济南大学毕业设计（论文）外文资料翻译参考格式（理工科类）2010-副本

Agriculture and Human Values, (2006), 23: 75–88 
农民社区的连接和生态农业的未来
作者：作者：Sonja Sonja Brodt1, Gail Feenstra2, Robin Kozloff3, Karen Klonsky4, and Laura
Tourte5Tourte5
作者单位：1Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California, Davis, California, USA; 2Sustainable Agriculture
Research and Education Program, University of California, Davis, California, USA; 3Private Consultant, Davis, California, USA;
4Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California, Davis, California, USA; 5Santa Cruz County
Abstract .
While questions about the environmental sustainability of contemporary farming practices and the
socioeconomic viability of rural communities are attracting increasing attention throughout the US, these two issues
are rarely considered together. This paper explores the current and potential connections between these two aspects of
sustainability, using data on community members ’ and farmers and farmers’’ views of agricultural issues in California agricultural issues in California’’s Central
Valley. These views were collected from a series of individual and group interviews with biologically oriented and
conventional farmers as well as community stakeholders. Local marketing, farmland preservation, and perceptions of
sustainable agriculture comprised the primary topics of discussion. The mixed results indicate that, while many
farmers and community members have a strong interest in these topics, sustainable community development and the
use of sustainable farming practices are seldom explicitly linked. On the other hand, many separate efforts around the
Valley to increase increase local local marketing marketing and and agritourism, agritourism, improve improve improve public public education about agriculture, and organize grassroots
farmland preservation initiatives were documented. We conclude that linking these efforts more explicitly to
sustainable agriculture and promoting more engagement between ecologically oriented farmers and their communities
could engender more economic and political support for these farmers, helping them and their communities to achieve
greater sustainability in the long run.
Key words: California Key words: California’’s Central Valley, Community development,
Farmer-consumer connections, Farmland preservation,
Local marketing, Sustainable agriculture
摘 要：要： 虽然关于现代农业实践的环境可持续性和农村社区社会经济的可行性在全美国引虽然关于现代农业实践的环境可持续性和农村社区社会经济的可行性在全美国引起了越来越多的关注，但这两个问题很少在一起考虑过。

这篇论文运用加利弗尼亚州的中央谷的区民和农民在农业问题上的观点的数据探究这两方面现在和潜在的联系。

区民和农民在农业问题上的观点的数据探究这两方面现在和潜在的联系。

这些观点从一些个人和这些观点从一些个人和以生物为导向的一群组和传统农民还有社区利益相关者中收集来的。

地方行销、耕地保护和可持续发展农业观点组成主要的讨论话题综合结果表明，续发展农业观点组成主要的讨论话题综合结果表明，虽然许多农民和区民对这些话题有强烈的兴虽然许多农民和区民对这些话题有强烈的兴趣，但可持续社区发展和可持续农业实践的利用很少明确的联系到一起。

在另一方面，许多单独的努力在提高地方行政和农业旅游，提高关于农业的公共教育和组织基层农田保护倡议都已用文件证明。

我们推测将这些努力联系的更明确和促进以经济为导向的农民和他们的社区更多的参与能够为这些农民产生更多经济上和政治上的支持，帮助他们和社区长远地更加可持续性。

能够为这些农民产生更多经济上和政治上的支持，帮助他们和社区长远地更加可持续性。

关键词关键词 ：加利弗尼亚州的中央谷，社区发展，农民—消费者关联，农田保护，地方行销，：加利弗尼亚州的中央谷，社区发展，农民—消费者关联，农田保护，地方行销，可持续发展可持续发展
1 Introduction
Two increasingly important areas of public concern have emerged around US agriculture. One is the environmental have suggested that environmental sustainability and community viability are inherently linked and are most effectively addressed together (Flora, 1990; Bird et al., 1995; Campbell, 1997). This paper draws from a study of community members and farmers farmers’’ views of prominent agricultural issues in California ’s Central Valley to explore possible beneficial connections between sustainable agriculture and rural community development, and to determine where this nationally important agricultural
region stands in terms of making these connections.
1 前言
公众关注的两个日益重要的领域出现在美国农业。

