College of Education, Health & Human Development
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The College of Education, Health and Human Development (EHHD) is comprised of two departments: the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Development.
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Item Quelites—Agrobiodiversity beyond our crops(University of California Press, 2024-04) Ebel, Roland; Menalled, Fabián D.; Morales Payán, J. Pablo; Baldinelli, Giulia Maria; Berríos Ortiz, Laura; Castillo Cocom, Juan ArielThe monoculture of a handful of energy-dense crops that dominates contemporary agriculture has resulted in an erosion of agrobiodiversity, environmental issues, agroecosystem dependency on off-farm inputs, and diets with poor diversity in nutrients and flavors. However, diversified agriculture persists in communities characterized by subsistence farming, many of them Indigenous. Although movements across Latin America aim to rescue agrobiodiversity, they are widely limited to cropping system diversification, including practices such as crop rotations, intercropping, and cover crops. The agrobiodiversity of plants associated with crops, often labeled as weeds, is commonly not considered in this context. Yet edible weeds are the essential components of traditional food systems where they increase the functional diversity of agroecosystems and contribute to human nutrition. In Mexico, the term “quelite” describes noncultivated but edible plants growing on a crop field. Across the American continent, there are nutritious quelites that are commonly perceived as “weeds.” In this article, we discuss the concept of quelites, their origin in traditional Mexican agriculture, their significance for agroecosystem diversification, and their potential for the future. We demonstrate, with 12 examples, that quelites have always been part of agroecosystems across the Americas. We aim to spread the concept of quelites beyond traditional farming in Mexico to promote the use of these promising plants. We conclude the article with suggestions for strategies to achieve this goal.Item The Importance of the Food System For Rural Vitality and Livelihoods In the US Northern Great Plains(Brandon University, 2023-03) Ebel, Roland; Thornton, AlexandraThe geopolitical U.S. Northern Great Plains encompass the state areas of Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. While other parts of the United States have seen considerable outmigration from rural areas, this region has widely maintained its rural population due to favorable employment, education, food security, and relatively low poverty levels. Currently, the expansion of large-scale agriculture, often poor food environments, and demographic trends, as well as external factors such as climate change, may affect population densities, livelihoods, and the vitality of the rural U.S. Northern Great Plains. We suggest a strong role of the food system in shaping these developments. For our study, we processed socio-economic and food-system-related data from demographic databases in descriptive statistics to explore the impact of the food system on demographic and socio-economic parameters. Specifically, we present data on how selected parameters of demography, employment, education, poverty, agriculture, food security, food accessibility, and health have changed during the past four decades in the U.S. Northern Great Plains, specifically its rural parts. We later discuss how these changes may contribute to future demographic and livelihood developments. We aim to offer our readers an understanding of the complex and interacting developments affecting rural residents of the U.S. Northern Great Plains and the important role the food system plays in the present and future of the region.Item Barriers and Opportunities: Specialty Cultivated Mushroom Production in the United States(MDPI, 2022-10) Moxley, Alexandria; Ebel, Roland; Cripps, Cathy L.; Austin, Caroline Graham; Stein, Mary; Winder, MeaghanProducing and consuming specialty cultivated mushrooms (SCMs), cultivated mushrooms outside of the Agaricus genus, has the potential to positively impact sustainable food systems. Few studies have examined consumer perceptions of SCMs and industry-wide trends of SCM production in the United States (US), despite the USD 66.1 million in SCM sales in the US during 2020. This study looked at the barriers to and opportunities for cultivating, marketing, and consuming SCMs in the US by conducting a producer survey with SCM facilities in the US (n = 63). Survey results found diversification across products and practices within the SCM industry and on an individual business level. The most common place SCM growers sold their products was farmers’ markets (n = 63). The majority (53%) of growers (n = 60) used diverse (four or more) approaches to advertise their products. The majority of SCM growers (57%) indicated they had participated in a community outreach event in the past five years to help promote their SCM products (n = 63). Findings indicate there are opportunities for greater SCM business owner diversity. Our results indicate that production of SCMs may support economic, environmentally, and socio-culturally sustainable food systems and that there is further room for increased sustainability across the industry.Item Eating instead of managing it?–a systematic literature review on potential uses of creeping thistle as food and medicinal plant(Informa UK Limited, 2022-09) Ebel, RolandCreeping thistle, Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop, is one of the most common weeds in temperate climates. Frequently classified as an invasive species, it is the cause of massive herbicide and tillage use. Especially in organic systems, the plant is hard to manage. Little is known about creeping thistle being entirely edible and having diverse medicinal properties. Additionally, it has potential to be used as food preservative and provides essential ecosystem services. This systematic literature review provides evidence of creeping thistle uses from 56 peer-reviewed journals and 37 popular media references. It discusses potential uses and phytochemical properties of specific plant parts. Findings identify the stem as the most promising part for food use. Creeping thistle has elevated flavonoid (flower) and inulin (root) contents, with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-diabetic properties respectively. The discussion contrasts the potential of creeping thistle of becoming a multi-purpose crop with its classification as a noxious weed.Item Are Small Farms Sustainable by Nature?