Patrick Baur

Patrick Baur is an Associate Professor in Sustainable Agriculture/Food Systems at the University of Rhode Island (URI), affiliated with the College of Biological Sciences (CBLS). His research examines the intersection of environmental governance, public policy, and agricultural practices, with a focus on sustainability, social justice, and ecological resilience. Baur holds a PhD in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management from UC Berkeley (2016) and an A.B. in Environmental Science and Public Policy from Harvard University (2007).

His work analyzes how policy mechanisms interact with ecological feedbacks to impact small/mid-scale organic farms, farmers of color, and beginning farmers. Key themes include automation’s societal impacts, food safety governance conflicts, and urban agricultural intensification strategies. Baur directs the Baur Food Systems Lab, which investigates diverse farming systems' adaptive capacity through projects like the Central Coast organic farming study and fossil fuel dependency critiques.

Publications highlight systemic challenges in agrifood systems, including fossil fuel lock-in, automation labor displacement, and policy-induced farmer burdens. His research often bridges social sciences with ecological science, advocating for equitable and ecologically sound food systems. Current projects explore machine-driven agricultural transitions and biodiversity conservation synergies with food safety.