2013 Annual Report Project Narratives

4

Michigan State University
Farm-to-Institution: Guiding Marketing and Pricing Decision for Small and Medium Sized Farms .

Principal Investigator: D. Conner

Accomplishments & Outputs:
This project documented opportunities and barriers to farm participation in Farm to Institution programs in Vermont and Michigan. Interviews were conducted in both states (about 20 each), as well as a farmer survey in Michigan and a buyer's survey in Vermont. Results have been shared at numerous scholarly and outreach meetings. One outreach-oriented piece has been published on-line at the NOFA VT website. Lesson plans for marketing and pricing are in development. One peer reviewed article in in press and four more are under review. Pilot distribution programs based on results are underway and will be evaluated in the coming months. A new research project is being developed to understand how farmers can scale up form direct to wholesale sales.

Publications:

4

Hatch/Multistate
Renewing an Agriculture of the Middle: Value Chain Design, Policy Approaches, Environmental and Social Impacts .

Principal Investigator: D. Conner

Accomplishments & Outputs:
The purpose of this project is to measure the prevalence and nature of strategic partnerships in Vermont's livestock supply chains (particularly farmers and processors). A total of 18 interviews have been completed; results are currently being analyzed. Preliminary results have yielded a set of indicators which will be tested in a statewide survey of farmers and processors. Results are being shared with members of the Farm to Plate Meat Processing Task Force , who are assisting in survey design. We anticipate the survey will be launched about December 1, 2013. Results of both interviews and surveys will be shared through the task force and in scholarly journals. Future research will focus on implementation of best practices identified in he research.

Publications:
none

4

Walker (Alex C.) Foundation
Green Tax and Common Assets Project .

Principal Investigator: J. Farley

Accomplishments & Outputs:
The Vermont Green Tax and Common Assets Project researches, educates and disseminates information on recovery of unearned income from common assets such as the monetary system, speculation, land, minerals, spectrum and other resources. We investigate green taxes on throughput including depletion, land use, and pollution. Additionally, we investigate the feasibility of redirecting some income from common assets to citizens in the form of a dividend. In 2012-2013, we worked on numerous fronts: removing the tax penalty on construction and development in Vermont "Downtown" districts, fossil fuel taxes for thermal efficiency, renewable energy financing, and public banking. We investigated the impact of a land value tax shift in downtowns, confirming there would be no reduction of funding for the education tax. Since the city of Newport voted in favor last spring, we developed a legislative strategy to get this tax bill through the legislature. We worked with the Thermal Efficiency Task Force to devise a funding mechanism for the weatherization of 60,000 homes in Vermont. We participated in the Treasurer's capital gaps study, which resulted in the diversion of $10 million of state cash funds to the Vermont Economic Development Authority for commercial renewable energy projects, and $6.5 million to the Vermont Housing Finance Administration. Legislation was submitted in House bill H.385, which funded VEDA and VHFA, as originally suggested to the state Treasurer by project Manager Gary Flomenhoft. This was our single most significant accomplishment this year. We testified in favor of extraction fees and collection of economic rent from bottling companies via a wholesale tax on bottled water sales to retail stores. We provided testimony on Senate bill S.55 concerning the mechanism of credit creation by a public bank. We planned an input/output model of the impact of a state bank using IMPLAN with the help of the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) at UMass. We submitted extensive testimony on various issues to the legislature, tax department, VNRC, the city of Newport, and other agencies this year including groundwater extraction, land value tax shift in Downtowns, thermal energy tax for weatherization, and public banking and finance. We completed studies of groundwater fees and wholesale taxes on bottlers and testified to the Senate Finance committee. We disseminated our study on a Newport land value tax to VNRC and the tax department. We briefed the thermal energy task force on our analysis of the funding options for thermal efficiency. We compiled an analysis of public credit potential of a state bank and testified to the Senate committee on government operations. We planned to conduct an input/output analysis on potential loans from a state bank, and completed this study in October, 2013. We are in the process of finishing a complete public bank analysis by December, 2013.

Publications:
Farley, J., M. Burke, G. Flomenhoft, B. Kelly, D. F. Murray, S. Posner, M. Putnam, A. Scanlan and A. Witham (2013). Monetary and Fiscal Policies for a Finite Planet. Sustainability 5(6): 2802-2826.

4

Ohio State University
Small and Medium Scale Farm Growth, Reproduction and Persistence at the Rural-Urban Interface: Balancing Family, Goals, Opportunities and Risks .

Principal Investigator: S. Inwood

Accomplishments & Outputs:
The purpose of this project is to understand how values, goals and motivations influence small and medium farm persistence and growth. To date we have finished Phase I and completed the data collection for Phase II. We are currently analyzing the 100 interviews conducted in the 4 case study counties. We have developed and launched a project web site and are revising the final drafts of community outreach pieces tailor designed for each case study site. These overview briefs include a description of the project and the unique agricultural and community characteristics of each site. We are using the data collected to develop a farmer survey that will be sent out to farm households in each of the case study sites. We have identified the names and addresses of potential respondents to survey. We are drafting press releases to be sent out prior to the survey launch to inform the communities about our research and the relevance of the research to their communities. There are two graduate students who will be recieving their masters and PhD off this project. One is analyzing the definition of success among the different types of farmers interviewed. Two important issues that have come out of the interviews are the importance of child care and health insurance for small and medium farms. The most notable accomplishment has been that because of this project Shoshanah Inwood was invited by USDA ERS to be part of a special Transitions in Agriculture: Implications for Research, Data Development and Policy Analysis in March 2013. She provided the overview of social and cultural issues impacting farm transition. This led to an invited and published article in Choices Magazine. There have also been a significant number of conference and conference poster presentations made on the research to date including:

2013 Inwood, S. M. Linking the Cost of Health Insurance and Child Care to Future U.S. Food Production. 2013 Yale Food Systems Symposium. Paper Accepted August 2013.

