“…In the http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol16/iss2/art10/ productivism model, the 'ideal typical' form is characterized by production intensification and concentration along with product specialization (Argent 2002, Ilbery andBowler 1998). This model has tended to emphasize quantity over quality and, as a wider system for food production based on the assumption that consumers will be advantaged by the maximization of production (Lang and Heasman 2004), it has lead to unstable ecosystems, e.g., transforming perennial grass landscapes into the 'breadbaskets of the world' (Gray andLawrence 2001, Friedmann 2005). For Australia's ranchers, it is very difficult to move to a new production model because of the poor investment in infrastructure and experiments with 'new' practices during tight economic times (Lawrence et al 2004), criticisms from the peers about ranchers who change their practices (Conacher and Conacher 1995, Guerin and Guerin 1994, Richards et al 2005, and a decreased ratio of prices paid for their livestock relative to input costs (Malcolm et al 1996).…”