一个是现代农业技术带来的环境危害，另
一个是农村社区和家庭农场的社会经济的持续性。

一个是农村社区和家庭农场的社会经济的持续性。

显然一些以前的拙作以表明环境可持续性和社显然一些以前的拙作以表明环境可持续性和社区可行性是内在ianxi 在一起的，并且最为有效地一起处理，但是这两个问题经常被分割地研究。

这篇论文从研究加利弗尼亚州的中央谷的社区居民和农民在突出的农业问题方面的观点的课题中推测并研究可持续农业和农场社区发展之间所存在的可能的有利联系，中推测并研究可持续农业和农场社区发展之间所存在的可能的有利联系，并依据这些联系来决定并依据这些联系来决定国家级重要的农业区的所在地。

国家级重要的农业区的所在地。

2 Conceptual framework and local context
2.1 2.1 Conceptual Conceptual Conceptual framework: framework: framework: Sustainable Sustainable Sustainable agriculture agriculture agriculture and and and community community community development development The need for an agriculture that makes more sustainable use of natural resources has become increasingly clear. The pollution of our soil, water, and air are but a few of the detrimental environmental impacts of many agricultural practices still commonly used (Kegley et al., 1999; EPA, 2000; Griffin et al., 2002). At the same time, a need for improvements improvements in in the social and and economic economic economic sustainability sustainability sustainability of of of farming farming farming is is is also also also gaining gaining gaining publicity publicity publicity in in in the the the wake wake of the continuing loss of family farms; growth of suburban sprawl (Medvitz and Sokolow, 1995); high health risks and low compensation rates to
farmworkers (Villarejo et al., 2000); and resulting loss of vitality among rural communities nationwide (Allen and Sachs, 1993).
Some authors have begun to address these diverse issues holistically by linking sustainable agriculture to community development, suggesting that a shift to more sustainable farming practices – which rely more on natural ecological processes than on synthetic chemical
interventions – will not only protect the natural environment, but will also inherently benefit rural communities (Bird et al., 1995; Dobbs and Cole, 1992;
Flora,
1990, 2001). Proponents of this view have used socioeconomic as well as philosophical perspectives to argue for the community benefits of sustainable agriculture.
One socioeconomic argument relates to farm structure and rests on the
assumption that sustainable agriculture is more labor-, information-, and management-intensive.
Therefore, it is thought to favor smaller, family run farms over larger corporate farms (for summaries of these arguments see Dobbs and Cole, 1992; Lasley et al., 1993). To our knowledge, the argument that sustainable agriculture will lead to a predominance of smaller farms has yet to be empirically empirically substantiated substantiated substantiated and and and is is is likely likely likely to to to vary vary vary by by by crop crop crop and and and region. region. region. However, However, the second part of the argument, that smaller farm size benefits rural
communities, has already been widely documented. Many scholars have shown that larger, more industrially organized farms with less personal (i.e., more corporate) forms of ownership tend to have negative socioeconomic
consequences for local communities (Goldschmidt,1947; (Goldschmidt,1947; Lobao, Lobao, 1990; Welsh and Lyson, 2001). Tolbert et al. also demonstrate empirically that small and midsized firms of many types (not just farms) tend to be
more more ‘‘‘‘‘‘anchored to place by social and economic relationships anchored to place by social and economic relationships ’’’’ (1998: (1998: 404) and thereby foster higher levels of civic engagement within rural communities. This engagement, in turn, enhances community welfare according to several standard socio-economic indicators. One additional economic argument is that sustainable farming practices tend to require more locally produced inputs, to replace agrochemicals obtained in distant markets, and so they they will will will increase increase increase local local local trade trade trade and and support support businesses businesses businesses within within within communities. communities.
Preliminary evidence, however, suggests that the latter cannot happen when local economies economies are are not yet set up to provide the types types of of inputs alternative farmers need (Dobbs and Cole, 1992). Some authors attribute community benefits to a presumed tendency of sustainable agriculture to bring about