2013 Garrett, V., Sharp, J.S., Clark, J.K. and S.M. Inwood. Agricultural Legacy, Consequences for the Present. Rural Sociological Society Annual Meeting. New York, NY.

2013 Inwood, S.M. Health Insurance: How Does it Influence the Development and Growth of Agriculturally Based Economic Development? Agriculture, Food and Human Values Meeting. East Lansing, MI.

2013 Clark, J.K., Inwood, S.M., and D. Jackson-Smith. The Exurban Land Use Policyscape: Does it Support Local Food Systems? Agriculture, Food and Human Values Meeting. East Lansing, MI.

2013 Poske, S., Inwood, S.M. and J.K Clark. The Growth and Persistence of Small and Medium Sized Farms Located at the Rural-Urban Interface. Agriculture, Food and Human Values Meeting. East Lansing, MI.

2013 Garrett, V., Sharp, J., Clark, J., and S.M. Inwood. Farmers Perspectives on the Local Food Movement. Agriculture, Food and Human Values Meeting. East Lansing, MI.

2011 Inwood, S.M. Motivations and Values of Farmers at the Rural Urban Interface. Agriculture, Food and Human Values Annual Meeting. New York, New York.

Publications:
Inwood (2013). Social Forces and Cultural Factors Influencing Farm Transition. Choices Magazine. 2nd Quarter.

4

National Institute of Food and Agriculture/Department of Agriculture
Impacts of Multifunctional Operations on Long Term Sustainability and Prosperity for Small and Medium-Sized Farms and Rural Communities .

Principal Investigator: C. Liang

Accomplishments & Outputs:
Multifunctional farms support local and regional food systems by contributing to social, economic, and ecological sustainability. This project fucses on gathering primary data from all New England farmers to (1) understand distribution of multifunctional agriculture across states; (2) examine social, economic, and entrepreneurial impacts of multifunctional agriculture on local/regional economic development; and (3) develop future policy recommendations to support multifunctional operations in the US. Over 30,000 farmers in New England region participated in 2 surveys (a postcard screeing survey and a detailed farm survey). Detailed data were collected to examine farm profile, production characteristics, types of multifunctional operations (agritourism, value added, direct sales, and off farm jobs), entrepreneurial characteristics, challenges, barriers, and future outlook. Although Census information did not show significant economic contribution of multifunctional operation to improving overall economic returns across regions in the US, the New England multifunctional agriculture showed more promising future and financial opportunities for farmers comparing to other regions. Each state has very different profiles in types of multifunctional operations. Farmers' experience, age, and education also influence decisions of participating in multifunctional operation. Over 20 professional presentations have been offered to producers, service providers, researchers, extension educators, and other professional events. A new project in Hawaii has been developed and is undergoing to expand the multifunctional study to support Hawaiian producers. Over 5,000 scholars, producers, and service providers in the US and at international level have received papers and presentation materials from this study. Specific farming strategies and marketing planning have been introduced and implemented by farmers in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Louisiana. The impacts of this study goes beyond New England region, and next step is to expand collaboration and to consider wider impacts of multifunctional operations to include social, economic, and ecological perspectives.

Publications:
Brown, J., Goetz, S., Ahearn, A., & Liang, C. (2013) in press. Linkages between Community Focused Agriculture, Farm Sales, and Regional Growth, Economic Development Quarterly. Available online http://edq.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/10/12/0891242413506610

Liang, C. & Dunn, P. (2013). Discovering Heterogeneity of Entrepreneurs - A Comparison of Food and Non-food Entrepreneurs, Academy of Entrepreneurship.

Thilmany, D., Conner, D., Curtis, K., Liang, K., Mulik, K., O'Hara, J., Sullins, M., & Woods, T. (2013). Researching market and supply-chain opportunities for local foods systems: Setting priorities and identifying linkages. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2013.034.018

Liang, C. Chapter 2 Innovative Marketing Strategies using Network Analysis, Innovations in Services Marketing and Management: Strategies for Emerging Economies, Editor: Anita Goyal, 2013, IGI Global Publishing. ISSN: 2327-5502.

Liang, C. and Su, Flora. (2013). Understanding the Relationship Between Multifunctional Agriculture, Community Resilience, and Rural Development and Resilience, Poster, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, Washington, DC, August 4-6.

Liang, C. and Su, Flora. (2013). Understanding the Relationship Between Multifunctional Agriculture, Community Resilience, and Rural Development and Resilience, Poster, Federal Reserve System Conference, Washington, DC, April 10-12.

