Circles of Association: The Connections of Community-Based Food Systems

• DOI: 10.1300/j477v01n03_02
• Publication Date: 2007-08-30T14:08:50Z
• Authors: David S. Conner; Ralph Levine
• Keywords: Association (psychology)

ABSTRACT Michigan, like many states, is experiencing a number of deep and persistent problems, including high rates obesity, unemployment, fiscal deficits farmland loss. This paper develops conceptual framework, showing how these problems are related to options available for food agricultural systems. Community-based systems (CFS) lie at the center causal loops which may reinforce series potentially positive or negative outcomes. We suggest interventions that would lead more community-based system: (1) strategies make fresh local accessible; (2) policy reverse bias against CFS promote locally grown good; (3) nutrition system education; (4) training entrepreneurial agriculture. also discuss countervailing forces such as influence those benefiting from current agribusiness corporations input suppliers, manufacturers, realties fast chains. The unintended consequence gentrification discussed. conclude with discussion future research directions, utilizing dynamics model identify levers barriers change ultimately most effective pathway toward realizing CFS' benefits. KEYWORDS: systemshealthland useeconomics