Sustainability metrics on consumer-facing farms in Vermont: a preliminary report

Abstract Food systems sustainability has interested researchers for decades; one area of interest is developing methods to measure it in various contexts. Our review of the literature finds many studies that have posited metrics and indicators for measuring sustainability in the food system, with most of them relying on secondary data rather than direct inquiry of stakeholders like farmers. This Preliminary Report presents results of farmer perceptions of sustainability, focusing on consumer-facing agriculture (direct market and agritourism) farms in Vermont, as part of the first phase of research in one of a set of projects aimed at developing sustainability metrics. We emphasize metrics that can be used for farm management, marketing, and policy advocacy, and add two dimensions (human and production) to the more common three (ecological, economic, and social). Using interviews from six case studies, we posit indicators across five dimensions of sustainability and identify tradeoffs in achieving them, emphasizing the farmers’ experiences. Our discussion compares and contrasts our results with the literature. Results will form the basis of a statewide farmer survey, which will be conducted in the next year.