a more communally minded style of farming through its very philosophy. According to Lasley et al. (1993) and Kirschenmann (1992), this philosophy advocates not only working in concert with nature, but also cooperating with one with one’’s neighbors and fostering a communal spirit.
Such claims suggest that because sustainable farmers must understand the relationships between their crops and the surrounding environment, they are also more predisposed to view themselves as embedded in local community relations that are essential to their well-being. Flora (1990) likewise argues that sustainable agriculture, with its food quality concerns, is inherently more consumer- oriented and more closely tied to local markets. Sustainable farmers, therefore, may be intrinsically more disposed towards civic
participation and working together to achieve regional self-sufficiency. Civic participation, in turn, can benefit the farmers themselves by helping them them to to to build build build social social social capital. capital. capital. According According According to to to Putnam Putnam Putnam (1995) (1995) (1995) and and and Coleman Coleman Coleman (1990), (1990), social capital is the set of resources inherent in interpersonal relationships and social organization that can be used to enhance cooperation for mutual benefit. These resources include not only family and community relationships, but also norms of reciprocity and relations of authority and trust. Social capital can facilitate effective resource mobilization and community-based problem solving (Flora, 1995). Sustainable farmers in particular need to facilitate such processes to develop alternative information
services and knowledge networks as well as alternative input sources and stable markets for their products. Social capital that extends into the wider, non-farming community can also help rural communities and farmers. A consuming public that understands how a healthy food system works and that sees the links between its own health and the health of farm communities is more likely to support policies beneficial to agriculture. Sustainable farmers especially need the support of educated consumers in order to survive within the dominant economic and policy framework that often still favors more industrial scale and conventional conventional modes modes of production production (Dahlberg, (Dahlberg, (Dahlberg, 1993). 1993). 1993). Consumers Consumers Consumers can can develop an understanding of agriculture through appropriate education and by engaging
with farmers in direct marketing mechanisms such as subscription farming, farmers markets, and farm-to-school farm-to-school programs. programs. An already abundant literature on local food systems details the numerous economic and social benefits accruing to both farmers and consumers when they are re-connected in direct marketing schemes (see Lyson et al., 1995; Feenstra, 1997).
In this exploratory paper we will investigate the connections between
sustainable agriculture and community development by drawing on interviews with farmers and community stakeholders from California ’s Central
Valley.We will focus on a few key questions as a means of exploring a selection of the broader arguments outlined above. Do farmers practicing a more environmentally sustainable agriculture also engage in local community problem-solving initiatives and community-based organizations? Do they use local, direct marketing efforts and do community members see these efforts leading to greater economic sustainability? Do these farmers place
greater value on civic participation? Do non-farming residents of these farmers farmers’’ rural communities understand the challenges and rewards of farming sustainably, thereby demonstrating the presence of social capital on which those those in in the sustainable sustainable agriculture agriculture agriculture movement movement movement might might might draw draw draw to to influence influence public public policy? policy? What What What are are are the the the public public public education education education and policy and policy and policy implications of implications of implications of the the the answers answers to these questions?
2 基本概念和当地情况
2.1 基本概念：可持续农业和社区发展
更加可持续性地利用自然资源已变成农业越来越明晰的需求。

更加可持续性地利用自然资源已变成农业越来越明晰的需求。

在目前普遍使用的在目前普遍使用的农业操作中对环境有害的影响中，土地、水源、空气的污染仅仅是一小部分。

与此同时，随着家庭农场的不断减少，随着家庭农场的不断减少，提高农业的社会和经济的持续可发展的能力引起了注提高农业的社会和经济的持续可发展的能力引起了注意；郊区蔓延的增长；对于农业工人高健康危险和低补偿汇率导致了全国的农村社区的活力减弱。

