Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T15:38:20.307Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Minnesota extension agents' knowledge and views of alternative agriculture

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2009

Deborah D. Paulson
Deborah D. Paulson
Affiliation:
Assistant Professor, Department of Geography and Recreation, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071-3371.
Get access

Abstract

I interviewed 19 county agricultural extension agents about their views of alternative agriculture as it is being promoted by sustainable agriculture groups in Minnesota. They varied considerably in how much they knew about it, their openness to it, and how heavily they were involved in it County extension agents share broad economic and environmental goals with sustainable farming advocacy groups, but many believe that agriculture is already working to meet those goals and are skeptical of the feasibility of alternative agriculture. Extension agents generally did not accept as realistic a primary social goal of sustainable agriculture advocates: maintaining the number of family farms. If county extension agents and sustainable agriculture groups in Minnesota are to work together for more sustainable agriculture, open discussion is needed on the goals of agriculture and visions for its future.

Keywords

sustainable agricultureMinnesota
Type
Articles
Information
American Journal of Alternative Agriculture , Volume 10 , Issue 3 , September 1995 , pp. 122 - 128
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Batie, S.S., and Taylor, D.B.. 1991. Assessing the character of agricultural production systems: Issues and implications. Amer. J. Alternative Agric. 6:184–187.Google Scholar
2.Bernard, H.R. 1994. Research Methods in Anthropology: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. 2nd ed.Sage, Thousand Oaks, California.Google Scholar
3.Berry, W. 1977. The Unsettling of America. Sierra Club Books, San Francisco, California.Google Scholar
4.Beus, C.E., and Dunlap, R.E.. 1990. Conventional versus alternative agriculture: The paradigmatic roots of the debate. Rural Sociology 55:590–616.Google Scholar
5.Burkhardt, J. 1991. The value measure in public agricultural research. In Thompson, P.B. and Stout, B.A. (eds). Beyond the Large Farm: Ethics and Research Goals for Agriculture. Wesrview Press, Boulder, Colorado.Google Scholar
6.Buttel, F.H., and Curry, J.. 1992. The structuring of sustainable agriculture in public research institutions: Results from a national survey of land-grant agricultural scientists. Impact Assessment Bull. 10:7–26.Google Scholar
7.Buttel, F.H., Gillespie, G.W. Jr., Janke, R., Caldwell, B., and Sarrantonio, M.. 1986. Reduced-input agricultural systems: Rationale and prospects. Amer. J. Alternative Agric. 1:58–64.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.Curry-Roper, J. 1992. Alternative agriculture and conventional paradigms in U.S. agriculture. In Bowler, I.R., Bryant, C.R., and Nellis, M.D. (eds). Contemporary Rural Systems In Transition. Vol.1: Agriculture and Environment. C.A.B. International, Wallingford, England, pp. 254–264.Google Scholar
9.Dahlberg, K.A. 1986. Introduction: Changing contexts and goals and the need for new evaluative approaches. In Dahlberg, K.A. (ed). New Directions for Agriculture and Agricultural Research: Neglected Dimensions and Emerging Alternatives. Rowman & Allanheld, Totowa, New Jersey, pp. 1–27.Google Scholar
10.Dunlap, R.E., Beus, C.E., Howell, R.E., and Waud, J.. 1992. What is sustainable agriculture? An empirical examination of faculty and farmer definitions. J. Sustainable Agric. 3:5–39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11.Flora, C.B. 1991. Research priorities for a sustainable agriculture. In Setting Priorities: Research, Practice, and Policy for a More Sustainable Agriculture. 1991 Conference Proceedings. Leopold Center for Sustainable Agric, Iowa State Univ., Ames. pp. 5–14.Google Scholar
12.Hamlin, C., and Shepard, P.T.. 1992. Deep Disagreement in U.S. Agriculture: Making Sense of Policy Conflict. Westview Press, Boulder, Colorado.Google Scholar
13.Land Stewardship Project. 1992a. LSP: A decade of work for cultural change. Land Stewardship Newsletter 10(4):1, 4–6, 15. Marine, Minnesota.Google Scholar
14.Land Stewardship Project. 1992b. New institute commits U of M to sustainable agriculture. Land Stewardship Newsletter 10(2):6. Marine, Minnesota.Google Scholar
15.Liebman, M. 1992. Research and extension efforts for improving agricultural sustainability in the north central and northeastern United States. Agric, Ecosystems and Environment 39:101–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16.Madden, J.P. 1987. Toward a new covenant for agricultural academe. In Hadwiger, D.F. and Browne, W.P. (eds). Public Policy and Agricultural Technology. St. Martin's Press, New York, N.Y. pp. 93–108.Google Scholar
17.Menanteau-Horta, D., Juffer, V., and Maxwell, B.. 1993. Patterns and trends of sustainable agriculture: A comparison of selected Minnesota farmers. Center for Rural Social Development, Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul.Google Scholar
18.Minnesota Dept. of Agric. 1991. Sustainable agriculture program of Minnesota: Greenbook 91. Report by the Energy and Sustainable Agriculture Staff. St. Paul.Google Scholar
19.National Research Council. 1989. Alternative Agriculture. Board on Agriculture. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.Google Scholar
20.Padgitt, S., and Lasley, P.. 1993. Promoting sustainable agriculture through existing agencies and organizations. Proceedings of the Agricultural Research to Protect Water Quality Conference, 21–24 Feb., 1993, Minneapolis, Minnesota.Google Scholar
21.Schaller, N. 1993. The concept of agricultural sustainability. Agric, Ecosystems and Environment 46:89–97.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22.Sommer, J.E., and Hines, E.K.. 1991. Diversity in U.S. agriculture: A new delineation by farming characteristics. Agric Economic Rept. No. 646. Economic Research Service, U.S. Dept. of Agric, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
23.Strange, M. 1988. Family Farming: A New Economic Vision. Univ. of Nebraska Press, Lincoln.Google Scholar
24.Sudman, S., and Bradburn, M.. 1982. Asking Questions: A Practical Guide to Questionnaire Design. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, California.Google Scholar
25.Troughton, M.J. 1985. Industrialization of US and Canadian agriculture. J. Geography 84:255–263.Google Scholar
26.U.S. Dept. of Agric. 1994. Call for proposals: Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Training Projects. Western Region USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program, Logan, Utah.Google Scholar