Liang, C. and Slone, T. (2013). Multifunctional Agriculture in New England - Financial Implications, poster, 2013 Northeast Organic Farm Association conference, Burlington, Vermont, Feb 15-17.

Liang, C. and Dunn, P. (2013). Buy Local - Restaurant Owners' Perceptions, Importance for Practitioners, and Policy Implications, 2013 Small Business Institute Conference, St. Pete Beach, Florida, February 14-17.

4

Hatch
Do Networks Improve the Effectiveness of Promotion for Vermont Wine Producers? .

Principal Investigator: C. Liang

Accomplishments & Outputs:
Wine industry is one of the most evovling Food industries in Vermont. It also contributes significnatly to Vermont Food System and Tourism. The focus of this project is to explore and analyze social network impacts on profitability and marketing effectiveness for winery producers in Vermont and Northeast region. Over 300 winery producers in the Nortehast region participated in a survey asking information about winery operation, profile, financial outcome, challenge, barrier, entrepreneurial characteristics, and future outlook.Many winery producers connect with associations and wine trail networks to promote wine sales and other events. However regulations at state level present various requirements and limitations for winery producers to elaborate resources to offer more products and services to customers. There is no sigificant differences in financial outcomes for winery producers to participate in any particular networks. However social networks indeed encouraged producers to collaborate and to advance their promotional strategies. A specific form of winery social network has a center leader who is the most established producer in a region. The leadership of more established producers assist other producers to develop trust and mutual respects. The analysis and implications of this research has been presented in more than 10 professional meetings/conferences in workshops, paper sessions, and panel discussion sessions. The next step is to establish a framework to describe the structure, actors, and relationships among wine network participants and comapre differences across different states in the Northeast region.

Publications:
1. Liang, C. Chapter 2 Innovative Marketing Strategies using Network Analysis, Innovations in Services Marketing and Management: Strategies for Emerging Economies, Editor: Anita Goyal, 2013, IGI Global Publishing. ISSN: 2327-5502.

2. Liang, C. Chapter Volume III, Chapter 2: Conducting a Market Analysis for a Social Venture. Social Entrepreneurship (Four volume set), Editor: Thomas S. Lyons, Ph.D., Baruch College, City University of New York, Publisher: Praeger/ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara, CA (2013)

3. Brown, J., Goetz, S., Ahearn, A., & Liang, C. (2013). Linkages between Community Focused Agriculture, Farm Sales, and Regional Growth, Economic Development Quarterly. Available online http://edq.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/10/12/0891242413506610

4. Thilmany, D., Conner, D., Curtis, K., Liang, K., Mulik, K., O'Hara, J., Sullins, M., & Woods, T. (2013). Researching market and supply-chain opportunities for local foods systems: Setting priorities and identifying linkages. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2013.034.018

4

National Institute of Food and Agriculture/Department of Agriculture
Enhancing the Profitability and Sustainability of Small and Medium Sized Dairy Farms through Artisan Cheese and Other Valued-Added Products .

Principal Investigator: Q. Wang

Accomplishments & Outputs:
The major goal of this project is to collect primary data from cheesemakers, consumers, retailers and farmers, analyze the data, and provide technical and business management information, training and recommendations for assisting small and medium dairy farms to produce and market farmstead and artisan cheese and other value-added dairy products through integrated research, extension, and education activities. Major project activities this year include (1) completion of three research articles based on the consumer survey and producer survey, (2) development of survey of the participants of the the workshops offered by the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese, and (3) offered more than 20 training classes, including a business management class, in Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese (VIAC) for farmers and other individuals who are interested in artisan cheese. Also, a MS thesis from this project received the 2013 Master's Thesis Award of Merit from the Northeast Agricultural and Resource Economics Association. In the coming year, the research will focus on the retailer survey and publish more results of the research.

Publications:

4

Hatch
Converting cow manure into electricity and other energy products on dairy farms: Financial and economic analysis and policy implications .

Principal Investigator: Q. Wang

Accomplishments & Outputs:
The major objectives of this project are to collect primary data from Vermont dairy farms with operating methane digester systems, assess the financial and economic feasibility of converting cow manure into renewable energy products under alternative market and policy scenarios, examine consumer preferences and willingness to pay for Cow Power and other renewable energy products, and develop educational materials and provide information and recommendations to dairy farmers, legislators, consumers, and other stakeholders. During this year, our research team has collected primary data from five farms with operating digester systems, published one research article in Energy Policy, completed one MS thesis at the University of Vermont, and presented one paper at an international conference. The two investigators also visited three farms with operating digester systems in China in June 2013. We will continue our data collection and analysis and publish our research results next year. We also plan to conduct a comparative analysis of the digester systems in Vermont and China.

Publications:
Thompson, E., Q. Wang, and M. Li. 2013. Anaerobic digester systems (ADS) for multiple dairy farms: A GIS analysis for optimal site selection. Energy Policy 61: 114-124.

Valchuis, L. 2013. Re-localization of energy and food: Anaerobic methane digestion and alternative food systems in Vermont. The University of Vermont MS thesis.

4a

University of Connecticut
The Economic and Environmental Sustainability of Small and Medium Size Dairy Farms in New England: An Integrated Research-Extension Program .

