��̽̽ - Food Systems - Graduate

FSRC Graduate Fellow: Bailey Kretzler

saa — Thu, 30 May 2024 14:57:52 +0000

Bailey Kretzler is a PhD student in the department of Plant and Soil Science and Food Systems Research Center Graduate Fellow. Kretzler researches how root architectural complementarity and root nutrient complementarity impacts the soil microbiome, specifically within the Three Sisters polyculture of corn, beans, and squash.

FSRC Graduate Fellows engage in meaningful research across a broad spectrum of Vermont and global food systems. Their transdisciplinary studies represent the diversity of food systems, addressing aspects ranging from agricultural practices to human nutrition to the management of food waste.

Kretzler’s advisor is Eric Bishop von Wettberg, professor in the Plant and Soil Science department. Kretzler’s research is part of the FSRC-funded Gene by Environment by Management project run by von Wettberg and Extension Professor and Agronomy Specialist Heather Darby.

About the FSRC:
The ��̽̽ Food Systems Research Center (FSRC) is the first USDA-funded research center to study the interconnectedness of all parts of a regional food system, from farm practices to food access. They work to uncover solutions to pressing issues through the lens of food and farming. As pioneers in USDA-funded research, the FSRC is at the forefront of discovering how what’s on our plate affects our society and the planet.

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Kretzler studies the root architecture of the Three Sisters polyculture of corn, beans, and squash.

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Cheese, Cream, and Community: Sustainable Dairy Lightning Talks

saa — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 15:53:43 +0000

On a snowy Wednesday afternoon in March, the lecture room of the newly renovated Patrick Leahy Building buzzed with activity as students, faculty, and staff gathered to learn about sustainable dairy practices – and to eat delicious cheese.

Three post-doctoral fellows – Bryony Sands, Andrew Magnuson, and Felipe Machado de Sant’Anna – gave lighting talks on their research in sustainable dairy food systems, as part of the Food & Ideas Gathering (FIG) seminar series. The post-docs were members of a cluster-hire by the ��̽̽ Food Systems Research Center to work with ��̽̽ faculty collaborating with the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

Byrony Sands shared her research project entitled “Sustainable dairy pastures: dung, dirt, and biodiversity.” With a PhD in Agroecology from the University of Bristol in England, Sands aims to forge collaborative strategies for the future of food and farming that are inclusive and socially relevant. Sands is also a fellow at the Gund Institute for the Environment.

Andrew Magnuson brought humor to his talk with the punny title, “Moo-difying the fat content of dairy foods to improve human health.” Magnuson researches how agricultural practices and food processing influence lipid related bioactive compounds in diary. He earned his PhD in Animal Nutrition at Cornell University and is trained as a USDA chemist.

Felipe Machado de Sant’Anna presented “Beyond the Rind: Delving into Vermont's Cheese Resistome.” With a PhD in Animal Science from the Veterinary School of the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil, de Sant’Anna’s research focuses on molecular microbiology and microbial ecology. He has recently accepted a faculty position at ��̽̽.

FIG is a monthly event sponsored by the Food Systems Research Center (FSRC) and the Food Systems Graduate Program. This speaker series aims to foster research collaboration, create community, and engage in conversation about transdisciplinary approaches to issues and solutions within the food system.

The next FIG seminar will be Wednesday April 17th at 3pm at Leahy 102. Amy Trubek will speak about the new Climate Kitchen maker space and Joshua Faulkner and Deb Neher will speak about the upcoming Soil Health Research and Extension Center.

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Postdoctoral fellows gave lightning talks on their research at the Food and Ideas Gathering

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FIG attendees learned about food systems research topics and stick around for discussion with delicious food.

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Vermont Farmers Share Struggles and Resilience in Face of Climate Change

saa — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 20:57:15 +0000

The Food & Ideas Gathering (FIG) seminar series wrapped up its first semester of programming last week with a panel of Vermont farmers on the topic of how climate change has and continues to affect their livelihoods.

The panel consisted of Matt Lasser from Reap and Sow Farm, Hilary Martin from Digger’s Mirth, Bruce Hennessey from Maple Wind Farm, and Ransom Conant from Conant’s Riverside Farm. Kate Longfield from the Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition served as moderator.

