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Data from information technology has been crucial in advancing the agricultural and livestock industries, especially for Thai dairy farms located in tropical regions where sudden weather changes can occur. This study uses the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the innovation diffusion theory (IDT) to predict the Thai dairy farmers' intention to use a high-precision area-level weather warning technology through a mobile phone application. A questionnaire was collected from dairy farm owners in Thailand's central and northeastern regions, and the data was analyzed using stepwise multiple linear regression. The main factor influencing the acceptance of this technology was its compatibility with existing technology, and it needed to be available on mobile phones for instant access. The role of technology had to provide dairy farmers with information for decision-making, especially during extreme weather conditions, to mitigate potential damage. Training sessions and workshops on the implementation of this technology were necessary, and young farmers could share content on social media to promote its benefits. Service providers should set up call centers to help dairy farmers make decisions. This study identifies factors that can increase farmers' intentions to use digital technology. By addressing these factors, the adoption of technology can improve the efficiency and productivity of dairy farming in Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agricultural sector faces increasing social pressure for its environmental impacts, potentially prompting farmers to uptake voluntary 'good management practices' (GMPs). While the existing literature posits that uptake of GMPs is prevalent in observable places such as along busy roads, there is a lack of quantitative empirical evidence. This study identifies whether perceived busy road frontage impacts farmers' adoption of voluntary GMPs via a large-scale survey of dairy and sheep and beef farmers in New Zealand. We find that frontage on a busy road is associated with greater uptake of a GMP that is easily observed and recognised by the general public, but GMPs not visible from the road do not show greater uptake. We further find that the effect is amplified for dairy farmers vis-à-vis sheep and beef farmers, consistent with the higher levels of public scrutiny of the dairy industry. We contribute to the social pressure literature by demonstrating how visible GMPs subject to scrutiny are likely to have higher uptake. • Social pressure pushes industries to change. • One way farms are subject to this pressure is through visibility from the road. • We find busy road frontage increases adoption of visible Good Management Practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts and implications of climate change – such as floods, droughts, heavy rainfall and increased regulation – are affecting dairy farming practices in the lower South Island (Te Waipaounamu) of Aotearoa-New Zealand. Adapting to these changes, in an equitable and transformational manner, is dependent on understanding the underlying root causes of vulnerability alongside local knowledge and values. We apply an intersectional values-based and contextual analysis to describe how past and present processes of agrarian change interact across different farmer identities to influence adaptive pathways. Local knowledge, place-based experience, values and perceptions of fairness intersect with different facets of a farmer's identity – such as financial capacity, land ownership status, debt arrangements, age and gendered participation – to enable or constrain adaptive action. Notably, notions of fairness, whether real or perceived, vary across farmer groups, and influence the kinds of adaptation activities that dairy farmers are willing, or potentially able, to engage in. The results call for more contextualised engagement with farming communities, and highlight the need to build a shared understanding of the complex historical, social, economic, cultural and environmental drivers of past, present and future change, in this highly productive, yet risky, agricultural landscape. • Intersectional values-based and contextual analyses help identify the barriers and enablers to transformational climate change adaptation in dairy farming contexts. • Dairy farmers' adaptive capacity is socially and economically differentiated, and influenced by experience, values and perceptions of fairness. • Greater contextualised engagement with dairy farmers is needed, without undermining environmental and greenhouse gas reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While separating the calf from the dairy cow shortly after birth is common practice around the world, stakeholders have conflicting perspectives on whether this practice is harmful or beneficial for the animals' welfare and production. Therefore, we wanted to explore farmer's perceived barriers to and experiences with keeping cow and calf together the first few weeks after birth. The aim of this study was to explore Norwegian farmers' experiences with cow-calf contact and the perceived barriers to adopt this rearing system. To collect farmer's experiences and opinions we used a survey including a stratified sample of 1038 dairy farmers. Farmers were stratified according to geography, gender and conventional versus organic farming. In addition, the researchers had access to interviews with 13 farmers who practice cow-calf contact. The farmers' responses to questions about providing cow-calf contact, defined as contact beyond 14 days, were analyzed using factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The results show that while only about 2.8% of Norwegian farmers practice cow-calf contact today, up to 15.3% want to have or plan to start with this practice. The main barriers to adopt cow-calf contact is poorer financial performance, layout