Louise HanavanMES Candidate 2011, Dalhousie UniversityResearch Partner, Rural Research Centre

• Nova Scotia context• Research• Transition Narrative• Case studies• Policy Recommendations• Changing Policy Paradigms

Scott, Jennifer. GPI Atlantic. http://www.gpiatlantic.org/pdf/agriculture/farmviability08.pdfDerived from Stastics Canada, 2005

Scott, Jennifer. GPI Atlantic http://www.gpiatlantic.org/pdf/agriculture/farmviability08.pdfDerived from Statistics Canada, 2001

• Rural community• Agricultural tradition• (Re)localization initiatives• Personal/professional contacts

• Reveal historical factors that have led to present-day alternative agriculture initiatives

• Examine challenges and opportunities among these initiatives

• Use local-level findings to identify policy changes that could support alternative food networks

• Key informant interviews

• Community forum

• Prioritize local markets

• Perceived lack of consumer base• Consumer education / demand• Pricing• Marketing capacity of CSAs• Competition from supermarket

• Distribution capacity

• Connections between institutions and schools

(Kennedy, 2011)

• Environmental Ethic

• Farmers as educators

• Scale and diversification

“Farming is a very practical way to get involved in social change”

• Free School

• Kitchen table learning series

• Food to Bank On model

“I think another thing that helps in getting farms going is having a mentor. Good mentors locally, too. Older farmers that have been working in this area–similar conditions, markets.”

“I think another thing that helps in getting farms going is having a mentor. Good mentors locally, too. Older farmers that have been working in this area–similar conditions, markets.”

• ‘Buy local’ campaigns build ‘civic’ culture

• Need for integrated policy approach; goals

“...Farmers’ markets have really benefited from...the attention being paid to local and to food in general.”

“...Farmers’ markets have really benefited from...the attention being paid to local and to food in general.”

“These small farms get controlled to an extent that they cannot survive anymore.”

“These small farms get controlled to an extent that they cannot survive anymore.”

Geographically-scaled

• Production volume

• Market extent

• Community accountability(Delind and Howard, 2008)

• Provide start-up resources

• Consulting

• Trust Fund (e.g. Direct Marketing Community Trust Fund)

“The challenge becomes when all the farmers are interested [in forming a cooperative] but none of us have the time to set it up.”

“The challenge becomes when all the farmers are interested [in forming a cooperative] but none of us have the time to set it up.”

Agriculture as a public good

• ‘Multifunctional’ farmers

• Integrate agricultural mandate

• Bold action in trade agreements