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The Motivation for Organic Grain Farming in the United States: Profits, Lifestyle, or the Environment?

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  • Peterson, Hikaru Hanawa
  • Barkley, Andrew
  • Chacón-Cascante, Adriana
  • Kastens, Terry L.

Abstract

The objective of this research is to identify and quantify the motivations for organic grain farming in the United States. Survey data of US organic grain producers were used in regression models to find the statistical determinants of three motivations for organic grain production, including profit maximization, environmental stewardship, and an organic lifestyle. Results provide evidence that many organic grain producers had more than a single motivation and that younger farmers are more likely to be motivated by environmental and lifestyle goals than older farmers. Organic grain producers exhibited a diversity of motivations, including profit and stewardship.

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  • Peterson, Hikaru Hanawa & Barkley, Andrew & Chacón-Cascante, Adriana & Kastens, Terry L., 2012. "The Motivation for Organic Grain Farming in the United States: Profits, Lifestyle, or the Environment?," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 44(2), pages 137-155, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jagaec:v:44:y:2012:i:02:p:137-155_00
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    Cited by:

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    2. Irwa Issa & Ulrich Hamm, 2017. "Adoption of Organic Farming as an Opportunity for Syrian Farmers of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Structural Equation Modelling," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-22, November.
    3. Nuray Cakirli Akyüz & Ludwig Theuvsen, 2020. "The Impact of Behavioral Drivers on Adoption of Sustainable Agricultural Practices: The Case of Organic Farming in Turkey," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-20, August.
    4. Michael R. Langemeier & Xiaoyi Fang & Michael O’Donnell, 2020. "Comparison of Long-Run Net Returns of Conventional and Organic Crop Rotations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-7, September.
    5. Glenn, Viola & Dale, Kelli & Sligh, Michael & Robinson, James, 2014. "Examining Adverse Selection in Organic Crop Insurance: Where Do We Go From Here?," 2014 AAEA: Crop Insurance and the 2014 Farm Bill Symposium: Implementing Change in U.S. Agricultural Policy, October 8-9, 2014, Louisville, KY 184264, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    6. Dru Montri & Kimberly Chung & Bridget Behe, 2021. "Farmer perspectives on farmers markets in low-income urban areas: a case study in three Michigan cities," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 38(1), pages 1-14, February.
    7. Delbridge, Timothy A. & King, Robert P., 2014. "The Conventional-Organic Yield Gap: Evidence from Farm-Level Data," 2014 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2014, Minneapolis, Minnesota 170561, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    8. Beatrice Dingha & Leah Sandler & Arnab Bhowmik & Clement Akotsen-Mensah & Louis Jackai & Kevin Gibson & Ronald Turco, 2019. "Industrial Hemp Knowledge and Interest among North Carolina Organic Farmers in the United States," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-17, May.
    9. Sofía Boza, 2013. "Incidencia de las políticas públicas en la evolución del sector agrícola-ecológico: el caso de Andalucía, Espana," Cuadernos de Desarrollo Rural, Universidad Javeriana, Facultad de Estudios Ambientales y Rurales, December.
    10. R. G. Gracheva & A. V. Sheludkov, 2021. "Diffusion of Organic Agriculture in Russia: Features and Implications for Rural Development," Regional Research of Russia, Springer, vol. 11(4), pages 578-588, October.
    11. Niavis, Spyros & Kyrgiakos, Leonidas-Sotirios & Kleisiari, Christina & Vlontzos, George, 2020. "What Drives Farmers’ Decisions to Invest? The Role of Research Engagement, Information Collection and Type of Farm," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 11(03), September.
    12. Nguyen Cong Dinh & Takeshi Mizunoya & Vo Hoang Ha & Pham Xuan Hung & Nguyen Quang Tan & Le Thanh An, 2023. "Factors influencing farmer intentions to scale up organic rice farming: preliminary findings from the context of agricultural production in Central Vietnam," Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, Springer, vol. 7(3), pages 749-774, September.
    13. Jelili Adegboyega Adebiyi & Laura Schmitt Olabisi & Robert Richardson & Lenis Saweda O Liverpool-Tasie & Kathleen Delate, 2019. "Drivers and Constraints to the Adoption of Organic Leafy Vegetable Production in Nigeria: A Livelihood Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-21, December.
    14. Han, Guang & Arbuckle, J. Gordon & Grudens-Schuck, Nancy, 2021. "Motivations, goals, and benefits associated with organic grain farming by producers in Iowa, U.S," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    15. Joseph, Siny & Stephens, Greg, 2020. "Impact of “FarmStarts” on Mitigating Barriers of U.S. Organic Dairy Farming for Beginning Organic Dairy and Feed Producers in Twelve Mid-Western States," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304339, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development
    • Q12 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets
    • Q15 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Land Ownership and Tenure; Land Reform; Land Use; Irrigation; Agriculture and Environment

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