Lydia Zepeda

Lydia Zepeda

Professor Emerita
Consumer Science
4104 Nancy Nicholas Hall 1300 Linden Drive
608-262-9487
lzepeda@wisc.edu
You are what you eat.

–Unknown

My research on food production, consumption and access is motivated by my family history: a great grandfather who lost his life trying to bring farm machinery to Mexico, a grandfather who lost his land and home in Mexico, an infant uncle who died of hunger in the US, many relatives who were agricultural workers in the US and many more with type II diabetes.  These events have inspired me to investigate agricultural technological change and policy, land access, family farm labor, mobile markets in food deserts, and consumer food choices.

I am particularly interested in changes in our food system that are linked with healthier, more sustainable and more socially just food choices, particularly organic and local foods.  I employ a variety of quantitative and qualitative tools using behavioral economic models (incorporating theories such as Self Determination theory, Symbolic Interactionism) to investigate consumer food choices, and their relationships with food skills and knowledge, attitudes, policy and the food environment.

Notes: Zepeda is also a former Faculty Affiliate Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies.

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My website:  www.localandorganicfood.org

Recent Publications

Refereed Publications

Zepeda, L. and A. Reznickova In press. “Potential Demand for Local Fresh Produce by Mobile 11 Markets” US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service. (reviewed by USDA AMS)

Bumrungwong, W., L. Zepeda & A. Reznikova. 2017 “Gender differences in pro-environmental behaviors: A self-determination theory perspective” Chapter 1 in Self-Determination Theory (SDT): Perspective, Applications and Impact. S. L. Wade, ed. New York: Nova Science Publishers. https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=60546

Zepeda, L. and A. Reznickova. 2017. “Innovative millennial snails: The story of Slow Food University of Wisconsin” Agriculture and Human Values 34(1): 167-178. DOI: 10.1007/s10460-016-9701-8. Accepted April 14, 2016 and published online June 8, 2016 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10460-016-9701- 8?wt_mc=Internal.Event.1.SEM.ArticleAuthorOnlineFirst

Reznickova, A. and Zepeda, L. 2016. “Can Self-Determination Theory explain the self-perpetuation of social innovations? A case study of Slow Food at the University of Wisconsin – Madison” Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology. 26(1): 3-17. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/casp.2229/epdf

Zepeda, L., A. Reznickova and L. Lohr. 2015. Zepeda Pre-Focus Group Questionnaire. APA’s PsycTESTS database http://www.apa.org/pubs/databases/psyctests/index.aspx

Zepeda, L., Reznickova, A., Russell, W. and Hettenbach, D. 2014. “Does Community Supported Agriculture Create Symbolic Value?” Journal of Food Distribution Research (45) no 2, 195-212. http://www.fdrsinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/JFDR-452_11Zepeda.pdf

Zepeda, L., A. Reznickova and L. Lohr. 2014. “Overcoming challenges to effectiveness of mobile markets in US food deserts” Appetite (79), 58-67. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666314001470#

Costa, S., Zepeda, L., and Sirieix, L. 2014. “Exploring the social value of organic food: A qualitative study in France” International Journal of Consumer Studies (38) no 3, 228-237. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ijcs.12100/abstract

Zepeda, L., Sirieix, L., Pizarro, A., Corderre, F. and Rodine, F. 2013. “A conceptual framework for analyzing consumers’ food label preferences: An exploratory study of sustainability labels in France, Quebec, Spain and the US” International Journal of Consumer Studies (37) no 6, 605-616. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ijcs.12041/abstract

Zepeda, L., Reznickova, A. and Russell, W. 2013. “CSA membership and psychological needs fulfillment: An application of Self-Determination theory” Agriculture and Human Values (30) no 4, 605-624. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10460-013-9432-z

Sirieix, L., Delanchy, M., Remaud, H. Zepeda, L, Gurviez, P. 2013. “Consumers’ perceptions of individual and combined sustainable food labels: A UK pilot investigation” International Journal of Consumer Studies. (37) no 2, 143-151. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/doi/10.1111/j.1470- 6431.2012.01109.x/full

Zepeda, L. and Nie, C. 2012. “What are the odds of buying organic or local foods? Multivariate analysis of US food shopper lifestyle segments” Agricultural and Human Values. (29), no. 4, 467- 480.

Outreach Publications

Zepeda, Lydia. 2016. Driftless Terroir: Smut, or a saucy tale of corn’s misunderstood fungus. Voice of the River Valley. August, pp 24-25. Monthly magazine for Southwestern Wisconsin. Circulation 3,750. Dodgeville, WI: Wording LLC.

