Link: http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/afri-small-medium-farms-fy18awards/
In this article, The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) discusses the recent financial contributions of $5.8 million made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for 16 educational projects that aim to “support research on the continued viability and profitability of small and medium sized farms.” (NSAC, n.d). The Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities (AERC) has awarded these research opportunities to accredited universities as part of a research & grant program that is supported by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI). The main purpose of this article emphasizes the imminent need to improve sustainable agriculture in order to strengthen the long-term resilience of rural farming communities. Moreover, the article also mentions that these organizations are emphasizing a greater shift to increase overall fruit and vegetable production in order to expand new market opportunities for small and medium-sized farming operations. Of the 16 research projects described in the article, there were five major initiatives that were explained in detail.
Firstly, the Rural Coalition aims to scale up rural resilience in minority communities through forum discussion with a project, called ‘Best Farm Business and Conservation Practices for Minority, Veteran, and New Entry Producers.’Secondly, the University of Florida has introduced a new program, ‘Improving Profitability and Environmental Stewardship for Small-Medium Sized Farms,’ which designs and shares BMP for rural farmers in order to increase revenue. Thirdly, the University of Idaho is addressing a gender-based labor disparity in the rural farming economy through an innovative research project, titled “Women Farmers on the Rise in the U.S and Idaho: Understanding and Supporting Women Farm Operators.” Fourthly, Mississippi State University has introduced a project called, “The Southern Region Heir’s Property Collaborative,” which investigates the regional implications of developed land and property stocks in an effort to optimize under-utilized spaces for greater rural needs. Fifthly, North Carolina A&T State University has built a conference titled, “Data-Driven Approach for Enhancing Participation of 1890 Land Grant Universities in Competitive Funding Programs,” which uses data-analytics and surveying to improve informational access regarding the funding portfolio of 1890 Land Grants Universities.
I believe that financial grants awarded to each university for research programs are necessary for long-term solutions in order to develop and implement new sustainable agricultural practices in small and medium-sized rural communities both now and in the future. It is often in the best interest of these universities to perform this kind of agricultural research, because this mutually benefits the institution as well as the rural farming communities in the area whom contribute to our global food supply. This research ultimately affects the livelihoods of farmers, who stand to lose or gain from these grants at large. However, I also believe a strict focus on individual research is often a far-sighted solution. The long-term needs and overall viability of rural farmers in the contemporary market must be addressed in greater depth moving forward.
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