“Climate change has impacted us significantly,” shared Ransom Conant. “We were inundated with the flood in July which resulted in losing probably 30-40% of our forage corn and 30-40% of our hay crop. Those are big numbers, tough numbers."

Hilary Martin spoke about the personal impact from this summer's flooding. “We don’t have the emotional stamina to really weather this. Not to mention the finances,” said Hilary Martin. “How do we plan the farm so that when and if we get hit, we come back that much better?”

Flooding has been huge, but not the only issue pressing on the farms. They struggled with unpredictable frost dates, compressed growing season, heat, longer periods of drought, and other aspects of the changing climate.

After the panelists spoke, the conversation continued with questions from ��̽̽ staff, students, and faculty.

“We are grateful to the farmers for sharing their experience with us and look forward to how their stories might influence future research,” said Event organizer Allison Spain, Food Systems Graduate Education & Research Programs Coordinator.

The FIG speaker series will return in the spring with a new theme focused on food systems and natural sciences. Keep to date with this event and other FSRC news by subscribing to the FSRC newsletter.

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Food and Ideas Gathering Wraps Up First Semester with Insightful Panel on Challenges in Agriculture

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Hilary Martin of Digger’s Mirth shared her farms experience during the July 2023 flooding at Decembers Food and Ideas Gatheirng.

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��̽̽ Alumnae Present at Climate Change and Food Systems Series

saa — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 13:16:42 +0000

On Thursday, November 9th, the Food Systems Research Center and the Food Systems Graduate Program hosted the second installment of the Food & Ideas Gathering (FIG) Seminar Series, exploring the theme of "Climate Change and Food Systems." The FIG events aim to facilitate engaging conversations, encourage research collaboration, and foster a sense of community, all while savoring delicious food.

During this session, Dr. Courtney Hammond-Wagner, Research Social Scientist at USDA-ARS, and Dr. Rachel Schattman, Assistant Professor of Sustainable Agriculture at UMaine, gave a talk titled "Navigating Contradictions: Climate Adaptation Planning at the Farm and Regional Scale." This event held special significance as both speakers had earned their Ph.D.'s at ��̽̽.

Their talk focused on the implications of climate change on agricultural production and its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, both globally and in the U.S. It highlighted the importance of planning for climate adaptation and mitigation to ensure sustainable and resilient agriculture using case studies to illustrate different approaches to climate adaptive planning.

After the talk, Hammond-Wagner and Schattman took questions from an audience of students, faculty, and staff as well as scholars visiting for the next day’s Food Systems Summit.

The next FIG event will be at Friday December 8th, 2023 at 2:15pm in Hills 102.

The event will feature a panel of Vermont farmers discussing climate changes effect on their industry. The event is free and open to the public.

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The second Food and Ideas Gathering focused on agricultural climate change adaptation planning

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Rachel Schattman and Courtney Hammond-Wanger's conversation sparked conversation from the audience of students, faculty, and staff.

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Inaugural Food & Ideas Gathering Sparks Dialogue on Food System Resilience

saa — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 18:14:03 +0000

On Friday October 20th, more than sixty students, faculty, staff, and community members gathered for the first Food & Ideas Gathering (FIG). This event, sponsored by the Food Systems Research Center and Food Systems Graduate Program, aims to build community, spark conversation, and foster research collaboration. Each FIG event will feature a speaker or panel discussing transdisciplinary approaches to issues and solutions within the food system.

The inaugural speaker was Dr. Pablo Bose, a professor in the Department of Geography and Geosciences and the Director of the Global and Regional Studies Program at ��̽̽. Bose gave a talk on climate change and refugee agriculture that focused specifically on New Farms for New Americans in Burlington and the challenges they are all facing with changing climates and unpredictable weather patterns.

“The main goal of the FIG seminar is to engage in conversation and community, and I feel that the first seminar in this series accomplished that.” said Allison Spain, organizer of the event and the Food Systems Graduate Education & Research Programs Coordinator. “The loss suffered by NFNA farmers in the July flooding is sobering, but there was also discussion of hope and strength in rebuilding and planning for the future. The conversation ranged from what attendees could do to help to broader questions about land use, land access, and equity.”

