Part 2: Farmer Adoption and Diffusion of Sustainability Metrics and Standards for the United States
While sustainability tends to be viewed as a challenge for farmers, food and agricultural businesses, and rural communities, it also presents a myriad of opportunities for innovation. This research
investigates the capacity of multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) to foster a sustainability
transition in U.S. agriculture. While MSIs have the potential to diffuse sustainable practices and
technologies, the adoption of their metrics and standards remains a key challenge, and an area that
is under-researched. This study addresses this knowledge gap through examining three
MSIs – Field to Market, LEO-4000, and the Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops – that have
developed and are pilot testing sustainability metrics and standards for U.S. agriculture.
Specifically, this research examines: (1) the organizational and outreach capacities of the
three MSIs, (2) farmer perceptions of and experiences with sustainability metrics and standards,
and (3) the individual and institutional factors that affect the adoption and diffusion of sustainable
technologies and practices by farmers. The overall project goals of this research are to contribute to
more effective sustainability programs, accelerate sustainability-oriented innovation in U.S.
agriculture, and improve the wellbeing and security of farmers, food and agricultural business, and
rural communities. This study uses a mixed-method approach that includes document analysis,
interviews with MSI representatives and farmers who participated in the pilot projects, and a survey
of farmers who are knowledgeable of one or more of the three sustainability MSIs.
*Project is funded by a USDA-NIFA Grant: PI: Maki Hatanaka. Co-PIs: Jason Konefal, Leland Glenna, and David Conner. Project Dates: 2017-2020.
investigates the capacity of multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) to foster a sustainability
transition in U.S. agriculture. While MSIs have the potential to diffuse sustainable practices and
technologies, the adoption of their metrics and standards remains a key challenge, and an area that
is under-researched. This study addresses this knowledge gap through examining three
MSIs – Field to Market, LEO-4000, and the Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops – that have
developed and are pilot testing sustainability metrics and standards for U.S. agriculture.
Specifically, this research examines: (1) the organizational and outreach capacities of the
three MSIs, (2) farmer perceptions of and experiences with sustainability metrics and standards,
and (3) the individual and institutional factors that affect the adoption and diffusion of sustainable
technologies and practices by farmers. The overall project goals of this research are to contribute to
more effective sustainability programs, accelerate sustainability-oriented innovation in U.S.
agriculture, and improve the wellbeing and security of farmers, food and agricultural business, and
rural communities. This study uses a mixed-method approach that includes document analysis,
interviews with MSI representatives and farmers who participated in the pilot projects, and a survey
of farmers who are knowledgeable of one or more of the three sustainability MSIs.
*Project is funded by a USDA-NIFA Grant: PI: Maki Hatanaka. Co-PIs: Jason Konefal, Leland Glenna, and David Conner. Project Dates: 2017-2020.
Part 1: Sustainable Agriculture Metrics and Standards in the United States
This project examines the use of non-state governance to develop sustainability metrics and standards for US agriculture. In its 2010 report, the National Research Council (NRC) stated that the sustainability of agriculture is a pressing concern, as U.S. agriculture faces a series of environmental, economic, and social challenges. While U.S. government programs continue to play a significant role in governing food and agriculture, much of the regulation of food and agriculture is taking place outside of the government.
This study examines multi-stockholder initiatives (MSIs) developing sustainability metrics and standards for US agriculture. The initiatives being studies include initiatives : (1) Field to Market, (2) the Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops, (3) National Standard for Sustainable Agriculture (LEO-4000) and (4) the National Initiative for Sustainable Agriculture. The purpose of the study is two-fold. First, how does the MSI governance process work. This includes analysis of what are the practices through which participants are selected, how are MSIs organized, how are meetings facilitated, how are decisions made, and how is legitimation established and maintained. In examining these questions, a key focus is how the shift towards governance is affecting long-standing ethical values in the United States, such as trust, transparency, and democracy. Second, what vision of sustainability is promulgated by each initiative? Given that there is not consensus on what sustainable agriculture entails, how these MSIs define sustainability will influence both general understandings of agricultural sustainability and the adoption of sustainable practices by U.S. farmers.
This study examines multi-stockholder initiatives (MSIs) developing sustainability metrics and standards for US agriculture. The initiatives being studies include initiatives : (1) Field to Market, (2) the Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops, (3) National Standard for Sustainable Agriculture (LEO-4000) and (4) the National Initiative for Sustainable Agriculture. The purpose of the study is two-fold. First, how does the MSI governance process work. This includes analysis of what are the practices through which participants are selected, how are MSIs organized, how are meetings facilitated, how are decisions made, and how is legitimation established and maintained. In examining these questions, a key focus is how the shift towards governance is affecting long-standing ethical values in the United States, such as trust, transparency, and democracy. Second, what vision of sustainability is promulgated by each initiative? Given that there is not consensus on what sustainable agriculture entails, how these MSIs define sustainability will influence both general understandings of agricultural sustainability and the adoption of sustainable practices by U.S. farmers.