Principal Investigator: R. Parsons

Accomplishments & Outputs:
The purpose of this project is to examine options available that will enhance the viability of small and medium size dairy farms in the northeast. The host research unit is the University of Connecticut with a part of the project being conducted by the University of Vermont. The research focus of the University of Vermont has been the economic viability of organic dairy farms through analysis of the profitability of a sample of organic dairy farms in Vermont. For 2011 and 2012 tax year, we have collected economic and production data from organic dairy farms across Vermont. In 2011, we interviewed 41 farms and in 2012 we interviewed 36 farms. The data was collected on a visit to the farm. We reviewed the farm's tax form and record book for farm expenditures, production practices, and farm income. Data was compiled and analyzed. For 2012, the most recent year, we found that the average farm had a 1.8% return on assets from 58.6 cows producing 12,834 lb milk per cow/year. Average milk price was $33.39. This is slightly lower than in 2011 and indicates that with a higher milk price, many organic dairy farms are not sustainable economically. When examined by profit group, the top third farms averaged 5.8% return on assets while the bottom third averaged a -2.5% return on assets. Nearly 48% of the farms in the study had a negative return on assets. The results indicate that the organic dairy sector is in a fragile position. Many of the farms do not have the income to provide a minimal living to the operator. This means that additional income, either from a higher milk price, more production per cow, or adding more cows, must be secured if these farms are to remain economically viable. Results have been shared with policymakers, farmers, lenders, and public officials. 753,340 12,834 $33.39 ,

Publications:
O'Hara, Jeffrey, and Robert Parsons. 'The Economic Value of Organic Dairy Farms in Vermont and Minnesota.' Journal of Dairy Science. 96-9(2013):6117-6126.

4a

University of Delaware
Farm Business Succession Education for Sustainable New England Vegetable and Fruit Farmers .

Principal Investigator: R. Parsons

Accomplishments & Outputs:
This project funded by the Northeast Center for Risk Management Education is a continuation of past programs designed to provide farm business and intergenerational transfer and transition to farmers in New England. Since 2005, this programs led by the University of Vermont Extension, has conducted more than 35 workshops in Vermont New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island for more than 1300 participants. From January 1, 2012, to Dec 31, 2012, the project conducted 7 workshops with 1 in Maine, 2 in Vermont, 2 in New Hampshire, and 2 in Connecticut, and 1 Lite program in Vermont for 286 participants. Two of the workshops were in conjunction with groups, the Northeast Vegetable Conference, and the Vermont Christmas Tree Association. An additional 30 farmers were consulted on TTF issues through farm visits and phone calls. In addition, 2 farmer testimonials were added the growing online video library. The two new testimonials include a permaculture farmer who has used some unique tools to develop his farm. The 2nd video was about a farm orchard family who has transferred the business and now needs to address the land transfer issue. The videos, now 24 in total, are on the web at web at: http://www.uvm.edu/farmtransfer/?Page=videos.html. Evaluation results indicate the workshops have been quite successful. We found that 69% were satisfied or very satisfied with the workshops; Instruction on the topics of retirement, estate taxes, farm transition, and health care issues very effective. Participants indicated significant increases in planning to discuss with family members, contact a professional, write or update a will, and develop a business plan. About half of the participants were male. The most frequent age was 65 and above while 14% were under age 35, 18% age 35-44, 19% age 46-55, and 21% age 56-65. Results and education programs on the web and all educational material is available at the Ag Risk Library.

Publications:
Parsons, Robert. Now is the time to consider the future of your farm business. Agriview. 76-4:7. March 15, 2012.

4a

Foreign Agricultural Services/Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Credit .

Principal Investigator: R. Parsons

Accomplishments & Outputs:
The purpose of this program was to provide applied education in agricultural credit and finance to USDA sponsored Cochran Fellows from Central American. The USDA program funds the travel and educational costs for individuals who qualify for the Cochran Fellowship Program to come to the US for the applied education. This is the 2nd group of Cochran Fellows that Dr. Parsons provided education for. The Fellows came from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. The training was conducted in Vermont on August 12-23, 2011.The Fellows received intensive training in ag finance and credit by completing a finance course designed for new Farm Loan Officers and made field trips to visit lenders, farmers, and farm service providers to get a better handle on the application of ag lending procedures in the US. The program included approximately 30 hours of classroom training on financial principles including use of the balance sheet, income statement, cash flow, and financial ratios in credit analysis and identifying financial problems. In addition field trips were made to US government lending agencies, cooperative banks, commercial lenders, a Vermont dairy farm, a vegetable/CSA farm, met with UVM Extension on producer education programs, visit to the UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, and even met with a representative of the Quebec government to examine ag credit procedures in Canada. At the completion of the course, each Fellow developed their own action plan to of what they planned to do in their home country as result of the training. Major steps included developing training programs for ag lenders and bankers in their own countries, train public agricultural officials on the importance of credit availability and use, and train lenders on how to train farmers on financial literacy. These goals were part of the USDA program to enhance the impact of the program in their home countries. Evaluations indicated that the training was one of they had ever had on the application and needs for ag credit from both the perspective of the country, lender, and farmers. Results were disseminated by the USDA to USAID, the Senate and House Ag Committees, and development training programs.

