Farmer perspectives on collaboration: Evidence from agricultural landscapes in Arizona, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania

Authors: EATON, WESTON - Pennsylvania State University; BRASIER, KATHRYN - Pennsylvania State University; WHITLEY, HANNAH - Pennsylvania State University; BAUSCH, JULIA - Arizona State University; HINRICHS, C. CLARE - Pennsylvania State University; QUIMBY, BARBARA - Arizona State University; BURBACH, MARK - University Of Nebraska; WUTICH, AMBER - Arizona State University; DELOZIER, JODI - University Of Nebraska; WHITMER, WALT - Pennsylvania State University; KENNEDY, STEPHANIE - Collaborator; WEIGLE, JASON - University Of Nebraska; Williams, Clinton

Submitted to: Journal of Rural Studies
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/12/2022
Publication Date: 6/7/2022
Citation: Eaton, W.M., Brasier, K.J., Whitley, H., Bausch, J.C., Hinrichs, C., Quimby, B., Burbach, M.E., Wutich, A., Delozier, J., Whitmer, W., Kennedy, S., Weigle, J., Williams, C.F. 2022. Farmer perspectives on collaboration: Evidence from agricultural landscapes in Arizona, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania. Journal of Rural Studies. 94:1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2022.05.008.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2022.05.008

Interpretive Summary: Diverse stakeholder participation in collaborative processes is key to improved environmental management in agricultural working landscapes including water quality and quantity concerns—yet little attention has been paid to contextual factors driving perceptions of collaborative forums. In this paper, we address this gap first by examining the range of farmer perspectives on collaboration evident in study sites in Arizona, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania, and second by identifying contextual factors shaping differences we observe across these study sites. Our findings document four perspectives on collaboration themes: (1) Centrality to prior engagement processes; (2) Openness to allowing new topics to emerge in collaborative forums; (3) Willingness to learn; and (4) Influence with regulatory authorities. Our analysis of interview data suggests two contextual factors drive the degree to which farmers are more open or closed to each collaboration theme: the extent to which interviewees perceive their goals as interdependent with non-farmers and threatened by the specter of state regulatory action. Our findings contribute to the literature on starting conditions and contextual factors by identifying Openness to allowing new topics to emerge through interaction in collaborative forums and Willingness to learn suggest expected level of farmer cooperation in future collaborative forums, and Centrality to prior engagement processes and Influence with regulatory authorities as power differentials important for researchers and practitioners to consider when planning new collaborations with farmers.

Technical Abstract: Diverse stakeholder participation in collaborative processes is key to improved environmental management in agricultural working landscapes including water quality and quantity concerns—yet little attention has been paid to contextual factors driving perceptions of collaborative forums. In this paper, we address this gap first by examining the range of farmer perspectives on collaboration evident in study sites in Arizona, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania, and second by identifying contextual factors shaping differences we observe across these study sites. Our findings document four perspectives on collaboration themes: (1) Centrality to prior engagement processes; (2) Openness to allowing new topics to emerge in collaborative forums; (3) Willingness to learn; and (4) Influence with regulatory authorities. Our analysis of interview data suggests two contextual factors drive the degree to which farmers are more open or closed to each collaboration theme: the extent to which interviewees perceive their goals as interdependent with non-farmers and threatened by the specter of state regulatory action. Our findings contribute to the literature on starting conditions and contextual factors by identifying Openness to allowing new topics to emerge through interaction in collaborative forums and Willingness to learn suggest expected level of farmer cooperation in future collaborative forums, and Centrality to prior engagement processes and Influence with regulatory authorities as power differentials important for researchers and practitioners to consider when planning new collaborations with farmers.