Download SAFRIG - Rural Sociological Society

 Rural Sociological Society
Sociology of Agriculture and Food Research Interest Group (SAFRIG)
Business Meeting
Madison Concourse Hotel, August 8, 2015, 4:00 – 5:15 pm
Outgoing Chair: Rick Welsh, Ph.D., Syracuse University
Chair: Dara Bloom, Ph.D., North Carolina State University
Co-Chair: Jessica Goldberger, Ph.D., Washington State University
MINUTES
1)
Nominations and election of new SAFRIG Co-Chair (to serve 2015-2017).
Jessica Goldberger was nominated and elected by a show of hands. As is customary, Jessica
took minutes for the meeting. Rebecca Som Castellano was also nominated, but was not
present at the meeting. Rebecca is encouraged to volunteer again next year.
2)
Report on the 2015 SAFRIG Field Trip (Dara Bloom)
Dara Bloom reported on the SAFRIG field trip, which included visits to the Farley Center
(incubator farm), Circle M Farm (CSA, agritourism), and a traditional family-run dairy
farm. Seventeen people (16 faculty, 1 graduate student) paid for the tour. Tour registrations
totaled $660. The tour cost $700 ($550 bus rental + $150 honoraria). SAFRIG covered the
difference ($40). Dara showed a slideshow of the field trip. The comments from field trip
participants were extremely positive.
3)
Report on SAFRIG Budget (Dara Bloom)
SAFRIG has 117 members. The total available budget prior to the field trip was $3,318.19.
After the field trip, the balance dropped to $3,278.19.
4)
Report on SAFRIG Graduate Student Paper Award (Doug Constance)
The 2015 SAFRIG Graduate Student Paper Award Committee included Doug Constance
(Chair), Leland Glenna, Elizabeth Ransom, and Michelle Worosz. They presented awards to
two individuals: (1) Tal Yifat, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Chicago (“Social Enterprise
as Collective Action: Resource Mobilization in the Organic Mass Market”) and (2) Annabel
Ipsen, PhD. Candidate, University of Wisconsin-Madison (“Manufacturing a Natural
Advantage: Capturing Place-Based Technology Rents in the Genetically Modified Corn
Seed Industry”). Each winner was awarded $150.
Ray Jussaume asked if there was a way to acknowledge the award winners in the RSS
Annual Meeting Program. Doug Constance said award winners might not be selected prior
to the printing of the program. Sarah Lloyd suggested that award winners could be identified
in the program errata.
1 The 2016 SAFRIG Graduate Student Paper Award Committee will include Rick Welsh
(Chair), Ray Jussaume, Mary Hendrickson, and Yetkin Borlu.
5)
Diversity Discussion (Cornelia Flora)
Cornelia Flora, representative from the Diversity Committee, asked SAFRIG to commit
$500 to enhance diversity at the 2016 RSS Annual Meeting. Funds could be used for
developing special sessions and then publicizing such sessions to ensure high attendance.
Ray Jussaume suggested that SAFRIG could organize thematic joint sessions with other
RIGs. Keiko Tanaka said the SAFRIG chair/co-chair should email SAFRIG members to
remind them about special sessions/events. Dara Bloom suggested that SAFRIG could ask
members (ahead of abstract submission deadline) to develop diversity-related sessions.
MOTION (Keiko Tanaka): SAFRIG will commit $500 to support at least one agrifood panel
or session with a diversity emphasis at the 2016 RSS Annual Meeting. Seconded and passed.
Doug Constance and Michael Gertler agreed to lead the diversity effort.
6)
Discussion about 2016 SAFRIG Field Trip
Because the 2016 RSS Annual Meeting will take place in Toronto right before the IRSA
World Congress of Rural Sociology, there was lots of discussion about how best to organize
the 2016 SAFRIG Field Trip. Cornelia Flora suggested that the field trip could be shortened
to half of a day so conference attendees could avoid staying an extra night in Toronto
(assuming many RSS members will attend both RSS and IRSA). Ray Jussaume suggested
that SAFRIG could co-sponsor a field trip with IRSA (and thus not offer a separate SAFRIG
field trip). Doug Constance and Michael Gertler agreed to help with the field trip planning.
7)
Discussion about History of SAFRIG (Bill Heffernan)
Bill Heffernan recounted the early history of SAFRIG. The group discussed whether or not
the 2016 RSS Annual Meeting should include a 40-year anniversary celebration of
SAFRIG, drawing on some European scholars who might be in attendance because of
IRSA. An alternative would be to wait and celebrate the 50-year anniversary. Dara Bloom
suggested that there could be a session or panel on the history of SAFRIG. Participants
could include Larry Busch, Doug Constance, Cornelia and Jan Flora, and/or other
agricultural sociologists. Keiko Tanaka agreed to organize the panel.
Dara Bloom suggested that graduate students could conduct interviews with key people
regarding the history of SAFRIG. The students could work with Julie Zimmerman, the RSS
Historian. There could be a session at the 2016 RSS Annual Meeting about the history of
SAFRIG and a similar session at the IRSA World Congress of Rural Sociology about the
history of sociology of agriculture/food in Europe and/or elsewhere. Keiko Tanaka
volunteered to reach out to Julie on this topic.
2 8)
Ideas for 2016 RSS Annual Meeting
Keiko Tanaka pointed out that SAFRIG has ~$3,000 with another ~$1,000 expected in
2016. SAFRIG could use funds to link with the IRSA World Congress of Sociology by
bringing in international speakers a day early. The two meetings will overlap on August 9 or
10. Ray Jussaume offered to send details about IRSA, ISA, and RC40 to SAFRIG members.
SAFRIG has direct links to the IRSA Program Committee: Clare Hinrichs is co-chair and
Doug Constance is a committee member.
Michael Gertler mentioned that having the 2016 RSS Annual Meeting in Toronto offers the
opportunity to organize some sessions about borders (e.g., Mexico-US, US-Canada). He
argued for the need for more comparative papers.
9)
Discussion of RSS Involvement in USDA-NIFA and CAST
The group discussed the importance of rural sociologists’ involvement in USDA-NIFA
review panels, grant submissions, etc. Keith Moore said rural sociologists should not be
afraid to contact Sonny Ramaswamy (NIFA Director). Larry Busch talked about the
challenges of submitting NIFA proposals. Leland Glenna suggested that RSS should
consider re-joining the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST).
MOTION (Mary Hendrickson): SAFRIG will request that Council revisit re-joining the
Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). Seconded and passed.
Danielle Berman, who serves on Council, agreed to bring up CAST at a future Council
meeting.
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