Publications:
none

4a

University of Delaware
Farm Transfer Education for New England Farmers .

Principal Investigator: R. Parsons

Accomplishments & Outputs:
This project funded by the Northeast Center for Risk Management Education is a continuation of past programs designed to provide farm business and intergenerational transfer and transition to farmers in New England. Since 2005, this programs led by the University of Vermont Extension, has conducted more than 35 workshops in Vermont New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island for more than 1300 participants. The goal for July 1, 2012, to Dec 31, 2013, is to provide education through day long workshop, programs as part of other educational programs, conduct one-on-one education, and expand the library of Farm Transfer videos available online to a national audience. In the past year we have conducted 11 workshops in Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Maine for 240 participants. We have published 2 articles on farm transfer issues, produced 1 video, and now are preparing the taping of 2 farms for testimonials. The day long workshops provided instruction and discussion farm transfer issues such as estate planning, retirement, taxes, wills, trusts, sales and gifting of assets, and legal business organization. The programs also include an attorney and farmer panel who describe what they accomplished. In this past year we have also included more information on medical care by covering Medicaid and funding of long term care. The results of the workshop indicate that they have been very effective in providing education to the participants. Results indicate that they have gained significant knowledge on major topics that they intend to move forward on transfer activities ranging from updating wills to seeing an attorney to discussing transfer challenges with family. Results from past workshops indicate that it often takes several years to farmers to move from the consideration stage to the action stage in implementing farm transition plans.

Publications:
Parsons, Robert. Death and Taxes Part II - State Taxes. Onpasture (electronic). October 14, 2013. http://onpasture.com/2013/10/14/death-and-taxes-part -ii-state-taxes/

Parsons, Robert. Tips for transferring a farm to the next generation. Onpasture (electronic). September 9, 2013. http://onpasture.com/2013/09/09/tips-for-transferring-a-farm-to-the-next-generation/

4a

Risk Management Agency/Department of Agriculture
Risk Management Education Training in Existing and Emerging Crop Insurance Products in Vermont for 2012-2013: Beginning, Socially Disadvantaged, Transition Farmers and Those Farmers Converting Production and Marketing Systems .

Principal Investigator: R. Parsons

Accomplishments & Outputs:
This project is a partnership education program with the USDA Risk Management Agency with the intent to provide education to Vermont producers on available crop insurance options and other risk management topics on production, financial, marketing, legal, and human resource risk that farmers face almost daily. The objective is to provide education to farmers however whenever the opportunity presents. In this manner the project sponsors and co-sponsors educational programs with UVM Extension faculty, UVM Extension Farm Viability Program, and in partnership with Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT), Vermont DHIA, and Africans Living in Vermont. Since 2000, crop insurance policies have increased, with greater buy-up percentage, more protection purchased, more farmers aware of the different options. In the project year, October 1, 2012, to September 30, 2013, the project sponsored 680 workshops and face to face farmer contacts reaching 8,177 individual producers. These programs were conducted by 20 UVM Extension faculty and staff members and also conducted by NOFA-VT and Vermont DHIA. Some of the programs include on-on-one contact through UVM Extension Farm Viability, maple education programs, Vermont Dairy Conference, Vermont Fruit and Berry Growers conference, crop production state meetings, pesticide education, agronomy field days, pasture walks, Vermont Grazing Conference, NOFA-VT Conference, apple programs, farm marketing food handling workshops, production workshops for immigrant farmers, new farmer trainings, farm transfer education, etc. If there was an educational program that provided risk management education to farmers, the project helped to fund the project and provided crop insurance education. Education results have been shared with the USDA Risk Management Agency, UVM Extension, and other groups. There is a certain aspect to this project that makes it somewhat unique. Many of the results are reported under individual faculty but many of the educational events may not have had occurred without the Crop Insurance educational program. Crop Insurance and other risk management educational programs are a constant on-going effort of UVM Extension and this program enabled all educators to enhance that educational process. Since UVM Extension has been conducting Crop Insurance Education, Vermont has seen a significant increase in crop insurance coverage including nearly 50% increase in the number of buy-up policies where farmers are purchasing significantly greater coverage than the basic catastrophic policy. We have been instrumental in qualifying Vermont farmers for soybean insurance policies, and are now trying to get coverage for grape producers. In the coming year we plan to continue efforts to reach as many producers as possible for risk management education.

Publications:
none

4a

Foreign Agricultural Services/Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Credit 2013 .

