[Foodplanning] JPER article

[Janet Hammer]

Many thanks for sharing the article! My membership to JPER lapsed so  
I was "Clueless near Seattle."
I look forward to reading the article. On first glance it reminds me  
of a 2001 piece by Anne Bellows and Mike Hamm in Ag and Human Values  
titled "Local autonomy and sustainable development: Testing import  
substitution in more localized food systems" (http:// 
www.springerlink.com/content/p5720r2p61480742/).  Both articles find  
strong advocates for sustainable food systems challenging colleagues  
to clarify assumptions and improve theoretical rigor.  One bottom  
line -- focus on objectives and outcomes rather than modes to get  
there.  A similar debate has ensued via organic and non, small versus  
large, etc.  Rather than saying, for example, small farms are good  
and large farms are bad, it is suggested that research, policy, and  
programs be framed around desired ends (e.g. soil quality, water  
quality, jobs, animal well-being, biodiversity, etc.).

In the Community Food Matters (Portland, OR) program we were  
constantly wrangling with definitions and purpose with respect to  
sustainable regional food system work.  Regarding sustainability and  
trade (scale) the following was offered in CFM documents:  
"Sustainable food products are made with attention to natural  
resource stewardship, human and community well-being, and economic  
viability. Decentralized local and regional markets are often  
suggested as part of a sustainable food system due to the potential  
to reduce environmental impacts of shipping and packing, promote  
local economic development, and reduce vulnerability of food supply.   
Trade remains an important component – both imports to satisfy needs  
and demands and exports of surplus or specialty crops; however, trade  
is considered within a framework of sustainability goals for the home  
community and the trade communities."

Some of these issues were tackled in our recent working paper on  
Sustainable Regional Food System Assessments.  I'm happy to email the  
PDF if anyone is interested.  We are considering developing the piece  
into a journal article - feedback is welcome.

Best to you all in the coming New Year. Your good work on these  
issues is appreciated.

Sincerely,
Janet


On Jan 4, 2007, at 8:50 PM, Joseph Nasr wrote:

> Hello again,
>
> I received the following message, with access to the article
> that I mentioned.
> Best,
>
> Joe Nasr
> joenasr at compuserve.com
> (alternates: joenasr at cyberia.net.lb
>                   jnasr at ryerson.ca)
>
> -------------Forwarded Message-----------------
>
> From:	Mark Purcell, INTERNET:mpurcell at u.washington.edu
> To:	"bb >> Branden Born", INTERNET:bborn at u.washington.edu
> 	[unknown], joenasr
> 	
> Date:	04/01/2007  8:24 PM
>
> RE:	(no subject)
>
>
> Joe,
>
> Hi.  Mark here, Branden's co-author.  If you want, you can post this
> link, which is to my website, for a pdf of the article.
>
> http://faculty.washington.edu/mpurcell/jper.pdf
>
> Mark
>
> -- 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Mark Purcell
> Associate Professor
> Department of Urban Design and Planning
> University of Washington
> Box 355740, Gould 410
> Seattle WA 98195
>
> Tel: (206) 543-8754
> Fax: (206) 685-9597
>
> http://faculty.washington.edu/mpurcell
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>