Farmer Identities and Motivations Prompted by Farm to School Programs in the Mid-Atlantic United States
Lucas, Rebecca.
2019
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Farm to School (FTS) is an umbrella term for activities that
connect students and schools with food producers. These often include serving
locally sourced food, providing nutrition education, and/or tending school
gardens. FTS popularity in the United States has been growing in recent decades.
Studies have shown that farmers are mostly attracted to FTS for social reasons,
rather than economic ... read moreor environmental. There is more to be understood about why
farmers consider participating in FTS. Farmer identity is most often
conceptualized as a dichotomy: either a productivist focused on increasing outputs
and profits or a post-productivist dedicated to conservation and environmental
sustainability. Currently, no studies examine the presence of these two identities
or other potential identities propelling farmer's consideration of FTS as a viable
market. Identity theory was used as a conceptual framework in this study to
examine 13 interviews with Mid-Atlantic fruit and vegetable farmers who
participate or considered participating in FTS. The productivist was relevant
among farmers considering or participating in FTS. The "educator," the "health
advocate," and the "philanthropist" all emerged as additional identities
associated with FTS. Understanding more about why farmers consider FTS may help
encourage more program participation through more specifically tailored technical
assistance and outreach efforts.
Thesis (M.A.)--Tufts University, 2019.
Submitted to the Dept. of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning.
Advisors: Shomon Shamsuddin, and Sean Cash.
Committee: Megan Lehnerd.
Keyword: Agriculture.read less - ID:
- 2801pv371
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- TARC Citation Guide EndNote