of the cowshed and separation distress. Perceived barriers depend on the farmers' degree of production orientation, attitude towards cow-calf contact, the intention to stay in dairy, and whether the farm is run conventional or organic. Separation distress is also a main reason to discontinue cow-calf contact. Those who practice cow-calf contact experience increased weight gain on calves, better calf health and higher farmer wellbeing, while separation distress is the most prominent disadvantage. Farmers who plan for or want to have cow-calf contact are younger and have slightly smaller farms and share many of the same attitudes towards cow-calf contact as do those who practice it. The study also shows that cow-calf contact is an issue which evokes strong emotions among farmers. • Perceived barriers to cow-calf contact are farm economy and cowshed layout. • Separation distress is an important reason to discontinue cow-calf contact. • Farmers' attitudes determine whether they practice cow-calf contact or not. • A growing number of Norwegian farmers plan for or want cow-calf contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the economic, social, and health consequences of burnout, farmer burnout is receiving increased attention in the media and in contemporary research. In this systematic review and narrative synthesis, we aim to evaluate and synthesise the current state of the international evidence for the prevalence of farmer burnout. We developed and applied a search strategy to target studies that examined the prevalence of burnout among farmers of any farming type, gender, and nationality. Combined with secondary and grey literature searching, this resulted in 811 search results. Twenty-three full texts were screened which resulted in nine eligible studies consisting of seven cross-sectional studies, one longitudinal study, and one RCT. We applied the STROBE checklist for quality appraisal, and most studies had a low risk of bias. Across North American, European and Australian studies using cutting points, the average prevalence of severe burnout in farmers was 13.72%. The prevalence rate was higher in New Zealand (25%) and Morocco (18.96%). Compared to non-farmers, farmers experienced higher overall burnout, and higher exhaustion, cynicism and professional efficacy. Gender differences indicated that women experience higher burnout than males. Associated factors included farming as primary occupation, being a dairy farmer, and work stress. Findings indicate the characteristics of farmers especially at risk of burnout which could inform the development of future research and supports to ameliorate farmer burnout. Results also highlight the limitations of the evidence for farmer burnout including the lack of standardised burnout classification methods, the potential for response-bias when examining gender issues, and the influence of socio-economic and agricultural policy in the international evidence. • In this systematic review, we present current international literature on the prevalence of farmer burnout. • Severe burnout in farmers ranged from 9.8%-13.72% depending on the measure used, cut-off points, and location • Severe burnout was significantly higher in farmers compared to non-farmer populations. • Burnout was higher in female farmers and in farmers outside Europe and North America. • Factors associated with burnout were dairy farming, work stress, workload, health and traditional (non-diversified) farming [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Economia e Sociologia Rural is the property of Sociedade Brasileira de Economia e Sociologia Rural and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

• Effects of stacking financial incentives on extent of nature-inclusive farming. • Choice experiment among Dutch crop and dairy farmers. • Substantial effects of combined public and private sector incentives. • Substantial heterogeneity in responses between sectors and farmers. • Strong effect on farmers who already Invest, weak effect on mainstream farmers. Regime changes are hard to incentivize as behaviour is difficult to change. As efforts towards environmentally sustainable agricultural practices indicate, farmers are reluctant to adopt new practices. This study analyses whether policy packages of mixed public and private payments could be effective in incentivizing a regime change, and how targeting payments could further enhance this effect. We implemented a choice experiment among a large sample of Dutch crop (N = 296) and dairy (N = 514) farmers. Our results highlight the importance of offering policy packages of mixed incentives to stimulate farmers to adopt nature-inclusive farming practices. The combination of incentives is more effective than individual incentives alone, and targeting policies to sectors and farmers greatly enhances effectiveness: mainstream farmers require higher incentives to change their practices than farmers that already made changes on their land. This also highlights the importance of including non-financial elements in policy design for targeting especially mainstream farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Societe et Environnement is the property of Les Presses Agronomiques de Gembloux and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Societe et Environnement is the property of Les Presses Agronomiques de Gembloux and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista de Economia e Sociologia Rural is the property of Sociedade Brasileira de Economia e Sociologia Rural and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

