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Ag systems model8/12/2023 ![]() ![]() Some of the other socially positive outcomes of the industrial system (1, 3 & 5) are nice “side effects” of the primary purpose. The industrialized agricultural system is VERY successful at its primary purpose (result #7 above) making rich people richer. record profits for food corporations like PepsiCo and food retailers like Walmart.low wages and poor or no health benefits for most food system workers.a tremendous diversity of food products available on the shelves.environmental degradation and energy depletion.the convenience of food available every day.The results produced by the industrial agricultural system are many and complex, both positive and negative: We think we know what we are doing! We bend Mother Nature to do our will – but we lack the capacity to control the unintended consequences of our actions. Our short term success growing food for the past 50 years has made us overly confident. In doing so, we produce lots of relatively cheap food! In the United States, we expend less than 10% of our income on food but our food system cannot be considered truly sustainable if we factor in all three critical sustainability objectives economic vitality, environmental integrity, and social justice. Industrial agricultural systems, which are found everywhere on the planet, damage the environment, exploit humans, and manipulate other species to benefit the short term interests of those who have money and power. Most students are ill-prepared to understand the complex problems we have created by our single-minded focus on economic viability, which we pursue at the expense of environmental integrity and social justice. Graduates are well-prepared to take exams and write papers, but not to think creatively and systemically about climate change, war, poverty, hunger, environmental degradation etc.” “Our educational system trains students to think in a linear, logical, analytical way – at best, or simply to memorize disconnected facts – at worst. Although this skill is critical to advancing our global sustainability agenda, classes in systems thinking are missing from most university programs today.Īs I wrote in “ Learn to Think Like a Mountain”…. But the systems thinking tools I teach can be used to better understand any complex system. Let me explain….įirst, the class is called “agricultural” systems thinking simply because I spend most of my time thinking about food and farming stuff. Learning to be a systems thinker will not directly help you learn how to grow food, but it just may be the most important class you will ever take…. This page was created to support and challenge students taking STOCKSCH 379 – Agricultural Systems Thinking. ![]()
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