的活力减弱。

一些作者开始以将可持续发展农业和社区发展联系起来和全盘处理这些不同的问题。

暗示向更可持续发展农业的一个转变——那将是更加依赖于自然生态过程而不是人工化学干预，将不仅仅保护自然环境，而且将内在的有利于农村社区。

（Bird et al 于1995年表明；年表明；Dobbs Dobbs 和Cole 于1992年表明；年表明；Flora Flora 于1990年和2001年表明）
公民参与，反过来，能有利于农民本身通过帮助农民建立社会资本。

根据Putnan(1995)Putnan(1995)和和Coleman(1990)Coleman(1990)社会资本是一系列资源，内在于人际关系和社会组社会资本是一系列资源，内在于人际关系和社会组织，织，他们可以用来增强互利的合作。

他们可以用来增强互利的合作。

他们可以用来增强互利的合作。

这些资源不仅仅包括家庭和社区关系，这些资源不仅仅包括家庭和社区关系，这些资源不仅仅包括家庭和社区关系，还包括互还包括互惠规范的权力和信任关系，社会资本能够促进有效资源的调动和社区问题的而解决。

社会资本扩展到更宽广，非农业的社区也能够帮助农村社区和农民。

一个能了解健康食品系统如何运作，健康食品系统如何运作，看到他自己的安全与农村社区健康之间联系的消费群，看到他自己的安全与农村社区健康之间联系的消费群，看到他自己的安全与农村社区健康之间联系的消费群，更加更加可能的去支持有利于农业的政策。

可能的去支持有利于农业的政策。

在这篇探究性论文中，在这篇探究性论文中，我们通过询问加利弗尼亚州的中央谷的农民和社区利益相我们通过询问加利弗尼亚州的中央谷的农民和社区利益相关者来调查可持续发展农业和社区发展之间的联系。

