| More and more so, diverse fields of studies are informing other areas of research and questioning many commonplace assumptions that these fields have held. The common theme that runs through this dissertation work is the value of using statistical and "big data" tools to take a fresh look at a range of contemporary issues relevant to the "Local Foods Movement" to find innovative solutions to today's problems.;The initial question studied in this dissertation is whether there are consequences of transitioning farmland from conventional to Organic use in different ways. In order for land to be certified for Organic production, all synthetic inputs (i.e., fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides) must all be removed for three years prior to the land being certified. Most commonly growers remove all three categories of inputs simultaneously in order to minimize the duration of the requisite transition period; farmers typically experience a decline in yields during this period. Given the fact that each of these inputs has both unique and synergistic impacts on both soil biota and tilth, it may be the case that the order in which these inputs are withdrawn matters. It is possible that a longer transition period due to a staggered withdrawal of synthetic inputs may result in less yield reduction through the transition. A long term field study run at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems in Goldsboro, NC was conducted to test this hypothesis. Results indicated that staggered and longer transition periods can be effective at minimizing and even eliminating the commonly experienced yield reduction.;One of the most outstanding issues confronting civil society today is how to best allocate public resources for the betterment of total social welfare. In order for these allocations to be rational and informed decisions, society must have an understanding of how stimulating one part of the economy will ripple through the rest. Because of differing degrees some businesses work with other businesses in their local communities, these ripples can vary in magnitude. The size of these ripples is commonly known as the "multiplier effect." An unsettled question is whether farms/agricultural related businesses that sell "locally" (i.e. direct to consumers as opposed to traditional wholesale channels) have a different multiplier than those that don't. While there are databases that claim to contain this information, there are strong reasons to believe they do not accurately represent the Local Foods economy. This project found evidence that farms that sell "locally" are associated with a higher multiplier and that currently available databases represent the relevant portion of the agricultural economy poorly.;The final issue considered in this dissertation is a holistic and unbiased analysis of various drivers of farmland loss. It is well know that once farmland goes out of use it rarely returns to production. Economic theory argues that farmland going into and out of production is tied to changes in the net economic value of that land being used in a variety of ways. However, both work in sociology and related fields has raised the possibility that these changes may also be influenced by non-economic factors as well. The possibility exists that vibrant communities may be able to harness synergies between agricultural businesses and supporting industries so that the overall impact of the economy is greater than the sum of the individual parts; the potential for these synergistic relationships to impact the movement of land into and out of farming needs to be further explored. In order to determine what changes in society drive changes in the amount of farmland, a complex exploratory analysis was undertaken. This analysis found that both economic and social changes are important drivers of farmland loss. |