Zepeda, Lydia and Kathryn A. Carroll. 2016. Dane County Farmers’ Market Consumer Survey. Report Submitted to the Dane County Farmers’ Market Board. April 29, 2016. www.localanorganicfood.org

Zepeda, Lydia and Alice Reznickova. 2016. Potential Demand for Local Agricultural Products by Mobile Markets: Adrian, MI. UW-Madison, Department of Consumer Science. March 14, 2016. www.localandorganicfood.org

Reznickova, Alice and Zepeda, Lydia. 2016. Potential Demand for Local Agricultural Products by Mobile Markets: Worcester, MA. UW-Madison, Department of Consumer Science. February 18, 2016. www.localandorganicfood.org

Op-Ed “Immigrant food workers deserve basic rights” Houston Chronicle. Paper circulation: 323,429 October 21, 2015. http://images.burrellesluce.com/image/8122/8122_9313 Web circulations 1,147,313 http://www.chron.com

Op-Ed “Back immigrant food workers” (The) Vindicator. Youngstown, OH. Circulation: 55,436. October 21, 2015. http://images.burrellesluce.com/image/8122/8122_NA818

Op-Ed “Immigrant food workers deserve a break” Lodi (CA) News-Sentinal Circulation: 9,411. October 21, 2015. http://images.burrellesluce.com/image/8122/8122_9344

Op-Ed “Immigrant food workers deserve a break” Visalia (CA) Times-Delta Circulation: 50,660. October 19, 2015. http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com

Op-Ed “Immigrant food workers deserve rights” Herald News. Passaic, NJ. Circulation: 46,950. October 19, 2015. http://images.burrellesluce.com/image/8122/8122_9312

Op-Ed “Immigrant workers deserve a break” Tulare Advance-Register. Tulare, CA. Circulation: 6,650. October 19, 2015. http://images.burrellesluce.com/image/8122/8122_9376

Op-Ed “Immigrant food service workers deserve a break” Herald Democrat. Sherman, TX. Circulation: 14,585. October 18, 2015. http://images.burrellesluce.com/image/8122/8122_9363

Op-Ed “Immigrant food workers deserve rights” The Norman Transcript. Norman, OK. Circulation: 8,868. October 18, 2015. http://images.burrellesluce.com/image/8122/8122_9345

Op-Ed “Illegal workers key to US food industry” Lebanon Daily News. Lebanon, PA. Circulation: 20,791. October 18, 2015. http://images.burrellesluce.com/image/8122/8122_9377

Op-Ed “Immigrant food workers need a break” Laredo Morning Times. Circulation: 12,519. October 17, 2015. http://images.burrellesluce.com/image/8122/8122_9311

Op-Ed “Zepeda: Immigrant food-service workers deserve a break” The Virginia Pilot, Norfolk Virginia, Circulation: 42,384. October 17, 2015. http://hamptonroads.com/2015/10/zepeda-immigrantfoodservice-workers-deserve-break

Op-Ed “The people who feed us” published in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Circulation 145,683. October 17, 2015. http://images.burrellesluce.com/image/8122/8122_9305

Op-Ed “Other View: Immigrant food workers deserve a break” published in the Apeal-Democrat (Marysville, CA). Circulation 31,852. October 16, 2015. http://www.appealdemocrat.com/opinion/guest_views/other-view-immigrant-food-workers-deserve-abreak/article_1ace5a38-7474-11e5-b3ab-6bb27fa5119e.html

Op-Ed “Immigrant food workers deserve a break today” published in The Progressive October 13, 2015. http://progressive.org/news/2015/10/188359/immigrant-food-workers-deserve-break-today

Op-Ed “Workers routinely exploited” published in the Eau-Claire Leader Telegram, Circulation 19,788 October 3, 2015. http://www.leadertelegram.com/Opinion/2015/10/03/Workers-routinelyexploited.html

Zepeda, Lydia and Alice Reznickova. 2015. Potential Demand for Local Agricultural Products by Mobile Markets: Concord, CA. UW-Madison, Department of Consumer Science. October 16, 2015. www.localandorganicfood.org

Zepeda, Lydia and Alice Reznickova. 2015. Potential Demand for Local Agricultural Products by Mobile Markets: Santa Fe, NM. UW-Madison, Department of Consumer Science. September 24, 2015. www.localandorganicfood.org

