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Articles, book chapters, and more

Who Gets to Farm?
Reshaping Just Transitions in(Agri)culture

Forthcoming book chapter in Postcarbon futures: Imagining (and enacting) new worlds through transition studies edited by Dr. Anna Willow and Dr. Bürge Abiral​. I explore the application of Just Transition (JT) frameworks within animal agriculture, arguing that applying JT to agriculture not only highlights the necessity of expansive theories of justice within JT itself but also enriches our understanding of agricultural issues through JT's focus on labor exploitation and environmental degradation. Drawing on extensive qualitative fieldwork in the Upper Midwest USA, including ethnographic research and participatory action methods, this chapter examines how farmers, workers, and communities navigate shifts in (agri)culture through agroecological and grazing practices. At the heart of these efforts, participants are challenging hierarchies that shape human and non-human lives, reshaping labor and environmental relations, and revaluing farm and food work. Drawing on agroecology, food movements, and labor studies, this chapter situates agriculture as a vital space for rethinking the cultural values that underpin narratives shaping who gets to be a “farmer” and what counts as “agriculture.”

Guest editor and contributor to a special issue for the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, which compiled perspectives from researchers and grassroots advocates that convened at one of the first U.S. Agroecology Summits in May 2023. Discussions focused on the challenges and future directions of agroecology in the U.S., examining its past developments and current problematics. Co-authored contributions include: 

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Co-authored with Adena R. Rissman, Erin B. Lowe, Yu Lu, Regina M. Hirsch, and Randall D. Jackson in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 2023, this article examines the policy landscape shaping perennial grasslands and managed grazing in the U.S. Upper Midwest. We analyze how risk reduction subsidies, conservation programs, and shifts in federal and state support have disadvantaged grass-based systems compared to row crop agriculture. Our research highlights the environmental and social costs of grassland decline and proposes equity-oriented policy interventions to support sustainable grazing, biodiversity, and rural livelihoods. By synthesizing recommendations from farmers and grazing professionals, we outline pathways for strengthening insurance programs, conservation incentives, supply chains, and land access to foster just transitions in agriculture.

Co-authored with Erin B. Lowe and Adena R. Rissman in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 2023, this article explores the role of managed livestock grazing in advancing agroecological transformation in the Midwestern U.S. Drawing on 128 interviews and three participatory workshops with farmers, civil society members, and agricultural professionals, we assess the transformative potential of different policy and industry actions using a political agroecology framework. Our findings highlight the need to address industry consolidation, land access inequities, and labor conditions alongside education and conservation initiatives. We outline key strategies, including cooperative farming models, farmer-to-farmer networks, policy reforms, and governance shifts that could dismantle entrenched power structures and support more just and sustainable food systems. While sustainable farming practices receive significant attention, our research underscores the urgency of systemic change to ensure that agricultural transitions benefit farmers, workers, and communities alike.

Community reports, research briefs, policy recommendations, and other public scholarship   

Just Transitions to Managed Livestock Grazing: Needs and Opportunities for Change in the Midwestern United States

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Recommendations for Universities

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Recommendations for Extension Professionals

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Recommendations for Agriculture Educators

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Recommendations for Policy Advocates

Recommendations for NRCS Staff

Recommendations for CSP and EQIP

Wisconsin Dairy Farmer Perspectives on Labor, Social Policy and Water Quality

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Perspectives on Labor and Social Policy Survey

Perspectives on Water Quality

Community Perspectives of the Regenerative Poultry Ecosystem

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Comments to USDA re: AMS-AMS-22.0026 on "Competition in Food Retail and Distribution Markets and Access for Agricultural Producers and Small and Midsized Food Processors"

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Managed Grazing and Grassland Policy Brief Series

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Managed Grazing and Grassland: Policy Trends and Opportunities in Missouri

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Managed Grazing and Grassland: Policy Trends and Opportunities in Illinois

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Managed Grazing and Grassland: Policy Trends and Opportunities in Minnesota

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