The accidental environmentalists: Factors affecting farmers’ adoption of pro-environmental activities in England and Ontario

Abstract

Based on semi-structured interviews with 54 distinct actors in the UK and Canada, we identify a range of internal psychological orientations that are common (albeit to varying degrees) in both case study regions that, when taken together, provide a lens through which on-farm decisions relating to pro-environmental behaviours are internally analysed and subsequently operationalised. We label these orientations as Production, Business, Environmental, Lifestyle, and Farm Health. Through these orientations, we-environmental activities for non-environmental reasons. Prominent examples include adopting environmentally beneficial on-farm decisions to support field sports (i.e. shooting), pursuing production improvements with environmental spin-offs (e.g. cover crops, beneficial pollinators), or seeking improvements to personal or family health and well-being (e.g. reduced use of chemicals). This analysis therefore highlights the importance of not oversimplifying farmer motivations along a dualistic profit-seeking v stewardship divide when it comes to understanding environmental behaviour.

Stakeholder Perspectives to Prevent Soil Organic Matter Decline in Northeastern Italy

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Will Farmers Accept Lower Gross Margins for the Sustainable Cultivation Method of Mixed Cropping? First Insights from Germany

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Sustainability of Recycling Waste Picker Sustainopreneurs for Prevention and Mitigation of Municipal Solid Waste in Swat

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