How can organic farmers be good farmers? A study of categorisation in organic farmers' talk

Datos Bibliográficos

ID4445971
AutoresMerja Lähdesmäki (0000-0003-0787-8871, Ruralia Institute, University of Helsinki Seinäjoki Finland, autor de correspondencia), Kari Mikko Vesala (0000-0003-1764-9052, Faculty of Social Sciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland)
Año2022
Volumen62
Número3
Páginas413-436
Fecha de publicación2022-07-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaSociologia Ruralis (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0038-0199 • E-ISSN: 1467-9523
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/soru.12382
OpenAlexW4281256020
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas8
Referencias citadas47

Conversion from conventional to organic farming is considered to indicate changes in farmers' professional identities-more specifically, in their perceptions of the idea of a 'good farmer'. In this study, we focus on this theme by analysing how 'good farmer' ideals appear when farmers who have converted to organic agriculture make sense of the differences between conventional and organic farming. Through the discursive analysis of interviews with organic farmers, we show how they categorise farmers, producing and using an evaluative division in which both organic and conventional farmers fall into two subcategories, namely, 'practical organic farmer', 'idealistic organic farmer', 'conservative conventional farmer' and 'rational conventional farmer'. We argue that this categorisation, as a way to define a 'good farmer', enables organic farmers to create a coherent identity as 'good farmers' in regard to both their former conventional self and current organic self. Our study further contributes to the theoretical discussion on 'good farmer' by highlighting that, in addition to productivist symbols and economic viability, organic farmers also view a practical and open-minded attitude to managing the farm as a criterion of a 'good farmer', thus critically distancing themselves from conservative and ideological ideals

Agricultural science · Agriculture · Business · Distancing · Geography · Identity (music) · Ideology · Organic farming · Organic product · Organic production · Perception · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Global trade, sustainability, and social impact · Management and Organizational Studies · Marketing · Organic Food and Agriculture · Psychology