Principal Investigator: R. Parsons

Accomplishments & Outputs:
The purpose of this program was to provide applied education in agricultural credit and finance to USDA sponsored Cochran Fellows from Albania. The USDA program funds the travel and educational costs for individuals who qualify to come to the US for the applied education. This is the 3nd group of Cochran Fellows that Dr. Parsons has educated. The training was conducted in Vermont on July 16-26, 2013. The program included 30 hours of classroom training on financial principles from training material used by the USDA Farm Service Agency for training farm loan officers. The course included detailed instruction, examples, and exercises on the balance sheet, income statement, cash flow budget, financial ratios, and analysis of farm finances so to identify financial problems. Education was very interactive with each of the Fellows leading their colleagues through the group exercises. The base of training focused on learning how to use the financial instruments in assessing credit needs and working with potential clients to result in viable loans for the lender and borrower. Field trips were made to the USDA Farm Service Agency, Yankee Farm Credit, a commercial lender, a Vermont dairy farm, a vegetable/CSA farm, met with UVM Extension on producer education programs, visits to 2 marketing cooperatives, and met with a representative of the Quebec government to examine ag credit procedures in Canada. These visits all emphasized the relationship between the host and producing farmers. From these visits, the Fellows learned and discussed how lending activities were conducted, challenges, and key practices that limited defaults and promoted successful lending, production, and marketing. Several key lessons came from the farm visits. First the need for records to make decisions was emphasized. Second, the role of planning was stressed. Third, the farmers stressed how a lender was a key partner in their farm business management. These key lessons emphasized the involvement between the farmer and agricultural credit provider. The course wrapped up with discussions of technical and cultural challenges. Albania does not have a liquid land market with makes collateral a difficult issue. We also discussed the lack of trust between lenders and borrowers and how different programs such as Farm Viability would address this challenge. We also had a section led by another expert on lending efforts to women, minorities, and limited resource farmers. Addressing these issues requires addressing Albanian cultural practices but discussion raised the recognition of these important topics and how Fellows could make changes in their banks' operations. The course finished with each Fellow discussing key aspects of the training they were taking back home and each developed a plan of action of steps they would strive to implement in 6 months, 1 year, and 3 years. These goals were part of the USDA program to enhance the impact of the program in their home countries Each Fellow also completed a confidential evaluation. Results confirmed that the training was an excellent program, highly effective, highly valued, and conducted with excellent instructors.

Publications:
none

4b

Hatch
Food system engagement and dietary decisions: quantitative inquiry .

Principal Investigator: D. Conner

Accomplishments & Outputs:
This project measured the frequency of and correlations among food system engagement indicators and barriers (developed in an earlier phase of the project) in a representative sample of the state. It also measured the impact of engagement and barriers on fruit and vegetable consumption. Its purpose was to inform efforts to foster greater engagement and identify and reduce barriers to fruit and vegetable intake. The survey was administered, preliminary analysis has begun. Results will be reported in a peer reviewed food systems journal. Important questions will include how the results can best be used by practitioners.

Publications:

4b

Vermont Attorney General's Office
Consumer Assistance Program .

Principal Investigator: J. Kolodinsky

Accomplishments & Outputs:
UVM and the VT Attorney General's Office operate the Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) to provide education and complaint mediation services to assist consumers in resolution of complaints against businesses. In FY2012, CAP received over 8,000 consumer complaints or requests for information and recovered in excess of $300,000 in consumer restitution. CAP does outreach work through our web and Facebook pages, our monthly newsletter that is distributed to advocacy groups and the media, our presentations at senior centers, and through the issuance of media advisories on issues of current interest or concern. Program staff direct attention to the leading areas of consumer complaints including debt and financial matters, used car sales, regulation of propane, and outreach and education about scams and consumer fraud.

Publications:
none

4c

National Institute of Food and Agriculture/Department of Agriculture
Building Resilience Through Community-Based Action Research: Identifying Vulnerabilities and Facilitating Change in Rural Mobile Home Parks .

Principal Investigator: D. Baker

Accomplishments & Outputs:
Mobile home parks provide critical affordable housing options for low-income residents in rural areas of the United States. The majority of these parks were built before environmental regulations or land use planning was in place. Consequently, many parks are located in areas vulnerable to natural hazards, such as flooding, where mitigation would have been required if permitted today. The combination of low incomes, relatively high population densities, and poor site planning increases the vulnerability of mobile home parks to a wide range of disasters. The primary goal of this three-year research proposal is to increase the resilience to disasters of mobile home parks in the rural state of Vermont using an action-research approach, and builds upon more than five years of prior collaborative research with mobile home park communities. Disaster resilience for residents will be increased through hazard identification, community organization, emergency planning, and improved coordination between key stakeholders such as resident associations, the emergency management system, affordable housing institutions and governmental agencies. This research project uses existing and new data to evaluate and increase the emergency preparedness of mobile home parks in the state of Vermont. Using statewide and park-scale surveys, integrated into a participatory action research framework, the project will build the capacity of low income communities to respond to disaster. Since the beginning of the project Tropical Storm Irene and the spring flooding in 2011 exposed the vulnerabilities of mobile home parks in Vermont when 154 mobile homes in parks were destroyed. In an article the project research team published in 2013 overlay analysis revealed that 31.9 percent of all mobile home parks in the state have some of their land in floodplains, and that 20.2 percent of all mobile home parks have at least one house in the floodplain. Statewide, our assessment found 11.7 percent of mobile homes in parks are in flood plains. A key element in this assessment was an existing GIS dataset showing the location and E911 addresses of residences, an outcome of Vermonts decision to geolocate all residences in the state and make that dataset publically available. Similar data is available in most states but has not been made public. The research demonstrated the benefits to policy-makers and emergency planners of creating and making available accurate E911 GIS databases of residences. The application of this exposure assessment to increase the resiliency of mobile home parks to flooding is discussed. In addition to a published journal article, this research has been disseminated through presentations at emergency management conferences in and outside of Vermont, housing conferences as well as numerous meetings with local emergency planning committees (LEPC). A website has been developed to share project information and a database documenting Vermont mobile home park vulnerabilities will be available in Jan. 2014. Currently, the project is working with two mobile home parks to develop and exercise park-scale emergency response plans.

