Research Information
  SBC AFS

Completely localizing the Santa Barbara County agrifood system for produce in term of only food miles would have an insignificant effect on greenhouse gas emissions (see article and more here). This assumes local food miles would be driven by individual farmers in small trucks. However, local food hubs like Farmer Direct Produce can reduce not only food miles, but also energy for packaging and cooling. Shown are Wesley Sleight and Anna Breaux, owners/managers of Farmer Direct.

 

My research focuses on small-scale, sustainable agriculture and its role in responding to climate change, resource scarcities, new technologies, and demands for social justice. My current foci include the potential impacts of agrifood system localization on climate change, nutrition and community, and the genetic, ecological and sociocultural impact of genetically engineered crop varieties.

Current and recent research

  • 2009-2012. Santa Barbara County Agrifood Systems. Funded by UCSB Sustainability Champion award. Researcher log in.

    **2012-13 SBC Agrifood Systems Project, information about admission to the Winter 2012 research seminar.

    **2012-13 UCSB Residential Dining Service, Internship position announcement & application.

  • 2009-2010. Public Opinion on Tradeoffs between Agriculture, Open Space, and Urbanization. Central Coast Survey, Social Science Survey Center/Benton Survey Research Lab, UCSB. Funded by Division of Social Sciences, UCSB. (Co-PI.)
  • 2008-2010. Transgenic crops in Pacific Rim centers of origin and diversity: Farmers, risk assessment and sustainable development in China and Mexico. Funded by UC Pacific Rim Program. (Co-Investigator.)
  • 2007–2009.  The value of land: Agriculture, food and urbanization in the Goleta Valley, California. Funded by UCSB Academic Senate. (Principle Investigator.)
  • 2006–08. Tejate in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca: Cuisine, history, nutrit on, tradition, and the conservation of maize diversity. Funded by UC-MEXUS-CONACYT. (Collaborator.)
  • 2004-2008. Transgene flow and its effects in small-scale Third World and alternative agriculture. This research is part of the larger project, Spatiotemporal dynamics of engineered crop genes: natural and human constraints and consequences. Funded by NSF. (Co-Principle Investigator.)