Study on Identifying Rural Sociological Barriers to Adoption

224 Pages·2006·1.65 MB·English

Study on Identifying
Rural Sociological
Barriers to Adoption
Final Report
Submitted by Alberta Research Council
August 1, 2006
Study on Identifying
Rural Sociological
Barriers to Adoption
Final Report
Submitted by Alberta Research Council
August 1, 2006
Project Manager Submitted to:
Dr. Ross Mitchell Therese Tompkins, Program Director
Alberta Research Council The Alberta Environmental Farm Plan Company
250 Karl Clark Road 801, 4445 Calgary Trail
Edmonton, Alberta Edmonton AB T6H 5R7
Phone: [phone] Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone] Toll-Free: 1-866-844-2337
E-mail: [email protected] Fax: [phone]
Study on Identifying
Rural Sociological
Barriers to Adoption
Note to Reader
The following research is the outcome of a
partnership between:
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada;
• Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development;
• The Alberta Environmental Farm Plan Company; and
• Alberta Research Council.
The opinions and information expressed in this report do
not represent the viewpoints held by the members of the
partnership, individually or collectively. The data collected
and presented is for information purposes only.
Copies of this report are available from:
The AEFP Company
801, 4445 Calgary Trail
Edmonton AB T6H 5R7
Phone: [phone]
Toll-free: 1-866-844-AEFP (2337)
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.AlbertaEFP.com

STUDY ON IDENTIFYING RURAL SOCIOLOGICAL BARRIERS TO ADOPTION
FOREWORD
This research was led and funded by a team comprised of Agriculture and Agri-food Canada
– Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration; Alberta Agriculture Food and Rural
Development; and the Alberta Environmental Farm Plan Company. The Project Manager
was Ross Mitchell, a Research Scientist with Sustainable Ecosystems, Integrated Resource
Management, Alberta Research Council. Jennifer Karpyshyn, Project Coordinator and Marke
Ambard, Rural Sociologist, both also with the Alberta Research Council, conducted key
components of this research, including much of the fieldwork and analysis.
ALEERTA RESEARCH COUNCIL i

STUDY ON IDENTIFYING RURAL SOCIOLOGICAL BARRIERS TO ADOPTION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Alberta Research Council gratefully acknowledges several staff members for their invaluable
help in preparing this report during the period of January until the end of July 2006. For their
assistance in conducting primary and secondary research, collecting information, and
analyzing results, we wish to thank Marke Ambard, Karen Brown, Michelle Hiltz, Jennifer
Karpyshyn, and Pat Soldan. For their administrative assistance and editorial duties in the
preparation of this report and related products, we wish to thank Donna Bagdan, Elaine
Cannan, Valerie Golka, Corinne Skulmoski, Susan Stecyk, and Jodi Tauber. We also thank
Shawn Gervais, Larry Roy, and Marian Weber for their sound advice provided on occasion
throughout this project.
We also thank all those individuals who consented to be interviewed and willingly shared
their views or otherwise provided useful information for this research. In particular, we thank
those who enthusiastically participated in two focus groups held in St. Paul and Fairview.
Finally, we wish to extend our sincere appreciation to Therese Tompkins, Ken Lewis, Hugh
Bailey, Karen Goad, and Julie Kennett, as well as several of their staff members and
colleagues, who provided very useful feedback and direction during the course of this
research. It was through many fruitful conversations and interchanges of ideas that the
research methodologies were adapted to best meet the needs of the clients and stakeholders
for this project.
Any errors or omissions are the responsibility of the Project Manager.
ALBERTA RESEARCH COUNCIL iii