To gather data on the calf management and rearing practices of a subset of dairy farmers in the south-west region of Western Australia. A 30-minute face-to-face survey was conducted with dairy cattle producers in the south-west region of Western Australia from April–June 2019 to determine pre-weaning calf rearing practices. Participation was voluntary, using a self-selected subset of dairy farmers registered with a regional extension group. The questionnaire assessed three broad categories: farm demographics, colostrum harvesting and management and calf rearing practices. The study response rate was 34/140 (24%). The following key areas were identified where there were deviations from recognised best practice: Precalving: no transition diet was fed pre-calving on 4/34 (12%) of farms, and on a further 5/34 (15%) it was fed for less than 3 weeks; mixing of heifers and adult cows in the calving paddocks occurred in 24/34 (70%) of the farms, with 15% (5/34) of the farms using calving induction. During calving 14/34 (41%) of the farms did not disinfect navels of new-born calves; although 23/34 farmers stated that they collected calves within 6 hours of birth, data on frequency of calf pick-up (2/34 did not separate calves and dams and 19/34 picked up only once per day) indicated that on 21/34 farms (62%) the reality was that calves were picked up >12 hours after birth. Colostrum quality was not assessed appropriately on 18/34 (53%) farms and farmers overestimated how soon after birth it was administered: 23/34 (68%) reported feeding it within 6 hours of calving, despite 62% picking up calves >12 hours after calving. Regarding calf rearing practices, no pain relief before or after dehorning was used on 20/34 (59%) farms, calf bedding was removed infrequently (

Environmental and political debate concerning the role of agriculture in sustainability has long been on the agenda. However, owing to climate change, an analysis of the transition to a low-carbon society must also be considered from the perspective of justice. Dairy farming, in particular, faces pressure in this context, when contemplating changing consumer behaviors and reduction in the carbon footprint of dairy products. Accordingly, many dairy farmers are struggling with the profitability and high production costs of farming. This study examines the experiences and perceptions of dairy farmers in Finland. The theoretical background is predicated upon the "just transition" literature. Additionally, recent literature regarding farmers' attitudes and agency, related to climate and environmental change, is utilized. A collaborative, empirical study of the Finnish dairy co-op Valio Ltd.'s carbon-neutral milk chain program was conducted. The authors interviewed 18 dairy farmers and examined their motivations and barriers to carbon-neutral practices. Their experiences and perceptions of justice, in the context of a carbon-neutral milk chain, were studied. This study elucidates how to shift to carbon-neutral agriculture in such a way that dairy farmers perceive this systemic change as justified and acceptable. The results indicate that from the farmers' perspective, three key justice issues need consideration: 1) profitability of farming, 2) blaming of farmers, and 3) use of agricultural peatlands. • Finnish dairy farmers' perceptions of issues with carbon neutrality were examined. • Concerns include farming profitability, farmer blaming, and use of peatlands. • Public policy guidance is needed for carbon-neutral, sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, the agricultural sector is linked to negative environmental outcomes, such as water quality and biodiversity deterioration. Consequently, agriculture faces increasing scrutiny by external stakeholders, such as the public and the media. The increasing environmental concerns and public scrutiny present challenges for agricultural producers to maintain stakeholder support, particularly in light-touch regulation countries such as New Zealand (NZ), where governmental intervention is low and stakeholders are able to influence the overall perception of farming. The theoretical concept of 'organisational legitimacy' has previously been used to study evolving social pressures, and refers to the informal approval or acceptance that stakeholders, such as the public, scientists, policy-makers, and local communities, grant to an individual business or sector. To identify how an agricultural sector copes with stakeholder acceptance, our study focuses on identifying strategies NZ dairy farmers adopt to retain stakeholder approval. Twenty-six dairy farmers were interviewed about changes they had made over the last five years, the motivation behind that change, and how stakeholder perceptions played a role in their businesses. Interviewees applied a combination of immediate responses to negative environmental contributions, and long-term responses to anticipate or avoid further challenging events. The study contributes to literature by introducing a theoretical lens novel to the study of stakeholder pressure on agricultural practices: organisational legitimacy. Furthermore, the study provides insights regarding the influence of stakeholder perspectives on farmer behaviour in a light-touch policy environment. • The agricultural sector faces external stakeholder pressure. • Stakeholder pressure is influencing the acceptability of farming activities. • Acceptability is key in obtaining critical resources for farm survival. • To establish sustained acceptability farmers apply short and long term strategies. • Main strategies include acknowledgement, leadership and co-construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dairy farming is physically hard, with limited freedom due to twice-daily milking duties and low revenues. Moreover, globalization, deregulation and trade liberalization have significantly changed the conditions of dairy farming. How can dairy farmers in this context maintain good quality of life? What makes a life one of good quality? This paper uses a qualitative bottom-up approach to understand Swiss dairy farmers' and their families' individual criteria of quality of life, aiming to reconsider and complement the often used, standardized criteria of quality of life surveys. The