关者来调查可持续发展农业和社区发展之间的联系。

我们将聚焦于一些关键问题，我们将聚焦于一些关键问题，我们将聚焦于一些关键问题，作作为选择一个更宽广的上文所述参数的一个手段。

农民会参与更加环境可持续发展农业同时从事于地方社区问题解决方案和社区组织吗？他们利用本地的直接的销售努力吗？社区居民能看到这些努力致使的经济更加可持续发展吗？这些农民是否会将公民参与放于重要的位置？农村社区里的非务农居民能够理解农业可持续发展的挑战和回报吗？公众教育和政策含义将如何回答这些问题？
2.2 The local context: Agriculture and communities in California ’s Central
Valley
California California’’s Central Valley exhibits several traits that make it a useful site for studying these broad issues of sustainability in agriculture and vitality of local communities.
The expansive valley possesses an intensive and highly productive
agricultural industry, while simultaneously experiencing shortages in
economic and political resources to address growing socioeconomic disparities. Famed for its fruit, nut, and vegetable operations,
the Central Valley produces more than half of the total US supply of many of these these crops. crops. crops. Its Its dry, dry, Mediterranean- Mediterranean- Mediterranean- like like like climate, climate, climate, augmented augmented augmented by by by an an extensive irrigation
infrastructure, is valued for producing crops of particularly high quality. Uniformity Uniformity of of of size size size and and and color, color, color, firmness firmness firmness for for for long-distance long-distance long-distance shipping, shipping, shipping, lack lack lack of of pest-induced blemishes, and, in some cases, precise sugar and solids compositions needed for processing, are the qualities most growers strive to achieve. Often, these qualities are almost as important as the frequently phenomenal yields
California is also considered a world leader in ecological agriculture and boasts some of the toughest environmental regulations pertaining to farming
in the
world. A growing number of Central Valley farmers are turning to more
biologically oriented and ecologicall ybased farming methods. A particularly long-standing andactive concentration of these innovative growers can be found in the northern San Joaquin Valley, located in the
heart of the Central Valley and the primary focus area for this study. Some of these predominantly fruit and nut producers are members of the Merced/Stanislaus chapter
of the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), a non-profit
member-activist organization with a 20-year record of working with farmers and rural communities to
enhance the viability of family farms. This organization, in conjunction with the University of California Cooperative Extension, launched the Biologically Integrated
Orchard Systems (BIOS) program in 1993 to integrate the expertise of growers, researchers, Cooperative Extension farm advisors, and private pest control advisors (PCAs) in
providing assistance and support to almond growers wishing to reduce synthetic fertilizer and pesticide use (CAFF, n.d.). BIOS-recommended practices hinge on using a whole systems approach to building overall orchard health and buffering orchards against pest outbreaks.
They include practices such as comprehensive monitoring of pest and beneficial populations, enhancing habitat for beneficials, releasing beneficials, cover cropping, applying natural fertilizers such as compost, using selective ‘‘soft soft’’
’ pesticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis and only when monitoring indicates they are needed, and careful mowing and irrigation management for disease disease control. control. control. (While (While (While bearing bearing bearing similarities similarities similarities to to an organic organic approach, approach, approach, BIOS BIOS BIOS is is not limited only to practices approved for certified organic production.) Furthermore, BIOS institutionalized a social learning model that supports farmer-to-farmer and farmer-to-expert information-sharing and builds a community of learning. By 1998, the program had expanded to walnut growers as well and boasted 106 participating growers in 7counties throughout California (Stevenson et al., 1998).
CAFF CAFF also also also has has has other other other ongoing ongoing ongoing programs programs programs to to support support family family family farms farms and and to to connect consumers and school children with local food production. In addition, its
programs, particularly BIOS, have spawned similar ecologically oriented farming programs in other crops around the state. With this strong focus on sustainable agriculture and activist elements working to create a larger community of interest around local agriculture, the Central Valley appears poised poised to to make make significant significant significant gainsin gainsin gainsin the the social social and and economic economic sustainability sustainability sustainability of of farming that must ultimately accompany environmental sustainability. Several historical and current trends, however, often work to counteract this potential for long-term sustainability. On the one hand, while California as a whole may be well known in some markets for its quality output, on an individual and community scale the long-standing
trend toward a commodity orientation serves to obliterate producer identities in the marketplace. Once produced to the uniform specifications required by handlers and processors, the fruit from most growers is aggregated in