Reznickova, Alice and Zepeda, Lydia. 2015. Potential Demand for Local Agricultural Products by Mobile Markets: Baltimore, MD. UW-Madison, Department of Consumer Science. September 22, 2015. www.localandorganicfood.org

Lydia Zepeda and Kathryn A. Carroll. 2015. Dane County Farmers’ Market Vendor Survey Report. UWMadison, Department of Consumer Science. August 20, 2015. www.localandorganicfood.org

Reznickova, Alice & Zepeda, Lydia. 2015. Potential Demand for Local Agricultural Products by Mobile Markets: New Orleans, Louisiana. UW-Madison, Department of Consumer Science. April 7, 2015. www.localandorganicfood.org

Kong, Lingran, Lydia Zepeda, John Ahlquist, Ian Coxhead, Melanie Meyer, John Newton, Chris Schlichenmaier, Tammi Simpson, Diane Michalski Turner, Jason Weitzman, Cornell Zbikowski, Cindy Van Matre, ex-officio, and Everett Mitchell, ex-officio. 2014. Report to the Chancellor on the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh and the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety. University of Wisconsin-Madison Labor Codes Licensing Compliance Committee, March 25, 2014. www.localandorganicfood.org

Reznickova, Alice & Zepeda, Lydia. 2013. Measuring Effects of Mobile Markets on Healthy Food Choices: Report of Focus Group Results, Arcadia Mobile Market, Washington DC. UW-Madison, Department of Consumer Science. September 24, 2013. www.localandorganicfood.org

Reznickova, Alice & Zepeda, Lydia. 2013. Measuring Effects of Mobile Markets on Healthy Food Choices: Report of Focus Group Results, Freshmobile, Madison, WI. UW-Madison, Department of Consumer Science. September 24, 2013. www.localandorganicfood.org

Zepeda, Lydia & Reznickova, Alice. 2013. Measuring Effects of Mobile Markets on Healthy Food Choices: Report of Focus Group Results, Fresh Moves Mobile Market, Chicago, IL. UW-Madison, Department of Consumer Science. September 24, 2013. www.localandandorganicfood.org

Zepeda, L. and A. Reznickova. “Measuring Effects of Mobile Markets on Healthy Food Choices.” Madison, University of Wisconsin, November 2013. http://dx.doi.org/10.9752/142.11-2013

Zepeda, L. and A. Reznickova. “Measuring Effects of Mobile Markets on Healthy Food Choices; Report of Focus Group Results, Gorge Grown mobile market, Stevenson, WA. November 21, 2012. www.localandorganicfood.org

Cnsr Sci 360 Sustainable and Socially Just Consumption This course explores the role that consumers play in promoting sustainability and social justice. Students complete a research presentation on topic of their choice related to sustainable and or socially just consumption.

Cnsr Sci 477 Consumer and the Market

Other affiliations:

Faculty affiliate, Center for European Studies
Faculty affiliate, Development Studies
Faculty affiliate, Gender and Women’s Studies
Faculty affiliate, Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies Program

Slow Food UW Consumer Advocacy: Exploring Health and Community through Food

Slow Food­UW is a campus chapter of the international Slow Food movement, whose mission is to support access to “good, clean, fair food.” In response to the growing geographical, socioeconomic and cultural barriers between low­income residents and healthy, organic food, Slow Food­UW students initiated efforts in the fall of 2009 to bridge these divides. The fair food movement, led by Slow Food UW members, has led to lasting relationships between local farmers, artisanal food producers, and community organizations focused on food advocacy. The Outreach projects of Slow Food UW aim to increase awareness and access to community­based, sustainable and fairly sourced food on the UW campus. This mission is upheld through workshops and sponsored events with university organizations and community members. We seek to help students enter a dialogue about the food system in order to raise consciousness about systems of power that influence theirs and others’ relationship to food. Additionally, we seek to increase accessibility of local and fresh food on campus through development of our own programming as well as cooperation with the university. These partnerships aim to create a dialogue and bridge cultural differences between local diverse communities using food as a universal experience. The Cook-to-Connect internship aims to promote and preserve the culture of cooking on the UW-Madison campus, through educational workshops that engage students while working to increase knowledge and access of local and fresh food on campus. The Dormant Chef seeks to promote awareness to concerns in the food system, while engaging dorm residences in How-Tos for cooking healthy, affordable meals in dorm spaces. The Recipes for Change internship includes collaboration between Slow Food UW, Redamte Coffee House and various UW organizations or community partners on a monthly to bi-monthly events to create a platform for new educational dialogues about local and global communities.