Center on Agriculture, Food and Environment
AFE Students lend a helping hand during the annual New Entry Sustainable Farming Project Farm Spring Cleaning Event
CAFE has provided me the opportunity to work at the cutting edge of agricultural research and policy... Not only will my participation form the basis of my dissertation, it has opened doors for me to interact with other professionals in the field, domestically and internationally.
— Melissa Bailey, Ph.D. Candidate
The Center on Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE) offers educational programs and community service opportunities-conducting research in the areas of sustainable agriculture practices, environmental policy, food systems, and consumer behavior related to food and the environment. Currently, CAFE's work falls into five project areas:
The New Entry Sustainable Farming Project
The New Entry Sustainable Farming Project ( NESFP) helps immigrants who have agricultural experience to apply their skills in their new environment and become commercial farmers. Five NESFP training sites located outside of Boston provide hands-on learning opportunities for AFE students. NESFP also employees numerous AFE students in various work-study positions each year.
Projects on Community and Local Food Systems
CAFE supports a cluster of activities on local food and community- based- agricultural systems. Recent projects and collaborations include:
- The Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture (www.stonebarnscenter.org)
- Assessing farmer profitability from local food efforts, in conjunction with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.
- Contributions to Farm-to-Cafeteria initiatives
- Community food security issues, including collaborations with Red Tomato, Equal Exchange, The Food Project, and the Community Food Security Coalition
Organic and Food Labeling Standards
Serving as a key source of information for advocates, policymakers, and the press, CAFE is involved in numerous organic activities, including:
- A USDA-funded project examining animal welfare issues and the National Organic Program
- Methodological research comparing nutritional aspects of organic versus conventional production for the Organic Center for Research and Promotion
- Active participation in NAHWOA and SAFO - workshops regarding European organic animal standards
- Active participation in USDA consortium on organic food buying practices
- Active participation in Scientific Congress on Organic Agriculture Research (SCOAR)