The Lack of a Profit Motive for Ranching: Implications for Policy Analysis

Torell, L. Allen; Rimbey, Neil R.; Tanaka, John; Bailey, Scott

doi:10.22004/ag.econ.16629

Cited by 6 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 31 publications

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“…37 , 38 At the same time, the rates of return on Southwest ranches are low, and typically less than other types of US agriculture. 39 This economic situation is being further stressed with climate change-related increases in temperature, heat waves, and drought. 37 , 40 Beef production capacity of rangelands is expected to decrease, along with an increase in ranch vulnerability to erosion, feed and forage shortages, and animal heat stress.…”

Section: Case Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Design thinking for responsible Agriculture 4.0 innovations in rangelands

Hurst,

Spiegal

2023

Rangelands

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Section: Case Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Design thinking for responsible Agriculture 4.0 innovations in rangelands

Hurst,

Spiegal

2023

Rangelands

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Managing for the middle: rancher care ethics under uncertainty on Western Great Plains rangelands

et al. 2019

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Ranchers and pastoralists worldwide manage and depend upon resources from rangelands (which support indigenous vegetation with the potential for grazing) across Earth's terrestrial surface. In the Great Plains of North America rangeland ecology has increasingly recognized the importance of managing rangeland vegetation heterogeneity to address conservation and production goals. This paradigm, however, has limited application for ranchers as they manage extensive beef production operations under high levels of social-ecological complexity and uncertainty. We draw on the ethics of care theoretical framework to explore how ranchers choose management actions. We used modified grounded theory analysis of repeated interviews with ranchers to (1) compare rancher decision-making under relatively certain and uncertain conditions and (2) describe a typology of practices used to prioritize and choose management actions that maintain effective stewardship of these often multi-generational ranches. We contrast traditional decision-making frameworks with those described by interviewees when high levels of environmental and market uncertainty or ecological complexity led ranchers toward use of care-based, flexible and relational frameworks for decision-making. Ranchers facing complexity and uncertainty often sought "middle-ground" strategies to balance multiple, conflicting responsibilities in rangeland social-ecological systems. For example, ranchers' care-based decision-making leads to conservative stocking approaches to "manage for the middle," e.g. to limit risk under uncertain weather and forage availability conditions. Efforts to promote heterogeneity-based rangeland management for biodiversity conservation through the restoration of patch burn grazing and prairie dog conservation will require increased valuation of ranchers' care work.

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Development and Federal Grazing Policy Impacts on Two Colorado Counties: A Comparative Study

Rowe¹,

Barlett²

2001

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The Lack of a Profit Motive for Ranching: Implications for Policy Analysis

Cited by 6 publications

References 31 publications

Design thinking for responsible Agriculture 4.0 innovations in rangelands

Design thinking for responsible Agriculture 4.0 innovations in rangelands

Managing for the middle: rancher care ethics under uncertainty on Western Great Plains rangelands

Development and Federal Grazing Policy Impacts on Two Colorado Counties: A Comparative Study

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