processing facilities. It is then sold in national and global markets where fruit from one area, as a fruit from one area, as a ‘‘‘‘‘‘commodity,commodity,commodity,’’’’’’ is easily interchangeable with is easily interchangeable with that from another source, and no link is made to the original producers or their regions.
This This trend, trend, trend, coupled coupled coupled with with with the the the newer newer newer trends trends trends of of of trade trade trade liberalization liberalization liberalization and and and recent recent agricultural development in various countries in Asia, South America, and southern Europe,is creating stiff competition for Central Valley growers, many of whom have seen producer prices drop to levels at or near the cost of production. All of the precision andfine-tuning that has become standard practice for Central Valley growers, therefore, does not assist them in garneringa larger share of the food dollar spent by consumers,who, for the most part, remain ignorant of the particular farming practices used and the challenging context in which Central Valley growers must compete. This paradox is especially evident in the case of farmers who use environmentally
integrated practices. After making the added effort and taking the risks to increase the sustainability of their operations, few use market mechanisms that would allow their products to be distinguished from those of their conventional neighbors with which their products get pooled.
Farmers in the Central Valley are also affected by some of the highest rates of population growth and urbanization in a state already a state already noted for its rapid noted for its rapid growth. Throughout the Valley, about 30,000 acres are converted annually from farmland to urban uses (Medvitz and
Sokolow, Sokolow, 1995). 1995). 1995). Such Such rapid farmland farmland conversion conversion conversion inevitably inevitably inevitably brings brings rising rising land land prices, changing changing tax tax structures, structures, and and other financial financial pressures pressures that threaten the economic economic sustainability sustainability sustainability of of agriculture. agriculture. In In addition, addition, the the composition composition and and character of communities within the Valley are rapidly h of the land
conversion attributable to an influx of more affluent commuter populations from the San Francisco and Silicon Valley metropolitan areas. These changes create rising tensionsalong the urban/agricultural urban/agricultural interface interface (Handel, 1998). Despite these rapid transformations and the presence of a multi-billion dollar agrifood industry, the Central Valley still harbors some of the poorest communities in California. Many of these communities are composed of immigrant farmworkers who are stuck in an economic
structure with a very steep job pyramid, having very few stable jobs at the top and mostly low-paying seasonal jobs at the base. As a result, 55% of workers interviewed interviewed for for the the National National National Agricultural Agricultural Agricultural Workers Workers Workers Survey Survey Survey in in 1996 1996 earned earned earned less less than $7,500 per year (Martin and Taylor, 2000) and one-quarter of children in the San Joaquin Valley live in families with incomes below the poverty level (Taylor and Martin, 2000). At the same time, farmworkers are
disproportionately exposed to the risks of pesticide-related illnesses and injuries injuries while while while tending tending tending high-value high-value high-value food food food crops crops crops that that that many many many cannot even cannot even cannot even afford afford afford to to purchase for themselves
(Villarejo et al., 2000). Low producer prices, low farmworker wages, and poor working conditions are all symptoms of a system in need of public and politicalattention politicalattention to to to foster foster foster its its its sustainability sustainability sustainability on on on environmental, environmental, environmental, economic, economic, and social fronts simultaneously.
It It is is is precisely precisely precisely the the the potential potential potential for for for achieving achieving achieving greater greater greater sustainability sustainability sustainability as as as well well as the forces arrayed against it that prompted us to explore the farming communities in this particular region. The relatively large numbers of farmers explicitly interested in more environmentally sustainable approaches to farming farming make this make this make this region a fruitful region a fruitful region a fruitful place to place to place to explore factors that might link explore factors that might link environmental sustainability with community health. Furthermore, the pressing pressing problems problems problems threatening threatening threatening community community community vitality vitality vitality in in the the region region region would would would seem seem seem to to provide enough impetus to realize such linkages if they do indeed exist. Furthermore, we particularly wanted to focus on civic engagement of farmers and their direct connections to local consumers and other members of their communities, since these seemed important for building social capital and
facilitatingeconomic benefits.
2.2当地情况：加利弗尼亚州的中央谷的农业和社区
加利弗尼亚州的中央谷存在一些特点，加利弗尼亚州的中央谷存在一些特点，这些特点能让它成为研究农业的可持续发展能力和当这些特点能让它成为研究农业的可持续发展能力和当地社区的可行性的一个有用地点。

