Agricultural Research and Alternative Farmers’ Information Needs

Abstract

Research on sustainable agriculture is underfunded in the United States. Therefore, the topical relevance and the dissemination of this research must be carefully targeted to reach farmers. This paper investigates the actual linkages between local alternative farmers and the information dissemination efforts of publicly funded researchers who obtained grants from a federal/regional program. This analysis is based on a mail survey of twenty sustainable farmers in the Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Society, fifty farmers in the Illinois Organic Crop Improvement Association, and forty-two researchers who received grant funding from the North Central Region of the USDA's (United States Department of Agriculture) Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (USDA-SARE) program between 1988 and 1996. Appropriate statistical techniques were employed to analyze the relatively small sample sizes. Findings suggest that the local needs of farmers are not being met by the national and regional efforts of USDA-SARE, although sustainable farmers are somewhat more likely than organic farmers to receive publicly funded research information. Based on this survey research, the USDA should reconsider the focus and goals of its commitment to sustainable agricultural research.

Understanding the Scope of Farmer Perceptions of Risk: Considering Farmer Opinions on the Use of Genetically Modified (GM) Crops as a Stakeholder Voice in Policy

“…She suggested that farmers with more knowledge of sustainable methods would be more likely to adopt these methods in the future, but that a better understanding of farmer motivations is still needed. Farmers' information needs are also explored by Duram and Larson (2001) in a study that examined the relationship between local alternative farmers and government-sponsored research. In a mixed method research design of mail surveys of both farmers and researchers, Duram and Larson argue that the adoption of new farming methods or alternative farming endeavors requires an expansion of knowledge regarding management skills from other farmers and government.…”

Aligning Insect IPM Programs with a Cropping Systems Perspective: Cover Crops and Cultural Pest Control in Wisconsin Organic Corn and Soybean

“…Our results are similar to other studies showing favorable attitudes toward extension and/or an expression of great need for extension information among organic and sustainable agriculture farmers (Napit et al 1988;Agunga and Igodan 2007). Clearly, much of the existing entomology research literature can be cast within an organic cropping systems perspective, but the topical relevance and dissemination of information must be intentionally targeted to reach organic farmers (Duram and Larson 2001;Zehnder et al 2007;Wheeler 2011 …”

Explaining strengthening mechanisms, institutional orientations and problematic challenges of university agricultural research in Iran

“…Learning from the users and being careful to serve the real needs of the users and the dealers translates, in agricultural research, to on-farm research, service and relevance. Also, Duram and Larson (2001) emphasized an accordance between the information needs of farmers and the information disseminated by sustainable agricultural researchers and aim to find similar overall usage of information channels, between farmers and researchers. At the same time, some mechanisms must be encouraged to get feedback on the technology from the farmers at an early stage of the research process, using agricultural extension systems to improve the effectiveness of agricultural research.…”