Type
Educational Organization
Founding Date
2018

The Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems develops innovative ideas and solutions to the many challenges of current food systems. Taking a holistic and transdisciplinary approach, the Center’s work encompasses water and energy use, carbon footprint and nutrition, innovations in agtech, and the well-being and livelihood of farmers and others working in food systems.

Related Entities
Sub-organization: Arizona State University

Hawai'i Agritourism: Examining how Agritourism can be Responsibly Implemented to Support Small Farmers and Ecological and Cultural Preservation in the Hawaiian Island

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Description
More than 10 million visitors traveled to Hawaiʻi in 2019, placing an enormous strain on a food system already burdened by a disproportionate reliance on imported food. Agritourism may be one solution for farmers to diversify their income, increase consumption

More than 10 million visitors traveled to Hawaiʻi in 2019, placing an enormous strain on a food system already burdened by a disproportionate reliance on imported food. Agritourism may be one solution for farmers to diversify their income, increase consumption of locally produced food, and connect farmers to local consumers. But in a place with such a robust tourism infrastructure, how can it be responsibly implemented and utilized in a way that benefits local farmers, residents, the environment, and rural and Native Hawaiian culture? This report endeavors to answer this question through a comprehensive examination of agritourism in the islands as it exists today, and by providing recommendations for agritourism in Hawaiʻi going forward.
Date Created
2023-04
Agent

State Agricultural Water Quality Programs: Recommendations for Arizona

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Description
As record-breaking drought conditions continue year after year in Arizona, the state needs to act now to fully protect its limited water resources. While current dialogue focuses on issues of water quantity in Arizona, with limited quantity of water resources

As record-breaking drought conditions continue year after year in Arizona, the state needs to act now to fully protect its limited water resources. While current dialogue focuses on issues of water quantity in Arizona, with limited quantity of water resources water quality becomes even more important. Farmers are a major user of water, and there remains a lot of room for improvement in agricultural water usage. This report researched existing water quality programs and voluntary state agricultural water quality initiatives both in Arizona and throughout the United States to propose policy and program recommendations for agricultural water management in Arizona.
Date Created
2022-09
Agent

Sustainability Ranking and Certification Systems in Higher Education Food Service

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Description
This report reviews and analyzes how ranking and certification systems have an impact on the sustainable food systems used by food service providers across higher education institutions (HEIs). This analysis includes a review of the most common metrics used in

This report reviews and analyzes how ranking and certification systems have an impact on the sustainable food systems used by food service providers across higher education institutions (HEIs). This analysis includes a review of the most common metrics used in higher education sustainability ranking and certification systems, as well as how assessment guidelines are determined initially and amended over time. The positive, negative, and unintended consequences of these programs are also considered as we explore ways that these sustainability metrics can meet the challenges required for a sustainable future.
Date Created
2022-10
Agent

Navigating USAJOBS to Land a Federal Role

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Description

The goal of this report is to present an overview of the federal workforce and the opportunities that exist for younger generations to be employed by the federal government. We explored what is preventing younger generations from seeking and securing

The goal of this report is to present an overview of the federal workforce and the opportunities that exist for younger generations to be employed by the federal government. We explored what is preventing younger generations from seeking and securing federal employment and shed light on the benefits, value, and opportunities of federal jobs for the younger generation. The report provides a better understanding of how and what policies, for better or worse, influence federal recruitment and hiring processes. We examined the 20-year history and evolution of the federal job portal, USAJOBS, to understand what information is critical to provide an applicant to successfully complete and submit an application for a federal job. We also reviewed the role of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and its responsibility to provide agencies guidance and support in implementing government orders and policies. With research, data, and interview insights, we developed a tangible guide for young job seekers to use to navigate USAJOBS. This guide provides applicable tips gathered from experiences of first-hand users and federal human resources specialists to help prospective applicants decipher federal job announcements and to strategically and completely prepare their applications and resumes to secure federal employment.
Based on these findings, we encourage younger generations, including students and recent graduates, to seek federal jobs not only because ofthe numerous employment benefits, but because of the value and impact younger generations will have in being a federal employee.

Agent

Industrial Juicing to Advance Food Security: Pre-feasibility study for utilizing legacy industrial fruit processing equipment in the Hawaiian Islands

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Description

The Hawaiian Islands are highly reliant on imported foods for feeding residents and visitors alike. This is in part due to a shortage in food processing infrastructure locally that contributes to Hawaiʻi’s inability to process much of its own food

The Hawaiian Islands are highly reliant on imported foods for feeding residents and visitors alike. This is in part due to a shortage in food processing infrastructure locally that contributes to Hawaiʻi’s inability to process much of its own food products. This study examines the feasibility of increasing food self-sufficiency in the islands through utilizing legacy industrial fruit processing equipment recently acquired by Olohana Foundation, a small 501(c)3 non-profit in Hawaiʻi. This study asks: How can the Olohana Foundation develop their aseptic juicing line to best support increased food self-sufficiency in the islands? Additionally, how can the juicing line be re-deployed in a manner to provide sustainable economic opportunity to producers and other community members? Through interviews with Hawaiʻi food system experts, fruit grower and fruit product buyer surveys, and a review of selected Unites States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Survey (USDA NASS) crop data for Hawaiʻi, our team evaluated the feasibility for re-establishing the juicing line. Our results found that due to the lack of available locally-produced fruits and high start-up and operational costs, it is unlikely that the juicing line can be re-established as it was previously operating, producing papaya and guava juices and purees. However, there is no shortage in demand for locally grown fruit products in Hawaiʻi and there is high interest from producers in joining a grower-owned cooperative. We conclude with several recommendations for the near, medium and long-term. In the near to medium-term, we recommend that the Foundation pursue alternative configurations of the equipment to produce niche Hawaiʻi products for which there is adequate supply, including fermented fruit products. In the long-term, the Foundation should research the potential for sourcing produce from other Pacific-region islands, as well as work at the policy and community levels to increase production of fruits locally, lower costs of production, and lower barriers to organic certification.

Date Created
2021-12-01
Agent

Meatless Monday Best Practices: Assessing the Implementation and Maintenance of Meatless Monday Initiatives in the U.S.

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Description

Meatless Monday is an initiative that encourages actionable steps toward the reduction of meat consumption by asking participants to eat meat-free on Mondays. Many organizations, cities, schools, and correctional facilities have implemented Meatless Monday initiatives as a push to improve

Meatless Monday is an initiative that encourages actionable steps toward the reduction of meat consumption by asking participants to eat meat-free on Mondays. Many organizations, cities, schools, and correctional facilities have implemented Meatless Monday initiatives as a push to improve environmental sustainability, human health, and the welfare of animals. Such initiatives provide an opportunity to educate consumers on the health benefits of a plant-forward diet, the environmental impact of meat production, animal welfare issues, the innovation of non-meat proteins, and to engage stakeholders in gaining more control over their food choices. This report offers a summary of seven Meatless Monday initiatives throughout the U.S., highlighting best practices and notable challenges of implementing and maintaining such an initiative in three different contexts: local government, school systems, and non-profit or volunteer-led organizations. This report was conducted through an extensive look at previous research, news articles, and marketing materials, as well as interviews with stakeholders in six mid-sized U.S. cities.

Date Created
2022-04-01
Agent