Browsing by Author "Foust-Meyer, Nathaniel"

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    Assessing the conservation value and food system impacts of high tunnels
    Foust-Meyer, Nathaniel (Virginia Tech, 2015-07-09)
    There is growing demand for food grown and sold locally, but climate often limits supply. High tunnels can often overcome these limitations. In order to encourage local availability and production of specialty crops the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has launched the Seasonal High Tunnel initiative. This cost-share program provides farmers with a high tunnel intended to encourage the availability of locally grown fresh produce. Using mixed-methods research this thesis examines the social, economic, and conservation impacts of the NRCS high tunnel program. We have run a county by county negative binomial regression of the NRCS high tunnel distribution biophysical, socio-demographic, and market driven factors. Additionally, 7 vegetable farms throughout Virginia were visited during the 2014 growing season to compare high tunnel and field grown cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) and tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum). Additional detail about high tunnel production and food distribution was obtained with a survey of Virginia high tunnel growers. Survey respondents indicate that the majority of their high tunnel produce is sold within 100 miles of their farm. Regression results indicate that the NRCS high tunnel program is benefiting areas where the availability of local food is high, but may be neglecting areas with historically underserved communities. Our field results show that yield and the yield per pesticide application dividend were higher in high tunnel production of both cucumber and tomato. Therefore, we conclude that, high tunnels meet conservation goals different than the ones outlined by the NRCS. The NRCS high tunnel program is promoting the expansion of local food availability. However, work remains to clarify conservational benefits and to ensure that all communities have equal access to the fresh produce they provide.
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    High tunnels for local food systems: Subsidies, equity, and profitability
    Foust-Meyer, Nathaniel; O'Rourke, Megan E. (2015)
    High tunnels are expanding opportunities to increase local food production in the midst of a globalized food system. They can overcome biophysical growing constraints by buffering temperatures to extend the growing season and shelter crops from extreme weather events. In 2010, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) began subsidizing the purchase of high tunnels. However, many questions remain about the factors influencing participation in the program and its impacts. Using mixed-methods research, this paper assesses the biophysical, market, and socio-demographic factors influencing NRCS high tunnel adoption in the U.S. and examines how food production in high tunnels affects farmers, consumers, and the local food movement. Results show that the number of NRCS high tunnels per county increased in relation to a mixture of biophysical (high latitude, proximity to the coast, small average farm size, and high percent of farmland in vegetable production), market (high direct-to-consumer sales, good access to grocery stores, and high median household income), and socio-demographic (high percentage of nonwhite population, metropolitan counties with more than 250,000 people, and adjacent urban counties with fewer than 20,000 people) factors. According to our survey of Virginia high tunnel growers, high tunnel produce is largely sold locally (within 50 miles or 80 km of production) and marketed direct-to-consumers in Virginia. Many growers in Virginia who would not have purchased a high tunnel without NRCS support plan to purchase additional high tunnels in the future even without a subsidy. High tunnels are an emerging part of the U.S. local food movement, but work remains to ensure that their benefits reach all sectors of U.S. society.
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    Mapping High Tunnels in the Local Food Systems
    Foust-Meyer, Nathaniel; O'Rourke, Megan E. (2014)
    High tunnels (HTs) represent a quietly growing, local level response to globalization of the food system. As semi-permanent greenhouses, HTs bring practical on-farm solutions to biophysical growing constraints; they extend the growing season and buffer delicate crops from extreme weather events. In 2009, the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) began subsidizing the construction of HTs with the documented goals of increasing environmental stewardship and the added benefit of promoting local foods. However, many questions remain about the impacts of HTs. Where are they located? Who is benefiting from the NRCS HT program? Do HTs benefit rural or urban communities more? Are the benefits and access to HT produce equitably distributed between rural and urban consumers? This poster will illustrate the impacts of the NRCS HT program and high tunnels in general on farmers, consumers, and the local food movement. The poster will present information about where these high tunnels are in relation to metropolitan areas, food deserts, and the food insecure. Insights provided by GIS analysis about where HTs are located will lead to better projections into where they should be, in order to bring healthy food to more people, while conserving the environment.