24 pages, Farmer-led research (FLR) is a process of inquiry wherein farmers use scientific methods to address their own on-farm curiosities and challenges in ways that are compatible with the scale and management style of their operations. With its flexible, adaptable, participatory, grassroots-oriented nature, FLR has typically been employed by farmers interested in ecological farming techniques and technologies, and evidence shows that it contributes to the adoption and improvement of ecological management practices across a range of contexts. Engagement in FLR initiatives has also been linked to positive social outcomes, including community-building, farmer empowerment, and enhanced capacity for leadership and collective action. In this paper, we present a case study of the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario’s (EFAO) Farmer-Led Research Program (FLRP), which is currently one of relatively few FLR initiatives in North America. We draw on data from a participatory, mixed-methods research project. Our results highlight how the FLRP is enabling farmers to feel more knowledgeable, confident, motivated, and inspired to adopt and/or improve ecological practices on their farms, in part by supporting them in building robust social networks that align with their farming values and priorities.
11pgs, Are farmers better stewards of the land they own than the land they rent from others? We answer this question using a data set that identifies Ontario farmers’ conservation practices on their own land as well as the land they rent. Using a fixed-effects regression approach, we find that the role of tenure varies for different types of conservation practices. Farmers were found to be just as likely to adopt a machinery-related practice such as conservation tillage on their rented land as that land which they own. On the other hand, farmers were found to be less likely to adopt site-specific conservation practices such as planting cover crops on rented land. However, this effect diminishes as the expected length of the rental relationship increases when the landlord has a farming background.
Braithwaite, William M. (author), Howard, Wayne H. (author), Laidlaw, John (author), and Department of Agricultural Economics and Business, University of Guelph
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1991-05
Published:
Canada: New York : John Wiley & Sons
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 89 Document Number: C06228
Goddard, Ellen (author), McFaul, Arlie (author), Reynolds, Anderson (author), and Department of Agricultural Economics and Business, University of Guelph
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1991-05
Published:
USA: New York : John Wiley & Sons
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 89 Document Number: C06227
Howard, Wayne H. (author), MacMillan, Robb (author), and Howard: Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics and Business, University of Guelph; MacMillan: Agricultural Representative, Nova Scotia Ministry of Agriculture
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1991
Published:
USA: New York : John Wiley & Sons
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 89 Document Number: C06224
