Influence of Kinship Arrangements on Farmer Innovations.

The image of farming in the United States is an individualistic one. The existence of kinship arrangements and their significance in the intergenerational transfer of farms and on farm decisions have received little attention. This paper looks at the characteristics of kinship arrangements in the Palouse area of eastern Washington and northern Idaho and whether relatives who farm together differ in innovativeness from those who do not farm with relatives. Two models are presented, which suggest that kinship arrangements might have either a positive or negative effect on adoption of erosion control practices. We present data to test these two models and discuss the implications of our findings for farmer innovativeness and intergenerational transfer of farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]