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Food systems are inherently complex areas of interaction between economic, environmental, and social factors. The local food movement in Vermont presents new opportunities to shape the local and regional food systems according to the values of stakeholders. In order to create the spaces necessary for reflexivity and ethical concerns it is necessary to understand food system stakeholder values. Through coding interviews with 17 stakeholders, the study identified values of producers, processors, chefs, food purchasers, distributors, advocates, state agencies, and other stakeholders. The five most commonly cited, strongly felt stakeholder values in the Vermont-regional food system were: promotion of the local food economy, financial viability, environmental integrity, community wellbeing, and quality of service or product. Understanding these values was central to the second portion of this research, which addressed the need to communicate information about the Vermont-regional food system. Indicators were selected as the most appropriate tool for this task, specifically because indicators have proven to be useful tools for communicating information in complex systems. Indicators also allow information about these systems to be framed by stakeholders, who are often the end users of the information as well. The methodology of this research was designed to integrate stakeholder and expert feedback to produce a robust and defensible indicator set tailored to the environmental, social, and economic context of the Vermont-regional food system. Each of the five most common stakeholder values were assigned three proposed indicators (condition, pressure, policy response) in order to describe critical dimensions of the food system. Finally, data behind the indicators were compiled to show trends in the Vermontregional food system related to sustainability. Areas of missing data were identified to show what information is still needed in the Vermont-regional food system in order for this system to more towards sustainability.

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Thesis advisor: Charles Derber / This paper examines the capacity of post-secondary institutions, namely colleges and universities, to assist in the development of more sustainable, socially just food systems. The global, industrial paradigm of food production and distribution creates innumerable problems related to human health and ecological degradation. Due to its reliance on cheap energy and government subsidies, in conjunction with the social and environmental costs associated with it, the industrial food system is not sustainable in the long-term. The opening chapters of this thesis analyzes the dominant trends of food production and distribution, and explores the alternative movements that have propagated in response to the devastating failures of the industrial food system. For various reasons, the education sector has demonstrated vast potential to incubate and advance these alternatives. This thesis explores the main initiatives gaining momentum throughout the education system, and attempts to discern the potential for educational institutions—in particular, institutions of higher education—to support local, sustainable agriculture and to empower the next generation of producers and consumers to take back control of their food system. Since the unique role of higher education in reforming the industrial food system remains in the realm of speculation for the time being, this paper also provides a concrete case study of sustainable food initiatives at Boston College, in hopes that further studies of this kind will continue to encourage the transition from speculation to reality. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2010. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: College Honors Program. / Discipline: Sociology.

Increasing globalization of the food system has led to a loss of food sovereignty and security in communities throughout the world. This globalized system has adopted industrial techniques of standardization and specialization as the solution to producing an abundant cheap food supply. Over time this system has become concentrated in the hands of a few transnational corporations that increasingly control every step of production from farm inputs, to distributing and processing. As a result, we have experienced the emergence of a counter movement to the corporate controlled and globally sourced dominant food system we have today. The rise of local food systems in industrialized countries developed to help solve the issues created by the current food system. This study provides insight into the barriers and opportunities to the development of local food systems, as well as the universality of these barriers. To achieve this, a multi-case study was conducted in Nelson, British Columbia; Lethbridge, Alberta; and Waterloo, Ontario. In each of these locations information was consolidated from food 'experts' or key informants, consumers, farmers, and supermarket owners/managers. Research methods included semi-structured interviews, a consumer survey, interpretation of government documents, and study site observation. Results from this study add to the empirical work on local food systems in Canada and offer a multi-stakeholder perspective of the barriers and opportunities to localization efforts. Findings suggest that the barriers to the development of local food systems are largely universal and are supportive of other empirical and theoretical works. Barriers included issues such as federal agricultural policy, health and safety regulations, consolidation of food retailing, and a demand for cheap food. The opportunities for a local food system, although more diverse and different between regions, can all for the most part be universally applied. While many opportunities exist for municipalities to enhance local food in their region, barriers created by government and industry will ultimately limit any notable movement toward a more localized food system without more significant policy changes from above. This study supports the idea that local food systems will require government assistance in order for changes from the grassroots to make significant strides in becoming less dependent on food imports.