Publications:
Baker, D., S. Hamshaw, K. Hamshaw (2013) Rapid Flood Exposure Assessment of Vermont Mobile Home Parks Following Tropical Storm Irene. Natural Hazards Review. Advance online publication Dec. 2012.

4c

National Institute of Food and Agriculture/Department of Agriculture
Enhancing the Sustainability of Food Systems through Service Learning-based Entrepreneurship Education and Outreach .

Principal Investigator: D. Conner

Accomplishments & Outputs:
Conducted 20 interviews of food entrepreneurs; data is being coded and prepared for publication. A survey based on major themes is about to be launched. One peer reviewed journal article is under review. Three more are in process. Results have been presented to two professional meetings and will be included in the state food systems plan later this month. A summer symposium is in the planning stage; it will begin to develop the curriculum for food based entrepreneurship.

Publications:
none

4c

Vermont Center for Geographic Information
Vermont Broadband Mapping Initiative .

Principal Investigator: J. Kolodinsky

Accomplishments & Outputs:
The purpose of the Broadband Mapping Project is to develop a thorough base of knowledge of the level of Broadband service infrastructure across VT. This information is being used to inform Broadband infrastructure deployment in under-served/unserved areas of the state. Websites, press releases and other forms of public dissemination are currently under way. State of Vermont agencies utilize the information gathered to inform their work plans as they relate to the goal of providing universal broadband access to Vermonters.

Publications:
none

4c

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service/Department of the Interior
Economic Analysis of Lake Champlain Fisheries .

Principal Investigator: J. Kolodinsky

Accomplishments & Outputs:
The goal of this research is to provide baseline data describing the amount and type of direct spending made by licensed anglers while fishing Lake Champlain and its tributaries. This economic information can be used to quantify (a portion of) the economic impact of a clean, functioning Lake Champlain basin watershed system. Lake Champlain Angler spending data have been collected from VT and NY licensed anglers. This information will be analyzed and reported to project stakeholders.

Publications:

4c

National Institute of Food and Agriculture/Department of Agriculture
Food System Research and Community Development Outreach in Vermont .

Principal Investigator: J. Kolodinsky

Accomplishments & Outputs:
All sub-awards associated with this project have been awarded and all sub-awarded projects have been completed. The Vermont State Data Center (VT SDC) has engaged in outreach and educational activities regarding Census data products, including providing information on how to access and disseminate data to a variety of Vermont data users. The VT SDC continues to respond to telephone, email, and in-person data requests as they occur. The VT SDC has also engaged in network development with numerous data user groups around Vermont, including librarians, academics, municipalities and other organizations. The VT SDC has also enlisted the services of a data-linking provider in order to transition to providing more timely data using the American Community Survey data releases as a base product for data users. The work carried out by the VT SDC also included creating an entirely new web platform to complement the existing "VT Indicators Online" web site. This platform can be expanded in scope to provide automatically trended data for a wider array of key indicators produced locally (by Vermont data providers) in addition to Census and other Federal data sources. The Center for Rural Studies (CRS) led an investigation of Farm to School programs in Vermont over the academic year 2012-2013. Data collection was supervised by CRS, and collected by students in the UVM Food Systems M.S. program and the Honors College, and through a UVM Undergraduate Summer Research Grant. A brief telephone survey was designed in collaboration with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, The Vermont Community Foundation, and members of the Vermont Farm to School Network. The Vermont Farm to School Census contacted 306 primary and secondary schools and completed telephone interviews with 267 schools. CRS hosted a panel presentation on interpreting data provided by the Vermont State of the State Address. Understanding the State of the State - by the Numbers attracted roughly 50 people and was rebroadcast on CCTV multiple times. CRS also hosted Making Change: Is it worth a penny an ounce? in partnership with the Food Systems Research Collaborative. The panel attracted roughly 50 people and was covered by local online newspaper WCAX.com. The CRS Fellows program accepted seven Fellows for its first cohort. Fellows, selected from UVM faculty, work with a CRS staff member to develop and/or conduct research of mutual interest. Examples of ongoing collaboration include developing research questions, developing proposals for new research projects, implementing and evaluating research projects, and translating research findings for presentation to a lay audience. The annual Vermonter Poll was conducted and longitudinal data was collected to understand internet and broadband access by Vermonters. Results of the poll indicate continued but slow progress in connecting Vermonters.

Publications:
Kolodinsky, J, R. Johnson, R. Watts, S. Heiss, and M. Moser (2013). Exercising Our Right to Health with Excise Taxes on Sugary Beverages. Food Politic: Journal of Food News and Culture. May 7. Available: http://www.foodpolitic.com/exercising-our-right-to-health-with-excise-taxes-on-sugary-beverages/

Berlin, Linda, Jane Kolodinsky, and Kim Norris (2013). Farm-to-School: Implications for Child Nutrition. Journal of School Health. 83(8): 589-95

Kolodinsky, Jane, DeSisto, Thomas, Propen, David, Putnam, Mathew, Roche, Erin, and Sawyer, W. (2013). It's not how far you go, it's whether you can get there: Modeling the effect of mobility on quality of life in a northern rural climate. Journal of Transport Geography. 31 (2013)113-122

4c

Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission
Sustainability Indicators .