The event was held in the newly renovated Patrick Leahy Building (soon to be formerly Hills Agricultural Sciences Building) which houses the FSRC and the USDA-ARS Food Systems Research Unit. “We were thrilled with the turnout for this event,” said Polly Ericksen, FSRC Director. “Food systems researchers and students are excited to engage with one another in conversation about these important topics.”

The next FIG event will be on Thursday November 9th at 2:00pm in Old Mill 325.

Courtney Hammond-Wagner, Research Social Scientist from the USDA-ARS, and Rachel Schattmann, Assistant Professor of Sustainable Agriculture at the University of Maine will give a talk entitled “Navigating Contradictions: Climate Adaptation Planning at the Farm and Regional Scale.”

The following day, the FSRC will hold the Food Systems Summit at the Davis Center. Registration is closed but ��̽̽ affiliates can register to attend virtually. Future FIG events will be posted on the FIG homepage and announced in the FSRC Newsletter.

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Food systems researchers, students, and community members gathered for a new monthly seminar series

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A Q and A session followed Pablo Bose's talk on refugee agriculture and climate change.

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Breaking Bread and Building Community

saa — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 15:25:41 +0000

Nothing breeds community quite like conversation over delicious food. This fall, the Food Systems Research Center (FSRC) and Food Systems Graduate Program are proud to introduce The Food & Ideas Gathering (FIG), an exciting monthly event that aims to foster connection between the food systems community at ��̽̽ and beyond.

The first FIG event will be on Friday, October 20th at 2:15pm in the Hills Agricultural Science Building, Room 102.

Each month, FIG will showcase a variety of speakers, ranging from researchers to farmers, who will delve into an array of food systems topics. Following these engaging talks, attendees are invited to enjoy delicious food while engaging in lively conversations with fellow participants. The Fall 2023 semester series will be themed “Climate Change and Food Systems.”

The inaugural presenter for October’s talk will be Dr. Pablo Bose, a professor in the Department of Geography and Geosciences and Director of the Global and Regional Studies Program. Dr. Bose’s talk “Starting Over Again… and Again: Climate Change and Refugee Agriculture” will focus on some of the challenges and opportunities at the present for refugee agriculture programs, like Burlington’s New Farms for New Americans (NFNA). Bose says his talk will focus not just on rebuilding in terms of production and capacity "but with regard to broader questions on equity, sustainability and food justice.”

FSRC Director Polly Ericksen says that this event speaks directly to the Center mission to build capacity for food systems research. “This series aims to cultivate a cross-campus community of scholars passionate about food systems.”

Leading the organizing effort is Allison Spain, Food Systems Graduate Education & Research Programs Coordinator. Spain says, “The Food Systems Graduate Program is excited about this event as we want to support the sharing of ideas and community-building around food systems work at ��̽̽ and in Vermont. We think this seminar series will be of interest to our graduate students and faculty and look forward to showcasing some of their research this semester and at future events.”

All are welcome to attend FIG Events. Subscribe to ��̽̽ Food System News for event listings and food systems news.

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New Monthly Speaker Series Aims to Connect Food Systems Network at ��̽̽

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Pablo Bose will speak on climate change and refugee agriculture at the first FIG event on October 20th, 2023.

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Hannaford January 2023 Partnership Raises Funds for Rally Cat's Cupboard

saa — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 15:32:51 +0000

Rally Cat’s Cupboard, the student-run food pantry located in the Davis Center, is the selected non-profit for the Hannaford Helps Reusable Bag Program for the month of January. The Cupboard will receive $1 from every $2.50 reusable Fight Hunger Bag sold during January at the Hannaford location at 217 Dorset Street in South Burlington.

After re-locating Rally Cat’s this past summer from the Living & Learning Commons to the Davis Center's Room 103, the Cupboard has seen an 86% increase in market attendance. They believe that the central location in the Davis Center, along with the rising cost of food, rent, and other living expenses, accounts for this increase.

Run by Malarie McGalliard and Maeve Forbes, Master’s students in the Food Systems Graduate Program at ��̽̽, the Cupboard is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00–4:00pm and serves an average of 150 students during each distribution. In November alone, there were 1377 visits to the Cupboard by members of the ��̽̽ community.

