Uncovering Roots of Agricultural Simplification

Kate Nelson, an associate professor at the University of Missouri’s School of Natural Resources, has received a National Science Foundation grant to explore how agricultural systems have become "stuck" in a cycle that no longer serves both the land and farmers.

Nelson will study whether modern agriculture is trapped in a "simplification trap," where a lack of diversity in farming practices harms both the environment and human health.

“When we think of diversification that is happening, we think of small-scale organic farms and regenerative ag, but, currently, they are mostly small-scale, and we need that diversification in larger operations for long-term sustainability,” Nelson said.

Nelson's grant will help her identify potential factors that contributed to these simplification traps, such as mechanization, crop insurance, incentivization, rural economies and global markets.

By analyzing historical data, including the U.S. Agricultural Census and state reports from Missouri and Kansas, Nelson hopes to uncover overlooked narratives about how agricultural practices have evolved. These documents, which contain valuable insights into rural challenges such as disease, economic shifts and depopulation, will be digitized for broader access.

“Opportunities for rural families are increasingly constrained, and we can’t increase these opportunities without strategic investment in rural communities,” Nelson said.

Nelson added that by addressing these issues, she hopes to help both farmers and the land build resilience and break free from the simplification trap, fostering more sustainable agricultural practices that benefit both the environment and rural communities.