CEREO Newsroom Food Farming

Project Description:

Background	Team
Farming in urban-influenced regions produces the majority of vegetables and fruits grown in the United States, contributes to food security and local economic development, and can provide habitat for wildlife while buffering the impacts of development. Rapidly urbanizing Clark County, Washington, is a nationally relevant case study on threats to urban-area agriculture due to diminished access to land and water, regulations, infrastructure loss, uncertain economic conditions, and climate change. WSU Vancouver-based Environmental and Natural Resource Science doctoral student Judith Wait is researching what will be needed to retain and enhance food production capacity over the long-run. Emphasizing farmers’ perspectives, she is documenting indicators of social, environmental, agronomic, and economic sustainability and resilience, at the farm level to inform public agricultural research and extension programs. The goal is to promote farm viability and local food system resilience, and to provide important recommendations for local and state-level policy makers.	Scientist: Judith Wait, School of the Environment (Vancouver) Reporters: Shane Michard and James Cador, Murrow College of Communication (Pullman)

Background

Team

Farming in urban-influenced regions produces the majority of vegetables and fruits grown in the United States, contributes to food security and local economic development, and can provide habitat for wildlife while buffering the impacts of development. Rapidly urbanizing Clark County, Washington, is a nationally relevant case study on threats to urban-area agriculture due to diminished access to land and water, regulations, infrastructure loss, uncertain economic conditions, and climate change. WSU Vancouver-based Environmental and Natural Resource Science doctoral student Judith Wait is researching what will be needed to retain and enhance food production capacity over the long-run. Emphasizing farmers’ perspectives, she is documenting indicators of social, environmental, agronomic, and economic sustainability and resilience, at the farm level to inform public agricultural research and extension programs. The goal is to promote farm viability and local food system resilience, and to provide important recommendations for local and state-level policy makers.

Scientist: Judith Wait, School of the Environment (Vancouver)
Reporters: Shane Michard and James Cador, Murrow College of Communication (Pullman)