analysis of the qualitative interview data reveals the importance of objective non-material as well as subjective components of quality of life. The paper shows that, contrary to what could be expected based on the farmer's ethic of being hardworking over long hours, farmers emphasize 'time' as an important criterion of quality of life, referring not only to leisure time, time with the family or time to lie in, but also time to think and plan. The paper further stresses the importance of eudaimonic wellbeing, which is largely missing in standardized quality of life studies on farming families and also some general quality of life concepts. In this regard, the paper highlights the lack of social recognition of farmers and the extent to which pressure and criticism from the non-farming population negatively influences farmers' quality of life. The paper concludes that to fully understand farming families' quality of life and thus the social sustainability of family farming, the subjective dimension of quality of life, especially eudaimonic wellbeing, needs to be fully incorporated in future studies, regardless of their methodological approach. Moreover, alluding to resilience research, the paper urges researchers to include 'time to think and plan' into future investigations, assuming that more time for self-reflection increases not only the subjective but also the objective dimension of quality of life. • Dairy farmers' quality of life is central for a socially sustainable agriculture. • Qualitative quality of life approaches allow researchers to understand what lies beyond pure scales. • Eudaimonic wellbeing is essential for subjective quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate identification of mastitis-causing bacteria assists in effective management by both dairy farmers and veterinarians and can be used to implement the selective use of antimicrobials for treatment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of our developed anti-ribosomal protein-L7/L12 antibody-coated immunochromatographic strip (ICS) test to detect coliforms in milk by comparing the results with the bacteriological culture method. We investigated the performance of the ICS test as compared with the bacteriological culture method using 308 milk samples from clinical bovine mastitis. First, to determine the optimal ICS test cutoff point for detecting coliform mastitis, we developed a receiver-operating characteristic curve. The result showed that the cutoff point was at 0.5 of our index. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value of the ICS test were 81.3%, 84.8%, 69.2%, and 91.54%, respectively. As the clinical signs increased in severity, the F-measure, a weighted harmonic mean of the sensitivity and overall PPV performance, increased. Because it is especially important to treat clinical mastitis appropriately in the early stages of detection, the ICS test, which can be used by both dairy farmers and veterinarians on dairy farms, is considered to be a useful tool for detecting coliform mastitis, which often presents with severe signs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Sweden, 34% of herds in official statistics 2021 (77% of the cows) have an automatic milking system (AMS) and keep 19% of the dairy cows. This study should be considered in relation to the rapid increase of digitalisation in agriculture. It aimed at investigating Swedish farmers' experiences and reflections in dairy farming concerning AMS use from a care perspective, based on two research questions: 1) What kinds of success factors and management challenges do farmers experience with AMS usage? and 2) How do farmers view their work environment in this kind of system? A mixed method approach was performed, using method triangulation through a questionnaire, interviews, and field visits. The Activity Theory (AT) was used as a theoretical lens to consider care practice in the dairy farming as a learning system. AND CONCLUSIONS: Participating dairy farmers were found to be in a continuous learning process on different levels in their system, from detailed problems with an individual cow or the herd to the whole dairy system. Implementation of AMS required learning in order to manage, and thus care for, a system comprising of animals, technology, and humans, to increase business viability. In successful AMS use, willingness to learn, adapt to the local situation, and continually improve practice, or care as a patterning of activities, appeared to be the most important factors. With more people involved, differentiations were possible, which in turn accentuated the need for more trained staff who can perform more complicated tasks. The findings indicated high importance of experience and a 'stockperson's eye', in combination with tool-mediated seeing using data from the robot, in developing enhanced professional vision and good care. A good stockperson had broad competence combining a stockperson's eye with experience with robot data. One of the greatest challenges for dairy farms was finding a good stockperson as staff or advisor. Increased flexibility in work and better physical health were important driving forces for implementing AMS, while handling alarms was mentally stressful and gave different perspectives on AMS vulnerability. Overall, the analysis of the collected data showed that AMS had brought major, primarily positive, changes in daily work and increased work satisfaction for most farmers, with a clear majority of the respondents feeling good in their work situation and enjoying their work. Application of AT in studying AMS from a care perspective, represents a shift from traditional research that normally addresses technological inventions, to studying farmers' socio-technical system. The AT lens revealed the work practices in performing care, as a patterning of activities accomplished by a tinkering learning process, in the rich and messy matrix of humans, cows, and