Integrating Food Systems and Local Food in Family and Consumer Sciences
Cooperative Extension programs across the United States are embracing food systems and local food as a new topic area. Previous studies indicate that successful local food programming requires cross-program collaboration. However, research in this area has underrepresented Extension educators from n...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems
2020-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/785 |
| _version_ | 1797719429648220160 |
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| author | J. Dara Bloom Joanna Lelekacs Gretchen Hofing Robyn Stout Morgan Marshall Kristin Davis |
| author_facet | J. Dara Bloom Joanna Lelekacs Gretchen Hofing Robyn Stout Morgan Marshall Kristin Davis |
| author_sort | J. Dara Bloom |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cooperative Extension programs across the United States are embracing food systems and local food as a new topic area. Previous studies indicate that successful local food programming requires cross-program collaboration. However, research in this area has underrepresented Extension educators from non-agricultural program areas, although understanding their perspectives is key to fostering cross-program collaboration. The case study presented in this paper examines qualitative evaluation data from the pilot year of the NC State Extension Master Food Volunteer (EMFV) program, which provides training in food systems and local food to Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) educators and their volunteers. Data from semistructured interviews with educators in the pilot program and from focus groups with their volunteers provide the opportunity to explore areas of intersection and divergence between local food and the FCS program area in order to determine how to best integrate FCS and local food. Findings suggest that integrating local food into FCS programming will require special attention to potentially controversial issues that require educators and volunteers to communicate with the public about scientific issues that also invoke personal values, such as pesticide use and genetic engineering. We also found that educators and volunteers felt that promoting local food was not always compatible with an FCS focus on healthy eating. Overall, this case study demonstrates the potential to engage FCS educators and volunteers in cross-program, community-based food system projects, and to provide public education in the growing field of food systems and local food. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T09:04:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7bd7e8c4aec84d15ba165be1e5e72946 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2152-0801 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T09:04:46Z |
| publishDate | 2020-02-01 |
| publisher | Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
| spelling | doaj.art-7bd7e8c4aec84d15ba165be1e5e729462023-09-02T15:23:53ZengLyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food SystemsJournal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development2152-08012020-02-019210.5304/jafscd.2020.092.013Integrating Food Systems and Local Food in Family and Consumer SciencesJ. Dara Bloom0Joanna Lelekacs1Gretchen Hofing2Robyn Stout3Morgan Marshall4Kristin Davis5North Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina Cooperative ExtensionNorth Carolina Cooperative ExtensionCooperative Extension programs across the United States are embracing food systems and local food as a new topic area. Previous studies indicate that successful local food programming requires cross-program collaboration. However, research in this area has underrepresented Extension educators from non-agricultural program areas, although understanding their perspectives is key to fostering cross-program collaboration. The case study presented in this paper examines qualitative evaluation data from the pilot year of the NC State Extension Master Food Volunteer (EMFV) program, which provides training in food systems and local food to Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) educators and their volunteers. Data from semistructured interviews with educators in the pilot program and from focus groups with their volunteers provide the opportunity to explore areas of intersection and divergence between local food and the FCS program area in order to determine how to best integrate FCS and local food. Findings suggest that integrating local food into FCS programming will require special attention to potentially controversial issues that require educators and volunteers to communicate with the public about scientific issues that also invoke personal values, such as pesticide use and genetic engineering. We also found that educators and volunteers felt that promoting local food was not always compatible with an FCS focus on healthy eating. Overall, this case study demonstrates the potential to engage FCS educators and volunteers in cross-program, community-based food system projects, and to provide public education in the growing field of food systems and local food.https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/785Local FoodCooperative ExtensionFamily and Consumer SciencesVolunteersFood Systems Training |
| spellingShingle | J. Dara Bloom Joanna Lelekacs Gretchen Hofing Robyn Stout Morgan Marshall Kristin Davis Integrating Food Systems and Local Food in Family and Consumer Sciences Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development Local Food Cooperative Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Volunteers Food Systems Training |
| title | Integrating Food Systems and Local Food in Family and Consumer Sciences |
| title_full | Integrating Food Systems and Local Food in Family and Consumer Sciences |
| title_fullStr | Integrating Food Systems and Local Food in Family and Consumer Sciences |
| title_full_unstemmed | Integrating Food Systems and Local Food in Family and Consumer Sciences |
| title_short | Integrating Food Systems and Local Food in Family and Consumer Sciences |
| title_sort | integrating food systems and local food in family and consumer sciences |
| topic | Local Food Cooperative Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Volunteers Food Systems Training |
| url | https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/785 |
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