Agrarian values traditionally have been linked with farm families. Using data from a survey of Wisconsin farm spouses, this article explores the relationship between the identification of farm husbands and farm wives with agrarian values and related sex role orientations and position in the social structure of agriculture. As in previous studies, a commercial/refugist dimension of variation in agrarian identities was found. Depending on the structure of farm household organization, there also was substantial support for a much wider range of agrarian and non-agrarian identities than previously supposed. This was particularly so for farm wives. The change from lifestyles dependent on farming activities to those not dependent on agriculture has been central to the growing diversity in farm spouse roles and self-perceptions. Future studies need to consider three distinctive sets of value-orientations associated with traditional business, and property-holding lifestyles. (author)
