CFFPI - Projects, Policy Briefs and Audio Files and other Research

• Identifying Food Deserts in Rural Ohio -- Access to affordable and nutritious food by low income and rural communities has long been a concern to advocates, policymakers, and the general public. Despite the advent of these food assistance programs, some low income rural communities are still considered food deserts. project page 
   
• Scaling-up Connections between Regional Ohio Specialty Crop Producers and Local Markets: Distribution as the Missing Link -- While direct marketing is one part of the developing a regional food system, it is limited by the low number of Ohio consumers that can conveniently reach farmers.  We must gain a better understanding of distribution in Ohio.  Therefore, this project will begin by cataloguing the types of products distributed, product sourcing, service area, trip logistics, food safety requirements, product point of entry and marketing strategies. project page 
   

• Evaluating Knox County’s Food System:  Opportunities to Grow -- This project addresses the need for improved information on the Knox County food system, specifically regarding the barriers to increasing consumption of local foods.  Visit the policy brief page for more information.

INNOVATIONS

• UPDATED Farmland Protection Successes:  Stories from Across Ohio -- Local farmland protection in Ohio - It's been done!  This publication updates the 2006 Success Stores that celebrate local farmland protection activities across the state.  Do you have a story to add?  If so, email us or use our online submission form.  Policy brief (adobe acrobat format)
   

• A Model for Understanding the Opportunities for Innovation -- The work presented here  examines county-level support for agriculture across Ohio. The model looks at the differences in farmland preservation efforts in the 88 Ohio counties, taking into account both the level of need for preservation in each county, and the level of current activity in each county.  Visit the policy brief page for more information

LAND USE TOOLS

• Agricultural Adaptation at the Rural-Urban Interface: Can Communities Make a Difference? -- The central goal of this national -scale research is to identify how and under what conditions local communities are able to influence the trajectory of agricultural change and adaptation at the rural-urban interface.  Visit the research project page more information.
   

• Cross-Jurisdictional Growth & Resource Protection: Implementing the Watershed Balanced Growth Plans through Cooperative Agreements -- This project seeks to provide models of locally-driven, voluntary, cooperative agreements addressing resource protection and growth and development between local governments.  Visit the project page more information.
   

• Zoning in Support of Agriculture -- This roundtable series took place in March of 2007 in four locations across the state: Findlay, McGonigle, Newark, and Boston.  This brief focuses on local zoning options to support agriculture, and includes explanations of Ohio zoning law, discussion on different approaches to agricultural zoning in Ohio, and recommendations for utilizing zoning to support agriculture.  Visit the policy brief page for more information.

FARMLAND PRESERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

• Senior Nutrition Local Fruit and Vegetable Purchasing Program

• Food Policy Council:  Examining Opportunities for Increasing Agricultural Economic Development, Food Security, and Farmland Protection through the use of County-, Municipal-and Rural Water District-Managed Acreage to Grow Staple Food Crops

• Manure Agreements, Nutrient Utilization, and the Rural Economy

• Hispanic Grower/Farmers' Market Project

• Agriculture in the Economy

• Partnering to Preserve Farmland in Hiram Township with Transfer of Development Rights

• Local Policy Decisions: Help or Hindrance to Agriculture's Future?

OTHER TOPICS

• Ohio's Dairy Industry:  The Geography and Impact of a Key Sector --This report examines the current state of the dairy industry in Ohio, including the relatively recent phenomenon of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).  Visit the policy brief page for more information.
   

• Farmland Protection Funding Options -- This roundtable took place on October 10, 2006. Peggy Kirk Hall, Center law director gave a short presentation on legally available and potential future funding tools for Ohio local governments. Clark County Commissioner John Detrick shared insights on how Clark County has leveraged local funding to attract both state and federal farmland protection dollars.  Granville Township Trustee Jim Havens was on hand to share how he and other local officials pioneered the first successful open space levy in Ohio and gained support for a second levy.  Tracy Hatmaker, a Prairie Township administrator, provided insight on several regional strategies for generation of funds for local land protection.  policy brief (adobe acrobat format) -  audio file of the meeting (you will need RealPlayer, iTunes or Windows Media Player)