technology. • Farmers with automated milking systems are mainly satisfied with the robots [77]. • Finding competent staff and advisors are major challenges in robot dairy production [85]. • The importance of a stockperson's eye increases in automated milking systems [78]. • The Activity Theory works well for analysis of the systemic perspective of care [81]. • There is a need for an Agriculture 5.0, which has a more profound care perspective [84]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to know the preference of Dairy Farming by Dairy farmers using significant test and cluster analysis. The study is conducted among 300 dairy farmers in Kanyakumari District who were randomly selected from six taluks of Kanyakumari. The Significant test is carried through t test and shows that the statement livestock and crop production together is better and has the highest score. The cluster analysis is used to find the nature of the sample respondents. The Dairy farmers were categorised into Inheritors, Initiators, Investors and Innovators. To know about the sources of information of dairy farmingfrom the Friends and Family and Farmers Association (260), with regard to milk yield, majority got the information was gathered from Farmers Association (188). The information about the quality of milk was gathered from all but main source is farmers association. They mainly depended on the Veterinary Doctor for the information regarding breeding, feeding and diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore recommendations that New Zealand veterinarians make for diagnosing and managing bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) in cattle herds under different clinical scenarios and their opinions towards potential barriers and opportunities for implementing BVD control programmes in New Zealand. A cross-sectional survey of registered veterinarians in New Zealand was conducted in 2019. Respondents were asked about the approaches they would use to manage BVD under different clinical scenarios as well as their opinions on national BVD control. A subset of veterinarians completed a more in-depth survey providing additional free-text responses on a range of different BVD topics. Descriptive statistics were provided for all quantitative study variables and the free-text responses were also analysed to generate further insights into veterinarians' perceptions towards BVD management. The cross-sectional survey was completed by 101 of an estimated 870 (11.6%) cattle veterinarians. Thirty-five veterinarians completed the in-depth survey. There was wide variation in the BVD diagnostic testing and vaccination protocols that respondents recommended under different clinical scenarios. Annual bulk milk BVD testing was perceived as a valuable tool for initiating BVD discussions with dairy farmers. Respondents indicated that beef farmers were more difficult to engage in BVD control largely due to the logistical challenges of yarding cattle at the appropriate times to implement interventions, with many farmers only contacting veterinarians after experiencing a BVD outbreak Most respondents (91/101; 90%) believed it was possible to eradicate BVD from New Zealand, but cited lack of farmer awareness and poor compliance with management recommendations as significant barriers. The measure with the most support for inclusion in a compulsory national eradication programme was requiring farmers to declare the status of their animals prior to sale while the least supported measure was requiring farmers to double fence boundaries to prevent nose-to-nose contact with neighbouring stock. Although respondents highlighted the need for farmers and industry to support any national eradication programme in order for it to be successful, there was also recognition that veterinarians could be more pro-active in engaging with farmers particularly in discussions around the economics of BVD. While the survey respondents appeared to be highly supportive of BVD control, it was perceived that financial and logistical barriers existed that could impede farmer engagement. Further extension efforts may be needed to ensure that veterinarians are presenting clear and consistent recommendations about BVD management to farmers. Abbreviations: BVD: Bovine viral diarrhoea; NAIT: National Animal Identification and Tracing System; PI: Persistently infected [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study offers a detailed and original assessment of the practices of prescription veterinary medicine use on UK dairy farms. The emergence of antimicrobial resistance as a global threat has necessitated an increasing focus on medicine use in agriculture. While an abundance of studies have recently emerged to demonstrate and evaluate strategies for medicine reduction, this paper seeks to understand the context and the on-farm culture within which treatment practices occur on a sample of UK dairy farms. Arguing that the experiential knowledge, on-farm culture and informal information flows are as important as 'science' in the practice of treatment decision making and drawing on extensive participant observation fieldwork combined with semi-structured interviews, this paper identifies and discusses three key themes that develop and, in places, challenge our current understanding of farmer treatment practices. These areas - treatment knowledge and understanding, a duty of care and autonomy of treatment practice - are seen to have complex effects on the use of veterinary medicines in dairy cattle and, as such, highlight critical areas for further research and opportunities for policy interventions aimed at improving responsible medicine use. • Farmers construct their own narratives of disease and treatment, based on experiential and experimental knowledges. • Uncertainty remains a key element of treatment decision-making, which can manifest as risk-averse behaviour. • Farmers are strongly motivated