I have worked and conducted research in the Corn Belt since 2008. My research coheres around the three themes described below.

Agrarian Transformation in the
Corn Belt

Iowa is the country’s leading producer of corn, soybeans, and hogs, yet its agricultural landscapes produce more than export-oriented commodities. Small-scale, alternative farms are emerging alongside Iowa’s fields of grain. Funded by the Wenner-Gren Foundation, this project examines the intersections between Iowa’s ostensibly distinct systems of agricultural production to understand how overlapping rural social worlds create new approaches to farming.

Beginning Farmers’ Livelihood Strategies

Designed in collaboration with Practical Farmers of Iowa, this project investigates the diverse strategies employed by new farmers in alternative agriculture. I study the roles of non-monetary transactions, reciprocity, and mentorship in beginning farmers’ success, paying particular attention to differences between first-generation farmers and those with farm backgrounds. I also use the stories of people who decided to stop farming to distinguish farm economics from farm finances. This project was supported by the USDA North Central Region SARE.

Farm Households and Farm Operations

My current work investigates the processes through which family, household, and community-level variables influence farm persistence. As part of a multi-disciplinary research team, this winter I am conducting a survey of a representative sample of Ohio farmers to document farmers’ attitudes/goals, social ties, market access, and other community context factors that can be important drivers of farm viability and structural change.