Seeing the workers for the trees: exalted and devalued manual labour in the Pacific Northwest craft cider industry

Weiler, Anelyse M.

doi:10.1007/s10460-021-10226-w

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…Given the increased labor requirements of agroecological farming systems, scholars have argued for training an ecologically skilled workforce to steward them (Carlisle et al, 2019) and that work opportunities on these farms have the potential to advance more just working conditions due to the variety of tasks and opportunities for learning (Timmermann & Félix, 2015). However, as research on agro-ecological production has shown, this vision can perpetuate its own forms of exploitation (Ekers et al, 2016;Ekers & Levkoe, 2015;Galt, 2013;Pilgeram, 2011;Weiler, 2022;Weiler et al, 2016), and there remain many unanswered questions about to what extent they offer a more fair alternative in terms of labor.…”

Section: Three Archetypes Of Food Labor Futuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many minority world countries struggle to balance reliance on migrant food workers with a desire to limit immigration (Rye & Scott, 2018). Labor-related inequities disproportionately affect people of color (Freshour, 2017;Liu & Apollon, 2011;Sachs et al, 2014;Weiler, 2022), and both the legacies and contemporary forces of colonialism and racism limit access to becoming a food producer (Levkoe & Offeh-Gyimah, 2020). While technological solutions to labor shortages have gained further support in light of the pandemic, they are far from a panacea (Reisman, 2021) and risk exacerbating injustices within food systems, for example, as increased automation of tasks perceived to be highly skilled may result in more farmers relying on racialized migrant workers (Rotz et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pathways for advancing good work in food systems: Reflecting on the international Good Work for Good Food Forum

Klassen

Medland²,

Nicol³

et al. 2023

J. Agric. Food Syst. Community Dev.

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The crucial roles that workers, especially seasonal and migrant workers, play in our food systems have come under renewed attention in recent years. The coronavirus pandemic resulted in food workers being recognized as critical or essential workers in many countries. In 2021, this coincided with the UN International Year of Fruits and Vegetables (IYFV), highlighting the importance of horticultural crops to healthy lives globally. Yet, workers’ quality of life in this most labor-intensive form of food production is often disregarded, or in the case of the UN IYFV, misconstrued. The agriculture-migration nexus—on which food systems depend—remains recognized as a challenge, yet there is limited debate about how it could be ameliorated and a lack of articulation of desirable alternatives. While alternative food and peasant movements propose food system transformation and alternative labor futures based on agroecology, labor lawyers and other advocates propose regulation and formalization of workplace regimes to ensure fair working conditions. Most recently, a third possibility has emerged from agri-tech innovators: a techno-centric future with far fewer agricultural workers. These three archetypes of agricultural labor futures (agroecological, formally regulated, and techno-centric) have the potential to leave food scholars and activists without a unified, coherent vision to advance. Addressing this gap, this paper reports and builds on insights harvested from the international Good Work for Good Food Forum, organized by the authors with the aim of shaping consensus on positive visions for work in food systems. About 40 scholar-activists across three continents discussed the current challenges facing food workers and crafted a collective vision for good food work. This vision is documented in the form of nine principles supported by a framework of seven enabling pathways. We conclude by emphasizing the need for a people-centered incorporation of technology and a re-valuation of food workers’ contributions to global food systems. We offer the vision as a collective platform for action to advocate for and organize with workers in food systems.

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Section: Three Archetypes Of Food Labor Futuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pathways for advancing good work in food systems: Reflecting on the international Good Work for Good Food Forum

Klassen

Medland²,

Nicol³

et al. 2023

J. Agric. Food Syst. Community Dev.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Simultaneously, importing juice and juice concentrates became more affordable and easier (Futrell 2017). Coming into the 21st century, the US cider industry has been marked by many large, commercial orchards growing primarily table apple varieties and a low supply of apples for cider-making (Becot, Bradshaw, and Conner 2016;Fabien-Ouellet and Conner 2018), heirloom apple varieties becoming rare or completely extinct, labor shortages and discrepant pay for orchard and cider-production staff (Weiler 2021), and the use of apple juice concentrate for cider production (Miles et al 2020). At the same time, however, apple agriculture and cider production are becoming recognized as profitable and sustainable entrepreneurial endeavors that can support a meaningful livelihood (Becot, Bradshaw, and Conner 2016;Peck and Knickerbocker 2018;Smith and Lal 2017).…”