Increasing globalization of the food system has led to a loss of food sovereignty and security in communities throughout the world. This globalized system has adopted industrial techniques of standardization and specialization as the solution to producing an abundant cheap food supply. Over time this system has become concentrated in the hands of a few transnational corporations that increasingly control every step of production from farm inputs, to distributing and processing. As a result, we have experienced the emergence of a counter movement to the corporate controlled and globally sourced dominant food system we have today. The rise of local food systems in industrialized countries developed to help solve the issues created by the current food system. This study provides insight into the barriers and opportunities to the development of local food systems, as well as the universality of these barriers. To achieve this, a multi-case study was conducted in Nelson, British Columbia; Lethbridge, Alberta; and Waterloo, Ontario. In each of these locations information was consolidated from food 'experts' or key informants, consumers, farmers, and supermarket owners/managers. Research methods included semi-structured interviews, a consumer survey, interpretation of government documents, and study site observation. Results from this study add to the empirical work on local food systems in Canada and offer a multi-stakeholder perspective of the barriers and opportunities to localization efforts. Findings suggest that the barriers to the development of local food systems are largely universal and are supportive of other empirical and theoretical works. Barriers included issues such as federal agricultural policy, health and safety regulations, consolidation of food retailing, and a demand for cheap food. The opportunities for a local food system, although more diverse and different between regions, can all for the most part be universally applied. While many opportunities exist for municipalities to enhance local food in their region, barriers created by government and industry will ultimately limit any notable movement toward a more localized food system without more significant policy changes from above. This study supports the idea that local food systems will require government assistance in order for changes from the grassroots to make significant strides in becoming less dependent on food imports.

The killing effectiveness of electron beam irradiation has not been completely characterized. The type of microorganisms and the composition of food have a direct effect on the efficiency of this technology. The objectives of this study were to select a surrogate suitable for use in electron beam irradiation studies of fruits and to evaluate the effect of sugar content on the kinetics of microbial damage and recovery. A 2.0 MeV Van de Graaff linear accelerator was used to apply irradiation (up to 5.0 kGy), using different configurations, on gelatin-based systems with the addition of sugars. The systems were inoculated with pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria strains (surrogates). Initial studies showed that Escherichia coli K-12 MG1655 is a suitable surrogate that represents the damage induced to common fruit pathogens by irradiation. The reduction in bacteria population can be maintained by storing samples at 4°C. An increase in temperature up to 20°C was enough for the damaged population to recover in 48 hours. Gelatin-based systems proved to be a simple and inexpensive medium to evaluate the effects of irradiation (up to 5.0 kGy) on selected bacteria. Reduction of the system dimensions and their positioning related to the beam source were key factors in increasing the killing effectiveness of irradiation. The sugar levels (up to 8 %) used to mimic the maturity of cantaloupes had no effect on the radiation D10 values and the recovery of the surrogate population quantified as Generation Times. The resistance of the surrogate to irradiation was validated in an optimum configuration and in cantaloupes. Temperature and sugar content caused significantly higher changes to the physical structure of the gel-based systems than irradiation (1.0 kGy). Plate counts and light microscopy techniques demonstrated that the structure of the gelatin-based systems allow for motility of the bacteria in a 3-D array (length, width and depth). When little information was available about the effectiveness of using a low energy linear accelerator, the inoculation of gelatin-based systems proved to be a reliable method to select a suitable surrogate and to predict the effects of irradiation on bacteria as a function of sugar content.

This thesis seeks to explore the impact that architecture can have on peoples' relationship with food. The industrialization of American society over the past two centuries has distance people from the source of their food; this distance has significantly contributed to an overall decreased in American health. The concept of this thesis is that architecture can have a positive impact on peoples' relationship with food and thereby help improve the health of a community. I chose a site on the outskirts of Glens Falls, New York to locate my project, the Glens Falls Good Foods Collective. This site is ideal for bringing people and food together as a few miles to the West lays the city center, while abundant farmlands fan out toward the East. The Collective combines small-scale food processing facilities for farmers with a market place for consumers. Providing an environment in which these ever-distancing demographics can interact would help reduce the gap between people and food. The goal of this thesis is to design a building that fosters a meaningful and productive connection to food by bringing people closer to its source.