—Review of an Ongoing Misunderstanding in Agroecology(Librello, 2020-04) Ebel, RolandToday, agroecology is more than a science; it is a movement that advocates for a sustainable redesign of the global food system. Some of its acknowledged protagonists plead for a redesign based on the support of and for small-scale farming because small farms are considered more sustainable than large farms. The present review explores the arguments that leading agroecologists use for justifying their preference for small (frequently peasant) farms. In this review, small farms are defined as possessing a mean agricultural area of maximum two hectares, being family-owned, emphasizing outdoor production, and annually producing at least two different crops or livestock. Peasant farms are defined as subsistent small farms in developing countries. The review includes an overview of the current state of small farms and their most severe challenges. Agroecological publications of the last thirty years were scanned for arguments that sustain the hypothesis that small farms are more sustainable. It was found that there are no studies that directly compare the sustainability of farms based on their size. Instead, most studies cited to confirm the sustainability of small farms compare farms that differ in terms of both, size and farm management. Hence, it is likely that the reason for the advanced sustainability of small farms is their management, not their size. The assertion that small farms are a priori more sustainable than large ones is not supportable. Misleading use of the term “small farms” may impede the efforts of agroecology to stimulate sustainable food production.Item Eating instead of managing it?–a systematic literature review on potential uses of creeping thistle as food and medicinal plant(Informa UK Limited, 2022-09) Ebel, RolandCreeping thistle, Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop, is one of the most common weeds in temperate climates. Frequently classified as an invasive species, it is the cause of massive herbicide and tillage use. Especially in organic systems, the plant is hard to manage. Little is known about creeping thistle being entirely edible and having diverse medicinal properties. Additionally, it has potential to be used as food preservative and provides essential ecosystem services. This systematic literature review provides evidence of creeping thistle uses from 56 peer-reviewed journals and 37 popular media references. It discusses potential uses and phytochemical properties of specific plant parts. Findings identify the stem as the most promising part for food use. Creeping thistle has elevated flavonoid (flower) and inulin (root) contents, with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-diabetic properties respectively. The discussion contrasts the potential of creeping thistle of becoming a multi-purpose crop with its classification as a noxious weed.Item Perceptions and Responses of Diversified Farm Producers in the Northern Great Plains to the Early Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic(Frontiers Media SA, 2022-02) Ebel, Roland; Ahmed, Selena; Warne, Teresa; Moxley, Alexandria; Grimberg, Irene; Jarchow, Meghann; Menalled, Fabian D.The initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic revealed unique vulnerabilities of the global food system with notable societal consequences, calling for the need to implement resilience strategies to support food security for all. The objective of this study was to elicit perceptions, experiences, and responses of producers of diversified farms in the Northern Great Plains of the United States to the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic toward identifying factors for strengthening the resilience of agricultural production for supporting livelihoods and food security. Between May and August 2020, a cross-sectional online survey was administered to the emerging community of diversified farm managers in two rural U.S. states, Montana and South Dakota (n = 53), where monocropping and extensive livestock production are prevalent. About two-thirds of surveyed producers (68%) reported that they did not change their farming practices in response to the pandemic up until the survey period in Summer 2020. Almost three-quarters of producers (73%) indicated that access to commodities, farm inputs, and farm labor was not a concern for them during the early stage of the pandemic. Most surveyed producers (88%) were not concerned about their household food security and expressed confidence regarding a long-term increase in the demand for local food. However, almost half of surveyed producers (47%) reported that their anxiety increased because of the pandemic. Findings further highlight that small farms implemented a greater number of practices for enhancing ecological self-regulation while depending strongly on off-farm income compared to larger farms that were economically more autonomous. This study points to the promise of farm system diversification in strengthening the resilience of agricultural systems. We conclude by outlining pathways for increasing diversity on farms toward supporting food security during extreme food system shocks.Item Short-Term Impacts of COVID-19 Public Health Regulation on Consumer Food Purchases: A Case Study From a Grocery Store in Montana(Frontiers Media SA, 2022-02) Ebel, RolandThe mitigation measures (e.g., lockdown policies) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic impacted food systems in unprecedented ways, in both scope and immediacy. Food retail, for example, changed fundamentally in the United States, as access to nutritious food became limited, supply chain shortages were common, and mandatory