Beginning in Fall 2022, the Cupboard has partnered with the Food Recovery Network for free food pop-ups on Friday afternoons. The Food Recovery Network, a nationwide organization with over 200 student-run chapters, has hosted four pop-ups offering extra food recovered from across campus, such as packaged sandwiches, yogurt, and other prepared foods in an effort to address both food insecurity and food waste on campus.

This January's fundraiser is not the first collaboration between ��̽̽ and Hannaford. Since 2019, Hannaford has donated on a weekly basis to the Cupboard. “Our partnership with Hannaford is one of our most beloved by students," shares Forbes. "It's helped bring a reliable source of fresh produce, bakery, and deli products on a weekly basis for almost the entire time we’ve been open since 2019. The store's manager, Michael, has been an amazing support system for us and always tries to meet any need for food we bring to him!”

Purchase a "Helps Fight Hunger" bag this January.

To support Rally Cat’s Cupboard, please purchase a Fight Hunger Bag during the month of January. You can also visit the Cupboard’s food registry or make a monetary donation here.

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Rally Cat poses for the camera in front of shelves of non-perishable food items in ��̽̽'s student food pantry.

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USDA, ��̽̽ Officials Tour Future Home of Food Systems Research Center

saa — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 20:18:47 +0000

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and University of Vermont officials today toured the future home of the Food Systems Research Center, which will be located in the Joseph L. Hills Agricultural Science Building on the ��̽̽ campus. The tour was part of a two-day visit to ��̽̽.

The research center—a collaboration between ��̽̽ and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS)—focuses its work on understanding all facets of the regional food system, from production agriculture to food security, with a special focus on small- and medium-sized farms.

“I am excited to see that this important collaboration continues to grow,” said ��̽̽ President Suresh Garimella. “This partnership with ARS builds on ��̽̽’s expertise in sustainability, health and environment, and it illustrates the positive and lasting impact that research and collaboration can have on our society. Positioning the center in the heart of our campus reinforces the high priority placed on research involving Vermont’s farms and food systems.”

“This is a unique opportunity for ARS to partner with ��̽̽ and deliver scientific solutions to food-related and agricultural challenges,” said Simon Liu, Ph.D., Associate Administrator at Agricultural Research Service. “This collaboration reflects our commitment to innovation, partnership and ensuring that the U.S. food supply is safe.”

In June, U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) joined ��̽̽ leaders to announce $11 million of federal funding that he secured to support the center’s work. “When the pandemic struck, Vermonters turned to their local farms for food security. We’ve always relied on our local food systems in our state. Farms are an economic driver for our rural communities and local food is a defining feature of Vermont. We must continue to cultivate our food systems so our state can thrive and weather future emergencies. We must also ensure that it is equitable and accessible to all,” Leahy said at the time. “As chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee I will continue to support the Food Systems Research Center in promoting the viability of our farms and the accessibility of our locally produced food.”

Leahy helped to establish the ��̽̽/ARS Food Systems Research Center with funding of $3 million in 2019.

This work is a clear example of the ways ��̽̽ goes about fulfilling its land grant mission in service to the State of Vermont, which is one of the pillars that the university’s Amplifying Our Impact strategic vision is built around. The others are ensuring student success and investing in ��̽̽’s distinctive research strengths.

As part of the collaboration, USDA scientists will work on campus alongside university researchers from related disciplines. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean Leslie Parise says this is the first and only ARS research unit designed specifically to study diversified food systems and the smaller farms that contribute to those systems. “We are proud to be leading this work at ��̽̽ and believe there is much the rest of the world can learn from the successful small and medium sized farms that characterize Vermont agriculture,” Parise said.

The Hills building is scheduled to undergo a major renovation starting in January, which is expected to last 18 months. The Food Systems Research Center will be physically located in the fully renovated building.

As part of their two-day visit to ��̽̽, USDA officials also met with Garimella, groups of university academic leaders, ��̽̽ Extension, and sustainability and nutrition researchers; and toured other university facilities like Jeffords Hall, the Horticulture Research and Education Center and Terrill Hall.