Section: Cidermentioning

confidence: 99%

“The uniqueness of one apple versus another.” Exploring producer perspectives of hard cider in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic United States

Calvert,

Neill,

Stewart

et al. 2023

Food, Culture & Society

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Hard cider is growing in popularity throughout the United States (US). Though many scholars have investigated quality and trends in the expanding US cider industry, still little is known about cider producers' opinions of the products that they make. How do American cider producers value and emplace value onto cider as the industry grows and competes with the broader alcoholic beverage market? This study explored producer perceptions of American hard cider by employing 21 semi-structured interviews with cider-makers throughout Virginia, Vermont, and New Yorkthree leading cider producing states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic US. Interview sessions were subject to reflexive thematic analysis for themes related to preference, consumption, and cidermaking. Results suggest that cider producers broadly prefer complex flavors and cider made with cider-specific apples. Yet, cider producers ascribe to a diverse spectrum of values related to the cider-making process, agriculture, and business goals, which influence their preferences and the experiences that they create for other consumers. This research also identifies a chasm in how American "cider" is being constructed and valued, offering broad implications for the domestic cider and apple agriculture industries as well as a template for bridging the divide between producer-and consumer-based food studies.

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“…However, case studies undercut this vision, finding that AFS projects are inclined to prioritize sustainability at the expense of potentially replicating economic inequality (Biewener 2016 ; Daftary-Steel et al 2015 ; Sbicca 2015 ; Soper 2020 ; Slocum 2006 ). With respect to labor, AFS are criticized for relying on free and underpaid work, poor working conditions, and exacerbating inequality based on race, class, and gender (Alkon and Agyeman 2011 ; Allen 2016 ; Janssen 2010 ; Myers and Sbicca 2015 ; MacAuley and Niewolny 2016 ; Minkoff-Zern 2017 ; Shreck et al 2006 ; Guthman 2008 ; Gray 2013 ; Weiler 2021 ). 4…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Between the farm and the fork: job quality in sustainable food systems

Kelmenson

2022

Agric Hum Values

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Advocates for structural change in the food system see opportunity in alternative food systems (AFS) to bolster sustainability and equity. Indeed, any alternative to industrial labor practices is assumed to be better. However, little is known about what types of jobs are building AFS or job quality. Failing to understand job quality in AFS risks building a sustainable but exploitative industry. Using a unique and large data set on job openings in AFS, this paper narrows this gap by providing an assessment of labor demand and job quality for AFS in the United States between 2010 and 2019. Job advertisements are matched to 2018 Standard Occupation Codes to characterize work. Wages are compared to living wage standards and median incomes by occupation and local labor market. Considering living wage tests and local labor market competitiveness together, the potential for high job quality in AFS is mixed. Optimistically, higher prices in occupation that are close to consumers and experiencing significant labor demand, like food service and sales, saw more competitive wages. However, these roles frequently failed to offer living wages. Farm work occupations underperformed compared to local labor markets. In addition, uncompetitive senior-level jobs may indicate low-quality career pathways for leadership roles charting paths forward in AFS. These results suggest more institutional action are necessary to enhance labor quality within these spaces and more broadly across the food system. These results also raise questions about who is able to participate in AFS development and whether barriers to participate may replicate equity blind spots.

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Seeing the workers for the trees: exalted and devalued manual labour in the Pacific Northwest craft cider industry

Cited by 8 publications

References 55 publications

Pathways for advancing good work in food systems: Reflecting on the international Good Work for Good Food Forum

Pathways for advancing good work in food systems: Reflecting on the international Good Work for Good Food Forum

“The uniqueness of one apple versus another.” Exploring producer perspectives of hard cider in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic United States

Between the farm and the fork: job quality in sustainable food systems

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