Profiting from Best Management Practices: - DukeSpace

ABSTRACT
A considerable number of materials have been prepared ranging from “how to” booklets
for local farmers to highly quantitative economic analyses of the United States food system.
This report examines the economic and sociopolitical factors that must be overcome for local
agricultural to be a truly sustainable solution to a slough of environmental problems. As this
report will show, local farmers are, as a whole, more intimately tied to environmental issues and
are thus more willing to adopt sustainable practices. Academics and professionals alike
recognize the extreme hardships of transforming American agricultural policies. Nonetheless, a
few comparatively simple measures can be taken to spur local farming initiatives. Overcoming
the present barriers will require educational efforts, political reform and a fundamental shift in
the current market paradigm. Each of these components can be driven by well-designed, clear
and appropriate legislation. This document shows that a reasonable public policy must at least
shift funding to sustain small farmers, provide incentives for businesses to support local farming
initiatives, standardize food labels and publicize the benefits of buying local products in order to
secure Earth’s natural resources and ensure community stability.
METHODS
Several methods were employed to answer the research question: “What market, social
and political barriers must be removed to make local produce a truly viable alternative to
industrialized farming practices?” Given the great abundance of literature available on best
management practices, the Farm Bill and local agriculture, this investigation began with a
thorough literature review. From this review particularly pertinent topics were explored with
experts from the community, environmental consultants and members of the EPA. Later the
structure of the Farm Bill was examined in conjunction with relevant market and social issues.
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