to treat by a sense of duty to the wellbeing of the animals for which they are responsible. • A perceived lack of autonomy with regard to treatment decisions directly affected dairy farmers' medicine use behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a difficult time to be a farmer, particularly in the midwestern US, where a slow-moving farm crisis has been brewing. In recent years farmers have faced multiple socioeconomic threats such as a trade war with China, industry consolidation, and decreasing farmgate prices, as well as multiple environmental threats, including flooding and drought. We analyze farmers' assessments of these concurrent risks and their relationship to stress and farm exit, through a mail survey of 210 soy and dairy farmers in Indiana. On average, environmental threats are perceived as less of a threat to farmers than to immediate socioeconomic threats such as the trade war and, more importantly, long-run economic issues such as price decline and consolidation. We find evidence that farm exit is largely determined by farmer identity, perspectives on the trade war, and stress. The ongoing trade war with China is a key source of stress for soybean farmers and federal payments from the Market Facilitation Program are unlikely to stem farm exit. Addressing the farm exit problem and mitigating the current farm crisis necessitates greater attention to how policies, indirectly lead to farm exit through stress. • We analyze farmers' decisions to exit farming. • Farm exit is largely driven by perceived stress. • Environmental shocks pose less of a threat to farmers than economic shocks. • Market Facilitation Program payments are unlikely to stem farm exit. • The US-China trade is a key source of stress for farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how dairy farmers attempt to navigate prescribed principles and fixed practices of environmental care in the context of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZ) and the EU Water Framework Directive. In contrast to agri-environmental schemes, farm-level compliance with NVZ regulations often involves substantial investment costs for the farmer. Drawing on a case study of Wales, we consider why controversial practices of nitrate management exist on farms and how, through a combined narrative of vulnerability and care, certain practices are legitimised. Such narratives seemingly involve an attempt to redefine 'good farmer' identities within conventional agriculture, whereby the act and declared commitment to administering 'good care' becomes separated from a responsibility for the outcomes of some farming practices. In exploring why such a limited framing of the good farmer and good care are being pursued, we look at the role of environmental regulation (specifically NVZ regulation) in shaping this response. We conclude that a distancing of responsibility for the outcomes of poor care does not, necessarily, equate with an actual absence of caring about, or a failure to care for the local environment. Moreover, rather than symbolising a logic of being resistant to change, for many farmers it represents a perceived inability to change. Such is the growing disconnect between conventional systems of farming practice and the environmental state of many traditional family farms that, rather than being at 'cross-roads', these farmers have instead seemingly reached a 'dead end'. Our analysis is supported by three data sets (compiled between 2016 and 2018): responses to a questionnaire sent to 1000 farmers in Wales; semi-structured interviews with industry stakeholders (combined with farm site visits in the case of farmer respondents); and, analysis of responses (n = 258) to a Welsh Government-led national public consultation on the proposed expansion of the regulation of NVZs in Wales. • Good environmental care cannot be achieved through regulation alone. • Rigid regulatory prescription of environmental care can adversely effect practice. • Farm level navigation of regulation shapes farmers' responsibility for care. • Perceptions of responsibility for good care underpin narratives of good farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species-rich grasslands are promoted by public and private actors for reasons of biodiversity, landscape amenity and animal health. There is little understanding of the considerations of farmers when they opt for or against species-rich grasslands. We held a workshop with 20 farmers and conducted in-depth interviews with 15 livestock farmers in Alblasserwaard - Vijfheerenlanden, a peat meadow landscape in the West of the Netherlands. In these discussions we made an inventory of opportunities and barriers that the farmers experience in terms of willingness, ability and support from society. In our analysis we distinguished four farming styles accommodating species-rich grasslands, which differ in the way willingness, ability and support from society are experienced by the farmers. Based on these findings, we make generic and farming style-specific recommendations for public policy and parties in the supply chain for effectively promoting species-rich grasslands among livestock farmers. We propose that a diverse public-private policy mix is essential to reach as many farmers as possible, acknowledging their heterogeneity and addressing their multiple needs. • To 5 bullet points (maximum 85 characters, including spaces, per bullet point). • Among dairy farmers we found 4 farming styles related to species-rich grassland. • The styles differ in willingness, ability and experienced support from society. • Although very different, all four styles can accommodate species-rich grassland. • We proposed options for governance taking into account behaviour and heterogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Societe et Environnement is the property of Les Presses Agronomiques de Gembloux and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)