Farming Systems, Resilience, and the Ecology of Ag

Review from previous classes...

Definition of Agroecology

Agroecology is a science, a movement, and a set of practices open to everyone involved in food - farmers, consumers, academics, advocates, eaters, etc. This area of inquiry called Agroecology is comprised of research, education, action, and change that brings sustainability to all parts of the food system: economic, ecological, and social. Agroecological approaches are independent of scale and can be practiced from the smallest garden to thousand acre fields. Agroecology is transdisciplinary, participatory, and action-oriented!

Principles* of Agroecology:  Cycles, Diversity, Participation

• *though there are plenty of other paradigms (CIDSE, FAO, etc.)

A general conceptual transition plan towards a deepening agroecology that is scale independent:

• Level 1 - Increase input use efficiency, reducing the use of costly, scarce, or environmentally damaging inputs (Crop & Soil Management, Animal Husbandry)

• Level 2 - Substitution of costly, scarce, or environmentally damaging inputs for locally produced, abundant, regenerative & renewable ones (Crop & Soil Management, Animal Husbandry)

• Level 3 - Redesign the Agroecosystem so that it functions on the basis of a new set of ecological processes that provide system resilience. (Ecology of Ag Systems)

• Level 4 - Reconnecting the two most important parts of the food system - consumers and producers - through the development of alternative food networks (Food Systems)

• Level 5 - On the foundation created by the sustainable farm-scale agroecosystems of level 3 and the sustainable food relationships of level 4, build a new global food system based on resilience, participation, localness, fairness, and justice - that is not only sustainable but also helps restore and protect Earth’s life-support systems (ALL + MORE!)

Diversity of Farming Systems

Monoculture vs. Polyculture AND Annual vs. Perennial (Permaculture may be distinct from these yet...)

Think of a couple of systems you have seen in your life that fit each of these (remember cycles, diversity, participation):

1. Monoculture Annual; corn & soy, wheat, oats, etc.

2. Monoculture Perennial; kernza, sugarcane, palm oil, Christmas trees, tea, pasture dominated by a single species of grass, low diversity orchard

3. Polyculture Annual; any kind of cash crop with cover crops inter-seeded (i.e. corn and rye growing at the SAME time and place), lentil-grain mixed cropping

4. Polyculture Perennial; WPP-Agroforestry, Syntropic Agriculture

5. Perennial+Annual Mixed Polyculture; Alley Cropping

• Now - think of how you would integrate animals into these systems (remember cycles, diversity, participation).

• Now think about what might be some barriers to implementation?  Scale? Economics?  Knowledge?  Support?  A Market?

• On top of these systems we can then add certifications like Organic, Demeter (biodynamic), Regenerative Organic, Certified Naturally Grown, non-GMO, etc.  These exist mainly as gate keepers to maintain integrity and let the public know what they're getting.  They cost money and infrastructure to maintain but may also provide access to higher value markets.

Ecology of Agricultural System

Biogeochemical Cycles

Scales of Ecology

Genetic Diversity & Food

Animal/Plant Integration

Carbon Farming

Stock and Flow Assignment

Resilient Agroecosystems

A framework to assess the resilience of farming systems

1. Step 1: Resilience of what? – Characterizing the farming system

   1. • historically shaped paradigms, sense of belonging, interests and opportunities

2. Step 2: Resilience to what? – Identifying key challenges

   1. • shocks vs. long term stressors, reversible vs. permanent

3. Step 3:  Resilience for what purpose? – Identifying desired functions of the farming system

   1. • Private Goods (for sale) and Public Goods (for everyone)

4. Step 4: What resilience capacities? – Assessing resilience capacities

   1. • Robustness, Adaptability, Transformability

5. Step 5: What enhances resilience? – Assessing resilience-enhancing attributes

   1. • diversity, modularity, openness, responsiveness of feedbacks, system reserves

What is food system resilience?

Resilience is the ability to prepare for, withstand, and recover from a crisis or disruption.

A resilient food system is able to withstand and recover from disruptions in a way that ensures a sufficient supply of acceptable and accessible food for all.

