Ex am ples:rojec t Ex am ples:

SmallSmall--Scale Food ProcessorsScale Food ProcessorsAssociation of NYSAssociation of NYS

NY Farms!NY Farms!

Sustainable Agriculture and FoodSustainable Agriculture and FoodSystems SummitsSystems Summits

Market Gap AnalysisMarket Gap Analysis

Proposals for Federal LegislationProposals for Federal Legislation

Growing Home PartnershipGrowing Home Partnership


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Federal pol ic y holds, as a publ ic good, t heassuranc e of a a safe, nut r i t ious, and af fordablesupply o f food for a l l Amer ic ans.

Sustainable Agriculture is positioned as aSustainable Agriculture is positioned as a

means to address the problem of foodmeans to address the problem of food

insecurity in NYS.insecurity in NYS.

Increased public awarenessIncreased public awareness

New infrastructureNew infrastructure UnprecedentedUnprecedented structures for collectivestructures for collective

actionaction

Impact?


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Chal lenges and Prospec t shal lenges and Prospec t s Group DynamicsGroup Dynamics

No membership, no employeesNo membership, no employees

+ A small, cohesive Board of Directors+ A small, cohesive Board of Directors

Lack of CapitalLack of Capital+ NYS+ NYS Buy Fresh Buy LocalBuy Fresh Buy Local representativerepresentative


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Real izing synergieseal izing synergies

Public resources allocated to promotePublic resources allocated to promotesustainable agriculture should combinesustainable agriculture should combine

elements of education, research, andelements of education, research, and

direct farm payments while addressingdirect farm payments while addressingthe real needs and demands of New Yorkthe real needs and demands of New York

communitiescommunities

CollaborativeCollaborative interinter--sectoralsectoral initiatives toinitiatives toaddress interaddress inter--connected problemsconnected problems


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Quest ions?uest ions?Thank You!Thank You!

NTRES331 Products Spring 2006 Power Points 2006-Agriculture-Presentation

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