What Do We Know about Farmers' Social Networks?

Applied Social Science at the University of Wisconsin-StoutFor this particular project, we surveyed and interviewed farmers asking about which best management practices (BMPs) they are currently using (if any), their environmental views, and who they would list as their five most trusted sources for farming related advice. In total, over a 190 surveys were distributed by mail, email and in-person to farm landowners with over 60 of those being delivered in-person. From the surveys and interviews, we were able to generate a social network map (Figure 1-7). On the graph, circles represent the participants or those participants listed as sources of farming advice and lines represent the connections between participants. For example, participants are connected to whoever they listed as a trusted source for farming information. If an individual was listed by more than one participant then they have more connections to other individuals in the network, respectively. Of 19 responds, there are 12 connected components symbolizing a social network that isn’t very well connected. From qualitative data and previous research, we were able to conclude that the lack of connections may be due to several different reasons including lack of trust, lack of opportunity and commitment to traditional practices. We also looked at Diffusion of Knowledge vs Groupthink which refers to how connected individuals are within the network and how that has an impact on how easily they will accept outside information. We also looked at the difference that farming one’s own land versus farming and renting another’s land has on individual ideology and BMP adoption. We were able to conclude the owners are more likely to be currently utilizing BMPs, more likely to agree that ecological impacts is an aspect that supports their adoption of BMPs, and more likely to agree that laws to protect the environment limit choices and personal freedom. Our results thus far suggest that if government agencies want to encourage BMP adoption they should consider focusing their efforts on those who are renting the land who are less likely to be using BMPs and more likely to want government involvement