Farmer decision makers: What are they thinking?

Abstract

A broad array of factors shape producers' decisions and management systems and in turn affect water quality outcomes. Many of these factors relate directly to farmers' personal and social identity as environmental stewards, their awareness of water quality as a local problem, and how they think about the co-production of agricultural products and environmental services. A series of farmer interviews demonstrate how personal knowledge, experience and management routines influence farmer decision making, and point to a need for a better understanding of these influences. Sustainable improvements in water quality will require farmers reconstruct their frame of reference to include ecosystem management considerations. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.