Historical contexts of trauma have created a complex relationship with African Americans and farming. Further, the lack of urban participation within the food system has resulted in little knowledge of how food is produced or understanding of environmental impacts of food and fiber production. The only participation has been the consumption of food. This study indicated the importance of exposing normalized food system inequalities and fostering critical consciousness to challenge systems of oppression. Further, this study alludes to returning to the food system and reimagining taking control of the food system through a reconnection to the land as a form of resistance, protest, and liberation from oppressive systems. The school system is failing to teach about the inequalities of the food system and how youth can participate in the food system. To address disparities in education, education should be more relevant to the student population. In order to make progress toward connecting the food system and urban minority youth, new methods should be implemented to engage and connect. After-school and non-formal spaces are innovative educational opportunities to address these problems. This study was guided by critical pedagogy that challenges the current social order and culturally relevant pedagogy's cultural relevance. To break away from the oppressive banking system, students must acquire a critical awareness of the systems of oppression and confront reality critically by recognizing its causes, which will require breaking away from oppressive guidelines and the freedom of autonomy and responsibility. To assess minority youth conceptions of the food system through a hip-hop based learning curriculum, the researcher selected a group of seven students from an after-school program in Roanoke, Virginia, to participate in the workshop. The qualitative case study consisted of one workshop a week for two weeks, followed by an initial focus group. Two workshop groups were conducted after and were followed by a concluding focus group. Data sources included researcher field notes and focus group transcripts. Transcripts were analyzed using two cycles with field notes utilized for triangulation of findings. In the first coding cycle, descriptive coding paired with emotion coding was used. The second cycle of coding consisted of axial coding and then codes were consolidated by matching like codes grouped by similar categories. Finally, the researcher developed themes based on the research literature, research questions, and conceptual framework. Findings of this study include the importance of exposing normalized food system inequalities and fostering critical consciousness to challenge systems of oppression. Further, this study expressed that youth are engaged in hip-hop culture and creating culturally relevant spaces for youth allows for participation and connection that other after-school programs cannot provide. Participants presented a change in conception and developed an emerging critical viewpoint to the once-normalized systems of food access. Lastly, participants expressed interest in developing the local community and improving healthy food access. / Master of Science in Life Sciences / Creating educational spaces that support the cultural context of youth is a growing concern. Disconnection from the traditional classroom has led education researchers and practitioners to explore ways to connect minority students to the learning environment. The concern of the modern education system and its deficit in supporting minority populations has called for implementing new strategies. Outside of the classroom, non-traditional spaces have become spaces of creativity. Historical disconnection and historical trauma from agriculture has resulted in the population of minorities becoming passive recipients of an unequal food system. In order to assess the importance of exposing normalized food system inequalities and fostering critical consciousness within minority youth, a culturally relevant program was used to explore minority youth conceptions of the food system and explore their change in conceptions. Youth participated in a four-week, hip-hop-based workshop to explore the food system. This workshop challenged their perceived understanding of their local food system and the hidden inequalities within it. The findings of this study indicated the importance of exposing normalized food system inequalities and fostering critical consciousness within minority youth. Participants presented a change in their conception of the food system. Further, participants expressed emerging socio-political awareness of food access. This research study contributes to the work of culturally relevant education, the development of youth critical consciousness, awareness, and community development.

Master of Science / Department of Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Resources / Candice Shoemaker / Agriculture is a driving industry for most areas of the United States, and the Great Plains region is no exception. In the state of Kansas, agriculture is the primary industry capturing a spot in the USDA 2012 Census of Agriculture’s Top 10 states for total agricultural sales, total crop sales, and total livestock sales (USDA, 2012). Despite the thriving agricultural industry, little research has been completed on the food systems supporting Kansas communities. What are the characteristics of a local food system within the fabric of an agriculturally rich state? The goal of this study was to evaluate the characteristics and perceptions of the local food system supporting Manhattan, Kansas – a metropolitan area located in North Central Kansas. Specifically, we wanted to understand producer barriers to expanding beyond direct markets into institutional markets such as school dining services, grocery stores, and hospital food services. The objectives were to 1) understand producer concerns for selling to institutions, 2) identify resources producers need to access institutional markets, 3) understand institutional preferences for local purchasing, and 4) understand producer and institution definitions of “local” food. In February 2013, a survey was mailed to 162 Kansas producers identified within a 150 mile distance of Manhattan, Kansas. The response rate was 63% and descriptive statistics were completed. Interviews were completed with eleven local institutions in March/April 2013. Common themes were qualitatively assessed. In general, farms were small-scale, producing a diversity of products, and utilizing direct-to-consumer markets while selling to institutions on a limited basis. Producer concerns for selling to institutions included low prices, small production quantities, and delivery costs. Institution concerns included product quantities, quality, and seasonality, quality of communication, and food safety. There was no consensus on a definition for “local” food systems. Opportunities for developing the local food system of Manhattan, Kansas include increasing seasonal production, increasing producer access to resources, and fostering relationships between local producers and institutions.