Understanding Perceptions of Fresh Produce Safety and Barriers to Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) Use Among Amish Growers in the Holmes County Settlement of Ohio
Addressing the complex problem of ensuring on-farm produce safety entails processes that allow for participation of affected groups, and integration of their knowledge and perceptions into the solutions. Such participatory processes, however, are difficult to develop among underserved groups, like t...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems
2016-10-01
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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/416 |
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author | Jason Shaw Parker Pamela Schlegel Douglas Doohan Jeffrey T. LeJeune |
author_facet | Jason Shaw Parker Pamela Schlegel Douglas Doohan Jeffrey T. LeJeune |
author_sort | Jason Shaw Parker |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Addressing the complex problem of ensuring on-farm produce safety entails processes that allow for participation of affected groups, and integration of their knowledge and perceptions into the solutions. Such participatory processes, however, are difficult to develop among underserved groups, like the Amish communities of Ohio, where members seek deliberate separation from mainstream society and have insular social networks and limited trust in government agents. Using a mental models framework, we present research findings that will be used to help develop an outreach program to address produce safety in Amish communities in Ohio. These findings expand our understandings of Amish growers' perceptions and knowledge of on-farm produce safety practices in the following areas: the microbial risks to fresh and fresh-cut produce; practices that can prevent contamination; perceptions of the economic feasibility of adopting these practices; preparedness for a contamination event; and information needs and preferences. Information was collected to aid the development of outreach that respects the values and goals of the Amish produce growers, which is a key factor for program success, and that encourages the adoption of food safety principles in scale-appropriate ways by addressing barriers and building rapport and trust with community members. We believe that the information learned in this study is useful to a variety of people working with Plain Communities and other non-mechanized, small-scale farmers in addition to these communities. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-12T06:18:16Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-f6d1a078c52741598922a54307a54cca |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2152-0801 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-12T06:18:16Z |
publishDate | 2016-10-01 |
publisher | Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems |
record_format | Article |
series | Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
spelling | doaj.art-f6d1a078c52741598922a54307a54cca2023-09-03T02:26:33ZengLyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food SystemsJournal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development2152-08012016-10-016310.5304/jafscd.2016.063.006416Understanding Perceptions of Fresh Produce Safety and Barriers to Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) Use Among Amish Growers in the Holmes County Settlement of OhioJason Shaw Parker0Pamela Schlegel1Douglas Doohan2Jeffrey T. LeJeune3University of VermontThe Ohio State UniversityThe Ohio State UniversityThe Ohio State UniversityAddressing the complex problem of ensuring on-farm produce safety entails processes that allow for participation of affected groups, and integration of their knowledge and perceptions into the solutions. Such participatory processes, however, are difficult to develop among underserved groups, like the Amish communities of Ohio, where members seek deliberate separation from mainstream society and have insular social networks and limited trust in government agents. Using a mental models framework, we present research findings that will be used to help develop an outreach program to address produce safety in Amish communities in Ohio. These findings expand our understandings of Amish growers' perceptions and knowledge of on-farm produce safety practices in the following areas: the microbial risks to fresh and fresh-cut produce; practices that can prevent contamination; perceptions of the economic feasibility of adopting these practices; preparedness for a contamination event; and information needs and preferences. Information was collected to aid the development of outreach that respects the values and goals of the Amish produce growers, which is a key factor for program success, and that encourages the adoption of food safety principles in scale-appropriate ways by addressing barriers and building rapport and trust with community members. We believe that the information learned in this study is useful to a variety of people working with Plain Communities and other non-mechanized, small-scale farmers in addition to these communities.https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/416Food SafetyAmishPlain CommunitiesFresh ProduceSmall-scale FarmsUnderserved Groups |
spellingShingle | Jason Shaw Parker Pamela Schlegel Douglas Doohan Jeffrey T. LeJeune Understanding Perceptions of Fresh Produce Safety and Barriers to Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) Use Among Amish Growers in the Holmes County Settlement of Ohio Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development Food Safety Amish Plain Communities Fresh Produce Small-scale Farms Underserved Groups |
title | Understanding Perceptions of Fresh Produce Safety and Barriers to Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) Use Among Amish Growers in the Holmes County Settlement of Ohio |
title_full | Understanding Perceptions of Fresh Produce Safety and Barriers to Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) Use Among Amish Growers in the Holmes County Settlement of Ohio |
title_fullStr | Understanding Perceptions of Fresh Produce Safety and Barriers to Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) Use Among Amish Growers in the Holmes County Settlement of Ohio |
title_full_unstemmed | Understanding Perceptions of Fresh Produce Safety and Barriers to Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) Use Among Amish Growers in the Holmes County Settlement of Ohio |
title_short | Understanding Perceptions of Fresh Produce Safety and Barriers to Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) Use Among Amish Growers in the Holmes County Settlement of Ohio |
title_sort | understanding perceptions of fresh produce safety and barriers to good agricultural practice gap use among amish growers in the holmes county settlement of ohio |
topic | Food Safety Amish Plain Communities Fresh Produce Small-scale Farms Underserved Groups |
url | https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/416 |
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