Center for Regional Food Systems

Journal & Trade Magazine Articles

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  Resilience strategies for centers and institutes focused on food systems transformation

  Published on September 27, 2024
  Drawn from the experience of directors and past directors of University-based centers and institutes focused on food systems transformation the authors lay out challenges these institutions may face and suggestions for long-term success and resilience.

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  Using Networks to Build Collaborative and Equitable Food Systems

  Published on May 17, 2023
  Local food systems are widely regarded as go-to examples for fostering rural-urban and farmer-consumer connections, but they require significant investments in stakeholder networks and the institutional infrastructure necessary to sustain and expand them.

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  Sparing or expanding? The effects of agricultural yields on farm expansion and deforestation in the tropics

  Published on January 20, 2023
  Does agricultural intensification lead to more deforestation in the tropics? Explore this topic in the February 2023 article featured in Biodiversity and Conservation

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  Un-yielding: Evidence for the agriculture transformation we need

  Published on December 28, 2022
  Through a broad review of the current state of agriculture, desired futures, and the possible pathways to reach them, the authors argue that while trade-offs between some ecosystem services are unavoidable, the same need not be true of the end benefits.

• We (All) Need to Talk About Race: Building Extension's Capacity for Dialogue and Action

  Published on October 22, 2020
  This commentary in the Journal of Extension highlights the great need for increased education and capacity building to address racism and prioritize racial equity both within our institutions and in the communities we serve.

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  Policy Memo: Michigan Farmers of Color and the Future of Sustainable Food Systems​

  Published on September 30, 2020
  This policy memo describes how sustainable agriculture with a strong orientation toward racial justice can serve as a medium for building more racial equity and transforming our racialized food system.

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  Farming for Change: Developing a Participatory Curriculum on Agroecology, Nutrition, Climate Change and Social Equity in Malawi and Tanzania

  Published on January 28, 2019
  This article describes the process of developing an innovative curriculum across 2 weeks of training for smallholder farmers with limited formal education.

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  "Put Your Own Mask on Before Helping Someone Else": The Capacity of Food Hubs to Build Equitable Food Access

  Published on December 7, 2018
  Examining 11 Michigan food hubs, this paper asks about the extent to which and under what conditions food hubs can successfully achieve their dual social and economic goals.

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  Can Farmers’ Markets in Shrinking Cities Contribute to Economic Development? A Case Study from Flint, Michigan

  Published on May 24, 2018
  This article examines the extent to which the Flint Farmers’ Market produces positive spillover effects on nearby businesses in downtown Flint, Michigan.

• Opportunities and Barriers to Growing Michigan's Local Food System: The Case of Meat Processing

  Published on August 8, 2017
  This paper details some of the challenges that occur within and between the three tiers of the Michigan meat value chain; at the producer, processor and regulatory level and how they impact meat offerings in local food channels.

• Measuring PH and Water Activity in Cured Reduced Oxygen Packaged Snack Sticks

  Published on August 8, 2017
  A comparison of in-house and third party pH and water activity (aw) testing of cured, reduced oxygen packaged meat products was conducted.

• Implementing Collective Impact for food systems change: Reflections and adaptations from Michigan

  Published on May 9, 2017
  As Collective Impact (CI) gains popularity across food systems change efforts, few scholars and practitioners have evaluated whether this collaborative social-change framework is well suited to food systems work.

• Characterizing Rural Food Access in Remote Areas

  Published on April 17, 2017
  Chronic disease is a leading cause of poor health, disability, and death in the United States, with low dietary quality viewed as a large contributor to this burden.

• A Replicable Model for Valuing Local Food Systems

  Published on November 1, 2015
  Authors were able to estimate the current economic contribution of Michigan's local food system and explore the chain of transactions giving rise to consumption of locally sourced goods from producer to processor to consumption.

• The Role of Values in Food Hub Sourcing and Distributing Practices

  Published on September 24, 2015
  There has been rapid growth of interest in planning and operationalizing food hub enterprises across the country. Some of these entities aim to increase food access for underserved consumers.

• Race, Ethnicity, and the Promise of "Good Food" for Michigan: A three-voice commentary

  Published on August 11, 2015
  This commentary calls out the need for new tools and resources for local food students, researchers, educators, and advocates to better understand the role structural racism plays in the U.S. food system.

• Predictors of Food Hub Financial Viability

  Published on May 25, 2015
  This research attempts to identify key differences between food hubs that appear financially viable and those that do not by examining operational characteristics and spending profiles in food hubs studied in the 2013 National Food Hub Survey.

• Food Hubs: Definitions, Expectations, and Realities

  Published on March 25, 2015
  There is general agreement that food hubs are principally regional food aggregators/distributors well positioned to fill a number of social roles and services not traditionally provided by wholesale food companies.

• Organic Raspberry Production in Three-Season High Tunnels

  Published on February 19, 2015
  Growing organic raspberries using season extension offers a great opportunity to extend the production season and harvest high quality berries.

• Farmer Perspectives of Farm to Institution in Michigan: 2012 Survey Results of Vegetable Farmers

  Published on January 12, 2015
  Local food purchasing programs at institutions offer benefits including supporting farms and local economies, encouraging more healthful eating habits of patrons and fostering closer connections between farmers and consumers.