Food (and agriculture) SystemS of the UMRB
This research aligns with a project, funded by NSF, titled “Sustainable socio-economic, ecological, and technological scenarios for achieving global climate stabilization through negative CO2 emission policies.” The project is a collaborative effort by an interdisciplinary team of researchers from USD, Montana State University, and the University of Wyoming that is evaluating of the role a BEECS (bioenergy and carbon capture and sequestration) economy would have on the Upper Missouri River Basin (UMRB).
This food-systems research has three main components. First, we will assess the diets of the residents in the UMRB with attention to the foods consumed and the nutritional content. Likewise, the perceptions of UMRB residents and farmers of dietary and market shifts will be collected. Second, we will evaluate the sustainability of the average diet per capita and various diet scenarios in relationship to the regional carrying capacity. Lastly, the UMRB food system will be modeled based on the current food system and the potential responses to system changes and solutions for a sustainable UMRB food system.
This research is ongoing. Please contact Jacinda Maassen or Meghann Jarchow (contact information for both can be found on the Team page) for more information.
