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  • From: Robin Cheney <rpc25 AT cornell.edu>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Eating locally
  • Date: Wed, 23 May 2001 11:20:12 -0400



I can add to the list of the social science research on the topic.

My mentor (the chair of my PhD committee) has done loads of research on the
social benefits of small, local agriculture. He calls it 'civic
agriculture'. If you want to look up his research or contact him, he is the
Department of Rural Sociology at Cornell and also the Director of Farming
Alternatives here at Cornell. There are lots of grad students and other
faculty in my department who are also doing work on the social benefits of
local agriculture (myself included).

There is a classic study by Walter Goldschmidt in 1946 called "Small
Business and the Community: A study of the Central Valley of California on
the effects of Scale of Farm Operation". In this he looks at two
communities in CA, one with a local economy based on industrial ag and the
other with an economy based around local, small scale farms. No surprise
the one with local small scale farms had a higher quality of life, was more
stable, and more sustainable economically.

I am doing research right now on the local CSAs in my area to better
understand how buying and eating locally benefits the community. I have
been in the field interviewing and speaking with the farmers. I am looking
at the relationship between how the CSA organized, what kind of 'community
support' activities they facilitate and encourage, and how they view their
role in the well-being and quality of life in their community.

I also know that the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell has a
couple people researching 'community food-systems' and local agriculture.

I hope that helps.

Robin Cheney


At 10:49 AM 5/21/01 -0700, you wrote:
>Does anyone know of any reasonably scientific research
>which supports the beneficial effects of buying
>locally? Does anyone have a good research design in
>mind?
>
>AAB
>
>
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