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The goal is to enhance the sustainability of agriculture and food systems in Michigan. Key objectives include: <OL> <LI> Understand impacts of food safety regulation on Michigan farms <LI> Identify barriers and opportunities for greater use of Michigan Market Maker <LI> Understand farm succession issues in Michigan <LI> Measure potential economic impact of urban agriculture <LI> Measure production capacity and opportunities surrounding high tunnels for season extension <LI> Understand issues surrounding the viability of grass fed beef
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: This project will investigate systems and technologies to enhance farmers' decision making with regard to food safety, marketing, farm succession and technology adoption. It includes six proposed segments, each of which enhances the sustainability of Michigan's agricultural systems and its contributions to Michigan's economy. The first project investigates the current food safety regulation environment in Michigan with an eye toward understanding its impacts on small and medium scale farms. The second project will discover barriers to greater use of the Michigan MarketMaker, an interactive mapping system of businesses and agricultural products designed provide a link between agricultural producers and consumers. The third project will use a farm succession survey to inform efforts to help beginning farmers access land and other resources. The fourth project will measure the potential of urban agriculture in three Michigan cities to provide viable incomes, specifically informing efforts to provide business planning services. The fifth project will measure production capacity and opportunities surrounding hightunnels for season extension. Finally, the sixth project will contribute to ongoing research on the viability or grass-fed beef production, a model with numerous social, ecological and environmental benefits. The range of agricultural products, approaches and procedures to be researched reflects Michigan's great agricultural diversity, as well as the needs of farmers who are concerned about their impact on the environment, their relationships with their customers and community and the economic viability of their businesses. This research is designed to enhance the capacity for development of more sustainable agriculture and food systems. These projects are of a scope that their objectives are achievable within the time and resources allocated.
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APPROACH: Data will be gathered with a number of traditional methods, including key informant interviews, focus groups, written (mail) surveys, on-line surveys, and filed experiments. Qualitative data will be analyzed by coding to identify important themes and trends Quantitative data will be analyzed by statistical methods including descriptive statistics, comparisons of means, correlations and regression.