中央谷种植水果、坚果和蔬菜。

中央谷生产的这样产品占美国总供应的一半还要多。

总供应的一半还要多。

加利弗尼亚州还被认为是经济型农业的世界领先者，加利弗尼亚州还被认为是经济型农业的世界领先者，并且自夸自己的农业环境规章制度是在并且自夸自己的农业环境规章制度是在全世界最为严格的。

越来越多的泓阳光的农民向更为面向生物和从生态学角度出发的耕作方法转变。

变。

中央谷的还受到最高人口生长率和高速度的城市化的影响。

在整个中央谷每年有大约30000英亩的耕地转变为城市用地。

如此高速的农地变更不可避免地带来土地价格上涨，税收结构变更，还有其他财政压力影响农业的经济可持续发展。

还有其他财政压力影响农业的经济可持续发展。

尽管这些迅速的转变和拥有价值数十亿美元的农产品产业，尽管这些迅速的转变和拥有价值数十亿美元的农产品产业，但中央谷仍然还拥有一些加利弗但中央谷仍然还拥有一些加利弗尼亚州的最贫穷的社区。

这里面的许多社区由移民农场工人组成，他们深陷于带有非常陡峭的工作金字塔的经济结构，他们美元处于顶端的固定的工作，他们大部分拥有处于低部的低收入季节性的工作。

性的工作。

我们将特别关注于农民的公民参与和他们和当地消费者、社区其他成员之间的直接关系，因为这些看起来对于建立社会资本和促进经济效益增长非常重要。

为这些看起来对于建立社会资本和促进经济效益增长非常重要。

3 Study methods
In order to explore the relationships between rural communities and sustainable agriculture, agriculture, we we draw on three sets of farmer and community member interviews conducted
in Stanislaus and Merced Counties (Table 1). These interviews were all part of a larger study entitled ‘‘‘‘Increasing Increasing Adoption of
Sustainable Agriculture and Positive Community Impacts,’’’’ which examined farm management styles, which examined farm management styles, adoption of environmentally sustainable farming practices, and farmers ’ involvement in their communities. From these interviews, we were able to identify a range of views related to farmer and community interactions and perceptions of sustainable agriculture. Finally, we were able to identify successful examples of and future opportunities for linking sustainable farming with local community development
3研究方法
为了探究农村社区和可持续发展农业之间的关系，为了探究农村社区和可持续发展农业之间的关系，我们在坦尼斯劳斯和马德塞县的我们在坦尼斯劳斯和马德塞县的三组农民和社区居民进行了访问。

见表
4 Results
This section details the results of the interviews with each group of respondents. It is organized into two main topic areas: (1) perceptions of sustainable agriculture; agriculture; and and (2) perceptions of interactions interactions between between farmers and communities.
4.1 Perceptions of sustainable agriculture 
BIOS farmers. Most of the farmers interviewed were
already self-selected, belonging to an organization and a program that specifically specifically promotes promotes promotes sustainable sustainable sustainable agriculture, agriculture, agriculture, and and so all were familiar familiar with with the term. However, they noticed some initial skepticism and defensiveness among other growers when CAFF first introduced BIOS concepts locally. The reasons for these negative attitudes were thought by some to stem from the language used in CAFF CAFF’’s early attempts to promote BIOS. These early attempts failed to acknowledge that careful business planning usually goes into farmers ’ use of conventional practices, and it implied instead that conventional farmers simply used chemical sprays in a reckless manner, with no consideration for the environment. While the interviewees ’ comments specifically addressed CAFF activities, they could be construed as characterizing some farmers ’ negative perceptions of the sustainable agriculture movement generally. On the other hand, many of the farmers interviewed noted that other local farmers were starting to adopt more sustainable practices, including those promoted in BIOS, once they saw the economic and/or environmental benefits, and once these tangible advantages were more directly communicated to them.
Community stakeholders. When asked about their perceptions of sustainable agriculture, most of the community stakeholders from both Stanislaus and Merced
Counties noted that they were unfamiliar with the term. Only three of the respondents from Merced County were conversant with ‘‘sustainable agriculture practices ’’ and and knew farmers who used them. Only two respondents from knew farmers who used them. Only two respondents from Stanislaus County had more than a superficial understanding of how the term ‘‘sustainable sustainable’’
’ relates to agriculture. Overall, while understanding of the term was
generally superficial, reaction to it tended to be positive. On the other hand, a few respondents rejected the notion that ‘‘sustainable sustainable’’
’ farmers should be distinguished in any way from be distinguished in any way from ‘‘‘conventional conventional’’
’ farmers on the grounds that all
farmers are environmental stewards and that the purchase of sustainably grown products is a matter of consumer choice rather than food health or safety. In a similar vein, one respondent noted that he did not think that sustainable。