public health measures led to behavior changes among customers and employees. In the present case study, we hypothesized that these changes led to food purchasing shifts of grocery store consumers. Such shifts are seen as an outcome of both endogenous factors at the individual level and exogenous factors at the government/policy level. Our case study sought to better understand how the pandemic and associated regulations shaped consumer food choices during the “hard” lockdown period in Montana during 2020. We selected 112 food products based on the highest sales in a Gallatin County, Montana, grocery store. They were analyzed by predefined food groups aligned to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020. All purchases were processed for each selected food item during March and April 2019 (before the pandemic) and March and April 2020 (during the lockdown in Montana). To further describe the pandemic experiences qualitatively, we conducted semi-structured interviews with managers and employees from two stores in Gallatin County. Overall, we found that consumers increased purchases in most food groups during the pandemic, including nutrient-dense and energy-dense products, most outstandingly for starchy vegetables, legumes, and convenience food. Products with long shelf-life and that required preparation at home were preferred. Endogenous causes, specifically panic and rushing, were likely stronger drivers of consumer behavior and food choices than regulations. Nonetheless, lockdown policies impacted consumer food purchases. We present a series of policy and practice recommendations based on our findings and the emerging literature on this topic.Item Perceptions and Responses of Diversified Farm Producers in the Northern Great Plains to the Early Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic(Frontiers Media SA, 2022-02) Ebel, Roland; Ahmed, Selena; Warne, Teresa; Moxley, Alexandria; Grimberg, Irene; Jarchow, Meghann; Menalled, Fabian D.The initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic revealed unique vulnerabilities of the global food system with notable societal consequences, calling for the need to implement resilience strategies to support food security for all. The objective of this study was to elicit perceptions, experiences, and responses of producers of diversified farms in the Northern Great Plains of the United States to the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic toward identifying factors for strengthening the resilience of agricultural production for supporting livelihoods and food security. Between May and August 2020, a cross-sectional online survey was administered to the emerging community of diversified farm managers in two rural U.S. states, Montana and South Dakota (n = 53), where monocropping and extensive livestock production are prevalent. About two-thirds of surveyed producers (68%) reported that they did not change their farming practices in response to the pandemic up until the survey period in Summer 2020. Almost three-quarters of producers (73%) indicated that access to commodities, farm inputs, and farm labor was not a concern for them during the early stage of the pandemic. Most surveyed producers (88%) were not concerned about their household food security and expressed confidence regarding a long-term increase in the demand for local food. However, almost half of surveyed producers (47%) reported that their anxiety increased because of the pandemic. Findings further highlight that small farms implemented a greater number of practices for enhancing ecological self-regulation while depending strongly on off-farm income compared to larger farms that were economically more autonomous. This study points to the promise of farm system diversification in strengthening the resilience of agricultural systems. We conclude by outlining pathways for increasing diversity on farms toward supporting food security during extreme food system shocks.Item Short-Term Impacts of COVID-19 Public Health Regulation on Consumer Food Purchases: A Case Study From a Grocery Store in Montana(Frontiers Media SA, 2022-02) Ebel, Roland; Byker-Shanks, CarmenThe mitigation measures (e.g., lockdown policies) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic impacted food systems in unprecedented ways, in both scope and immediacy. Food retail, for example, changed fundamentally in the United States, as access to nutritious food became limited, supply chain shortages were common, and mandatory public health measures led to behavior changes among customers and employees. In the present case study, we hypothesized that these changes led to food purchasing shifts of grocery store consumers. Such shifts are seen as an outcome of both endogenous factors at the individual level and exogenous factors at the government/policy level. Our case study sought to better understand how the pandemic and associated regulations shaped consumer food choices during the “hard” lockdown period in Montana during 2020. We selected 112 food products based on the highest sales in a Gallatin County, Montana, grocery store. They were analyzed by predefined food groups aligned to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020. All purchases were processed for each selected food item during March and April 2019 (before the pandemic) and March and April 2020 (during the lockdown in Montana). To further describe the pandemic experiences qualitatively, we conducted semi-structured interviews with managers and employees from two stores in Gallatin County. Overall, we found that consumers increased purchases in most food groups during the pandemic, including nutrient-dense and energy-dense products, most outstandingly for starchy vegetables, legumes, and convenience food. Products with long shelf-life and that required preparation at home were preferred. Endogenous causes, specifically panic and rushing, were likely stronger drivers of consumer behavior and food choices than regulations. Nonetheless, lockdown policies impacted consumer food purchases. We present a series of policy and practice recommendations based on our findings and the emerging literature on this topic.