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VERSION:2.0
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
PRODID:UW-Madison-Physics-Events
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SEQUENCE:0
UID:UW-Physics-Event-3504
DTSTART:20141021T170500Z
DTEND:20141021T180000Z
DTSTAMP:20260419T161756Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20141015T190254Z
LOCATION:4274 Chamberlin (refreshments will be served)
SUMMARY:Complex multi-systems redesign: regional food for regional mar
 kets\, Chaos & Complex Systems Seminar\, Michelle Miller\, UW Center f
 or Integrated Agricultural Systems
DESCRIPTION:As much as we enjoy our farmers markets and CSAs\, most of
  our food makes its way to us via freight truck. As fuel prices contin
 ue a decades-long rise\, shippers and carriers shoulder the cost.  The
 y are controlling costs in ways that increase transportation efficienc
 ies for them as individual actors\, not for the entire supply chain. T
 hese shifts\, such as placement of distribution centers and big box st
 ores\, have unintended consequences for other parts of the food supply
  chain. Highway congestion and related fuel waste\, poor labor conditi
 ons for truck drivers\, creation of ”food deserts” in urban and ru
 ral areas\, and limited market access for midsize farmers are some of 
 the negative feedback that result.  Hidden costs\, such as the vehicle
  costs necessary to drive to supermarkets or warehouse stores\, are bo
 rne by consumers rather than shippers. At the same time\, consumers ar
 e separated from the source of their food\, fueling concentration in a
 griculture\, another positive feedback loop. Separating food productio
 n from the population creates a brittle food system with environmental
 \, economic and social consequences. This project takes a systems look
  at the current wholesale food supply chain\, from farmer to consumer\
 , and begins to model logistical innovations that reconfigure agricult
 ural and transportation systems to both mitigate and adapt to climate 
 change. We expect to see reduced GHG emissions\, reduced highway conge
 stion\, increased redundancy in food production\, and a move from food
  supply chains to a more web-like structure\, better use of public inv
 estment in transportation and food provisioning\, and improved labor c
 onditions throughout. Using a complex adapative systems approach\, ear
 ly work brought representatives from regional food supply chains toget
 her to discuss various perspectives. Current work\, advised by food fr
 eight stakeholders\, is modeling logistical interventions based on act
 ual movement data that we think may improve the movement of food and c
 atalyze this cascade of other benefits across the supply chain. 
URL:https://www.physics.wisc.edu/events/?id=3504
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