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USDA officials explore ��̽̽'s Horticulture Research and Education Center as part of two-day visit. (Photo: Glenn Russell)

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��̽̽ Receives nearly $400K for “Serious Games” to Promote Healthy Food Policy

Rachel Leslie — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 20:32:28 +0000

��̽̽ has received nearly $400,000 in support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to support an interdisciplinary team’s use of “serious game” technology to test how policies across the food system can better support access to healthy foods.

The two-year grant will support research on the systemic barriers between civic-minded farm businesses and communities with disproportionately low access to fresh, whole foods. The cross-campus partnership will employ serious games -- video games which are not for entertainment purposes -- that can test how different scenarios might play out in real life.

“Serious games can help us look at responses to simulated conflict and to alternative policies, without confronting people with actual conflict or poor policies. By doing so, we can find ways to build more equitable and just solutions,” says team member Scott Merrill.

The team’s approach involves understanding not only decision-making by farmers and distributors, but also the larger context in which they take place. The games developed will examine how potential policies could create more opportunities for farmers to feed their local and regional communities. Seeing how abstract policies can affect reality on the ground will help identify leverage points for change across the food system.

Led by food anthropologist Amy Trubek, the team includes systems ecologist Scott Merrill, food systems scientist Caitlin Morgan, applied mathematician Eric Clark, and health policy expert Julia Wolfson, a partner at Johns Hopkins University.

"We were able to create this innovative project due to the strong collaborative spirit among faculty and graduate students affiliated with the Food Systems Graduate program," says Trubek.

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An interdisciplinary team of ��̽̽ researchers is using video game technology to inform decision-making around policies to increase access to healthy foods.

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PhD Candidate Luis Alexis Rodriguez-Cruz Interviewed for In Common Podcast

Allison Spain (she/her) — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 13:48:57 +0000

In a recent episode of the In Common podcast, Food Systems PhD candidate Luis Alexis Rodriguez-Cruz talks about his experience as a graduate student at ��̽̽, what led him to a PhD in Food Systems, and his research on Puerto Rican farmers' adaptations to climate change, a topic he pursued after Hurricane Maria hit his home of Puerto Rico only days after he moved to Vermont and began the PhD program. He also talks about the importance of taking care of yourself in academia, a topic he explores more in a blog post on “On Not Suffering (Much) in Graduate School: Part 2.” Luis is finishing his dissertation on "[Un]Natural Disasters and Structural Vulnerability: Understanding Puerto Rican Farmers' Adaptive Capacity in a Changing Climate." He is also a Switzer Fellow and passionate about science communication. Listen to the podcast here!

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Food Systems PhD Candidate Luis Alexis Rodriguez-Cruz is interviewed for the In Common podcast about his research and experience as a graduate student.

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Food Systems PhD Candidate Luis Rodriguez-Cruz

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����̽̽ - Food Systems - Graduate

FSRC Graduate Fellow: Bailey Kretzler

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Cheese, Cream, and Community: Sustainable Dairy Lightning Talks

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Vermont Farmers Share Struggles and Resilience in Face of Climate Change

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����̽̽ Alumnae Present at Climate Change and Food Systems Series

The next FIG event will be at Friday December 8th, 2023 at 2:15pm in Hills 102.

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Inaugural Food & Ideas Gathering Sparks Dialogue on Food System Resilience

The next FIG event will be on Thursday November 9th at 2:00pm in Old Mill 325.

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Breaking Bread and Building Community

The first FIG event will be on Friday, October 20th at 2:15pm in the Hills Agricultural Science Building, Room 102.

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Hannaford January 2023 Partnership Raises Funds for Rally Cat's Cupboard

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USDA, ����̽̽ Officials Tour Future Home of Food Systems Research Center

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����̽̽ Receives nearly $400K for “Serious Games” to Promote Healthy Food Policy

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PhD Candidate Luis Alexis Rodriguez-Cruz Interviewed for In Common Podcast

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��̽̽ - Food Systems - Graduate

��̽̽ Alumnae Present at Climate Change and Food Systems Series

USDA, ��̽̽ Officials Tour Future Home of Food Systems Research Center

��̽̽ Receives nearly $400K for “Serious Games” to Promote Healthy Food Policy