Example from the Meat Packing Industry:

• Large Meat Plants:  During COVID many meat packing plants were running at diminished capacity or shutting down all together.  Animals already existed that needed to be processed but there was nowhere for them to go.  As a result animals were (i) sold for extremely low prices (below cost of production) in order to recoup the losses or were (ii) mass culled and buried to avoid crashing the market.  Mass culling created welfare issues across the food supply chain which has led to calls for large scale reform (better health insurance for workers, stop gap measures, etc.).  The problem of killing millions of animals also led to inhumane culling methods.  In addition other shocks to the system such as the ransomware attack of the multinational JBS meatpacking corporation demonstrate continuing vulnerabilities in large scale meat processing.  High throughput assembly line meat processing is very fast and efficient (i.e. Miller Poultry) - but it is also extremely fragile and not very nimble in the face of shocks to the system.  This can be ameliorated by regulations (i.e. slowing down the line speed and providing worker protections) - but much of this fragility still remains.

• Small to Medium Processors:  During COVID medium processors like Miller were able to slow down their lines and still process.  Smaller processors like Gunthorp Farms were able to run their line the entire time but had to pivot because of the loss of almost all of their restaurant accounts overnight (Clay Bottom did something similar with veggies).  Small direct-to-consumer businesses like Seven Sons and Hawkins Family Farm actually saw an uptick in business and folks were turning to local or regional sources of food.  Meanwhile local processors who continued to work throughout the pandemic saw a huge surge in business (Krider's Meat Processing, Integrity Meats, Roland's Processing, Pork 'N Cleaver); this has lead to long waiting times (10+ months!) to get an appointment.  Indiana allows for state-inspected meat to be sold within Indiana which has helped with the availability of local processors - but the dearth of options for local processing continues to be a weak link.

• The Solution?:  Currently with meat consumption as it is in the USA it is crucial to maintain both large high-throughput processors to meet demand while also cultivating and growing medium and small processors to provide resilience to our system.  This would require an overhaul of regulations and incentives and would result in increased local and regional participation in the food system

What Types of Shocks Might We Expect to Hit our Farming Systems?

• Climate Change Impacts for Agriculture:

  • • • Heat (animal stress, corn/soya stress, etc.)

      • Intensified Water Cycle and/or Novel Timing of Precipitation (water availability, recharge; soil erosion; type of precip - rain on frozen ground)

      • Novel Pest Cycles (insects, parasites, weeds) and Pathogen Life Cycles

      • Increased Opportunities for Invasive Species

      • Change to Pollinator Live Cycles

      • Decomposition of Residues and Labile Soil Carbon

Maps Found Here

Resilience Design in Smallholder Farming Systems: 

Below you can peruse resilience advice from a non-profit focusing internationally on small-holder farmers:

Scales and Types of Food Systems

Scales

• Worldwide - we talk about the "global food system" or a subset like "global fisheries", etc.

• National - we talk about the "American food system" 

• Regional - when we talk about "Regional Food Systems" the size may vary.  Northeast Indiana?  Indiana?  The Midwest?

• Local - when we talk about "Local Food Systems" this indicates a very small area but remains ambiguous.  Oftentimes the definition includes a close connection between producers & consumers and a focus on keeping money circulating locally.

Types

• Conventional - characterized by economies of scale, emphasis on efficiency and vertical integration, highly specialized and depends on industrial agriculture

• Alternative - by definition just any other food systems not based on those above - *note these are unfortunate characterizations because all food systems can incorporate things like vertical integration, etc.

  • • Community-Based - used to emphasize type regardless of scale.  The term community-based is often used instead of local where there is a desire due to a need to emphasize a larger spatial region while still connecting food production with economic and community development. Ideally, community-based, sustainable food systems are food systems in which everyone has financial and physical access to culturally appropriate, affordable, nutritious food that was grown without degrading the natural environment, and in which the general population understands nutrition and the food system in general.  Focus is on enhancing the environmental, economic, and social/nutritional health of a particular place.

    • Cooperative - can have either producer co-ops or consumer co-ops.  Examples include Organic Valley, Maple City Market, CSAs, and more...

    • Organic - a commonly-encountered system that is often-times now simply a parrallel to conventional systems except it is regulated by a set of specific guidelines

    • Local - often confused with Community-Based - see above

    • Fair Trade - an attempt for the producer to keep a larger percentage of the retail price.  Often used in international trade for high value luxuries like chocolate and coffee

    • Sustainable Food System - incorporates many aspects of alternative food systems; Sustainable food systems start with the development of sustainable agricultural practices, development of more sustainable food distribution systems, creation of sustainable diets and reduction of food waste throughout the system

(Some) Ways to Get Food from Farm to Fork

• Corporate Grocery Store and Conventional Food System

• Farmers Markets

• Farm to Table Restaurants

• Direct to Consumer

• Herd Share

• Co-ops

• Others???