The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
Electronic Theses & Dissertations Project

Title:	Energy requirements for certified organic farms in New Jersey : a survey and analysis of tomato production
Author:	Kelnhofer-Feeley, Cecilia
View Online:	njit-etd1998-068 (x, 56 pages ~ 2.2 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Environmental Policy Studies
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Opie, John (Committee chair) Beaton, W. Patrick (Committee member) Elliot, Norbert (Committee member)
Date:	1998-01
Keywords:	Agriculture and energy. Agricultural ecology. Organic farming--New Jersey. Tomato production--New Jersey.
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	The focus of this thesis is to document the fossil fuel and electrical energy consumption required to grow certified organic tomatoes in the State of New Jersey. First, in order to evaluate the energy requirement for agriculture, a literature review of energy changes during the twentieth century is discussed. Secondly, an in-depth look at energy requirements for all farming types is evaluated. Third, previous studies of the energy requirements in agriculture are examined; this includes both analyzing organic and conventional farming practices. A survey was generated from the information gathered. The survey was conducted via face-to-face interviews. When all the necessary data was gathered through the surveys, the results were codified and analyzed. The method used to analyze the data is statistical analysis concluding with a discussion of the results. After gathering, documenting, and codifying the information, conclusions were drawn from the analysis, including the lack of correlation between energy use and tomato yields for organic farmers. The conclusion leads to policy recommendations for farmers regarding both agricultural and environmental policies.