Principal Investigator: J. Kolodinsky

Accomplishments & Outputs:
Sustainable communities strive for development that is environmentally sound, economically viable and socially equitable. To know whether progress is being made toward these goals requires sound and agreed-upon performance indicators. The Center for Rural Studies assisted the ECOS Project Consortium in the development and collection of specific indicators to guide the region and its municipalities as they make development decisions to implement sustainable community development plans. A key focus was the development of metrics and indicators that are meaningful for use in rural areas and at the municipal level. The indicators developed for the ECOS Project will be published annually in a standalone regional indicator update for Chittenden County. The first draft of indicators has been included in the Chittenden County Regional Plan which was adopted in June 2013. This work has been shared nationally through the US Department of Housing and Urban Development Partnership for Sustainable Communities Consortium. The Center for Rural Studies continued this work in 2013 with the Northwest Regional Planning Commission Healthy People, Strong Communities Initiative and continue working with the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission East Central Vermont Sustainability Consortium through 2014. Sustainability indicators in Vermont rely on data collected by state agencies and the US Census. As regions, communities, and organizations move towards developing performance measurement plans there is a need for third-party, non-bias, expertise to lead indicator development. This project has resulted in a process for indicator development with large groups of stakeholders. This project has identified reliable and available indicators of sustainability that can be used at the regional level. This project has identified gaps in available data that require primary collection, i.e. quality of life indicators. Chittenden County will benefit in the short term. In the long term similar Vermont communities, Regional Planning Commissions, and groups of stakeholders, required to conduct this performance measurement plans will benefit from the indicators that have been selected for Chittenden County and the process that has been developed by the Center for Rural Studies.

Publications:
none

4c

Peace Corps (PC)
Peace Corps Strategy Contract 2013 .

Principal Investigator: J. Kolodinsky

Accomplishments & Outputs:
The Peace Corps is a federal volunteer organization that was founded in 1961 to spread world peace and friendship through the implementation of community development projects in countries of need that have requested its presence. Since then, the Peace Corps has had programs in over 180 countries worldwide and over 200,000 returned volunteers. This project funds a strategic campus recruiter representing Peace Corps that is located conveniently within the UVM community to best serve interested applicants. The University of Vermont has a strong tradition of interest and one of the highest number of applicants to the Peace Corps of any college campus in the nation. The role of the strategic campus recruiter is to engage with the campus community through information sessions, class talks, community events and attendance of campus career fairs. The campus recruiter also has established office hours and is available upon appointment to communicate in a flexible nature with the student body. The campus recruiter is given a specific agenda and quota goals for applications and events by Peace Corps headquarters in New York, New York. These accomplishments include implementing a specific number of events (those mentioned previously) with the goal of generating 25 applicants per year to Peace Corps. The university currently supersedes this goal, having generated 37 applicants in 2012. There is obviously a strong symbiotic working relationship between the University and Peace Corps that has continued to go beyond expectations and provide students with a valuable opportunity for a post graduate experience that will benefit them greatly professionally and personally. Based on the successful outcomes of the University's relationship with Peace Corps so far, it is fully expected that the high number of applicants will continue into next year and Peace Corps will continue to be a valued part of the UVM community.

Publications:
The Peace Corps position does not generate publications in peer edited journals.

4c

Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission
Performance Measurement Program for East Central Vermont Sustainability Consortium .

Principal Investigator: J. Kolodinsky

Accomplishments & Outputs:
Sustainable communities strive for development that is environmentally sound, economically viable, and socially equitable. To know whether progress is being made toward these goals requires sound and agreed-upon performance indicators. To successfully identify performance measures that quantify the impacts of project plans requires a facilitated and iterative process that is grounded in the local context. The project seeks to collect baseline data that tell the story of the region across eight sector areas of: housing, transportation, climate adaptation, economic development, water supply, energy, habitat, and health. These indicators are often referred to as system level, headline, baseline, or population level indicators. Indicators have been iteratively identified and historic trend data, with projections, are being populated in online and hard copy reports for public dissemination. Multiple public hearings have been held to review and refine the indicators while increasing public awareness.

Publications:
none

4c

Kennebec Valley Community College
Kennebec Valley Community College TACT 25 Evaluation Plan .

Principal Investigator: J. Kolodinsky

Accomplishments & Outputs:
In August 2013, the University of Vermont Center for Rural Studies (CRS) began to provide project evaluation services for the Maine Community College System's Kennebec Valley Community College's federal Department of Labor TACT 25 Growing Maine Agricultural Sciences grant award. CRS will assist in the evaluation of student and program outcomes and impacts, as well as analyzing the implementation of the Growing Maine project to ascertain progress towards meeting the goals and objectives of the grant. At this time, the workplan has been established and the methods and instruments have been submitted to the Committee on Human Subjects Institutional Review Board for review.

Publications:
No publications have be published during this reporting period.