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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!