STUDY ON IDENTIFYING RURAL SOCIOLOGICAL BARRIERS TO ADOPTION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD ................................................................................................................................... I
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................................... III
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................... IX
1. INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................1
1.1 RESEARCH PURPOSE...........................................................................................................2
1.2 RESEARCH QUESTIONS .......................................................................................................3
2. LITERATURE REVIEW ..........................................................................................................5
2.1 BOURDIEU’S ‘HABITUS AND FIELD’ ...................................................................................5
2.2 FACTORS AFFECTING THE ADOPTION OF CONSERVATION AND FOOD SAFETY
BENEFICIAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES .............................................................................8
2.2.1 Socio-psychological Variables ..............................................................................9
2.2.2 Farm Structural Variables....................................................................................10
2.2.3 Ecological Variables............................................................................................13
2.2.4 Institutional Variables .........................................................................................15
2.2.5 Technological Attributes .....................................................................................17
2.2.6 Process of Learning and Experience ...................................................................19
2.2.7 Diversity of Variables..........................................................................................21
2.2.8 Summary..............................................................................................................23
2.3 EXTENSION.......................................................................................................................24
2.4 IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH AND EXTENSION...............................................................28
2.4.1 Research ..............................................................................................................28
2.4.2 Extension .............................................................................................................28
3. METHODOLOGY..................................................................................................................31
3.1 FACE-TO-FACE SURVEY....................................................................................................31
3.1.1 Sample .................................................................................................................31
3.1.2 Location ...............................................................................................................32
3.2 DATA ANALYSIS...............................................................................................................32
3.3 FOCUS GROUPS.................................................................................................................33
3.3.1 Focus Group #1: St. Paul.....................................................................................33
3.3.2 Focus Group #2: Fairview ...................................................................................34
3.4 KEY INFORMANTS ............................................................................................................35
3.4.1 Logistics ..............................................................................................................35
3.5 PROJECT COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES............................................................................35
3.5.1 Project Communication .......................................................................................35
3.5.2 QuickPlace...........................................................................................................36
3.5.3 Project Webpage..................................................................................................36
3.5.4 Radio Interview ...................................................................................................36
3.5.5 News Releases and Short Articles .......................................................................36
3.5.6 Conference Presentation ......................................................................................36
3.5.7 Extension Presentation ........................................................................................37
4. FINDINGS...............................................................................................................................39
4.1 FARM HOUSEHOLD SURVEY.............................................................................................39
4.1.1 Summary of Key Questions.................................................................................39
4.1.2 Cross-tabs ............................................................................................................44
ALBERTA RESEARCH COUNCIL v
STUDY ON IDENTIFYING RURAL SOCIOLOGICAL BARRIERS TO ADOPTION
4.1.3 Worldview ...........................................................................................................47
4.1.4 Producer Types ....................................................................................................50
4.1.5 Forms of Capital ..................................................................................................52
4.1.6 Farm Structural Variables....................................................................................55
4.1.7 Ecological Variables............................................................................................55
4.1.8 Institutional Variables .........................................................................................55
4.2 FOCUS GROUPS.................................................................................................................60
4.2.1 St. Paul Focus Group ...........................................................................................60
4.2.2 Fairview Focus Group .........................................................................................67
4.3 KEY INFORMANTS ............................................................................................................77
4.3.1 Themes Related to the Practice of Extension ......................................................77
4.3.2 Themes related to the “Big Picture” in Extension...............................................83
4.3.3 Themes Related to Agriculture............................................................................86
4.3.4 Motivators and Barriers .......................................................................................90
5. DISCUSSION..........................................................................................................................91
5.1 PRODUCER TYPES AND WORLDVIEW................................................................................91
5.1.1 Beliefs and Adoption ...........................................................................................92
5.1.2 Zero tillage...........................................................................................................94
5.1.3 Extension based on Producer Types....................................................................95
5.2 FORMS OF CAPITAL ..........................................................................................................95
5.3 CONSERVATION AND FOOD SAFETY BENEFICIAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES...................97
5.4 MOTIVATORS AND BARRIERS TO ADOPTION.....................................................................99
5.6 COMPLEXITY ..................................................................................................................100
5.7 COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST ...........................................................................................101
5.7.1 Geographic Location .........................................................................................101
5.7.2 Commodity Type...............................................................................................101
5.7.3 Farm Direct Marketers ......................................................................................102
5.8 LESSONS LEARNED FOR EXTENSION...............................................................................102
5.8.1 Conducting Face-to-face Surveys......................................................................102
5.8.2 Conducting Focus Groups .................................................................................103
5.8.3 Age and Background .........................................................................................104
5.8.4 Timing and Logistics .........................................................................................105
5.9 USING SOCIOLOGY IN EXTENSION ..................................................................................106
5.9.1 What Tools to Use and How .............................................................................108
5.9.2 Evaluation..........................................................................................................109
6. RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION ..................................................................111
6.1 SOCIAL NEEDS TO ADOPTION .........................................................................................111
6.2 EXTENSION PROTOCOLS .................................................................................................115
7. REFERENCES......................................................................................................................121
ALBERTA RESEARCH COUNCIL vi