Graduate Exit Seminar via Zoom - Jeremy E. Hershberger
Plan to join via Zoom Jeremy E. Hershberger's graduate exit seminar on July 14, 2021, at 9:30 a.m. Jeremy will present, "Including Amish in Agriculture Planning: Opportunities for Integrating Members of the Amish and Plain Communities into Food and Agriculture Planning in Wayne County, Ohio."
Abstract:
Farming is changing as farmers adapt to changing market pressures. I analyzed the 2020 Ohio Farm Poll combined with demographic data to find that 20.4% of farmers in Wayne County are Amish and many of them are producing higher-value products such as livestock, organic products and produce.
I evaluated interviews with Wayne County agriculture stakeholders and found that they primarily focus on large-scale commodity agriculture. They report an appreciation for all agriculture but they have not integrated Amish and Plain farmers into agriculture planning. I synthesize literature on value-added agriculture, rural community and economic development, and Amish and Plain studies to triangulate rural wealth creation through food and agriculture in Wayne County. I conducted interviews with Amish and Plain farmers to ask how they would like to be integrated into Wayne County food and agriculture planning and found that many of them want to be involved but involvement will need to be in culturally appropriate ways.
Advisor: Dr. Shoshanah Inwood