Transcript Presentation to the Coalition to Support Iowa Farmers

Livestock Farming In Iowa
Dr. Stephen Sapp
Department of Sociology
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011
(515) 294-1403
[email protected]
Livestock Farming In Iowa
Some Facts About Livestock Farming
• Livestock farming produces a large volume of
safe, wholesome food.
• Livestock farmers adhere to stringent
standards of quality control and animal
management.
Livestock Farming In Iowa
Some Facts About Livestock Farming
• Livestock production uses much food and
water.
• Livestock production creates environmental
degradation.
• Livestock farming…well, stinks! (But some
would say it smells better than do cities.)
Livestock Farming In Iowa
Social Issues Regarding Livestock Farming
• Most persons express concerns about the
envirnoment.
• Neighbors complain about odors.
• Some persons express concerns about control
by very powerful multinational corporations.
Livestock Farming In Iowa
Sociological Issues Regarding Livestock Farming
• What structures, policies, and programs are
best suited to addressing social issues?
• What are the effects of livestock farming on
people and communities?
• What is the quality of the social fabric within
the context of debates about social issues?
Livestock Farming In Iowa
• Livestock Farming and Small Towns
• Livestock Farmers and Small Towns
Livestock Farming
And Small Towns
Research Questions
• Does large-scale livestock farming harm the
social and economic structure of small
communities?
• Does large-scale livestock farming harm
residents’ attachment to their community?
Livestock Farming
And Small Towns
Previous Research
• A review of about 50 studies shows that in
some regions, the larger the scale of
agriculture, the lower the objective and
subjective evaluations of the community.
• What about Iowa?
Livestock Farming
And Small Towns
The Iowa State Studies
• 99 small, rural towns, one in each county.
• 1994 and 2004.
• 150 survey interviews in each town.
• Census data combined with interview data.
Livestock Farming
And Small Towns
The Iowa State Studies: Objective Data
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Median Household Income
Poverty Rates
Infant Death Rates
Rates of Violent Crime
Retail Pull Factor
Unemployment Rates
Total Population
Income Inequality
Livestock Farming
And Small Towns
The Iowa State Studies: Subjective Data
• Social Cohesion
• Neighboring
• Trustworthiness
• Caring
• Attachment
Livestock Farming
And Small Towns
The Iowa State Studies: Subjective Data
• Community Services
• Medical
• Public Schools
• Shopping Facilities
• Housing
• Recreation
• Child Care and Programs for Youth
• Senior Services
Livestock Farming
And Small Towns
The Iowa State Studies: Subjective Data
• Government Services
• Police Protection
• Fire Protection
• Condition of Streets
• Water Quantity and Quality
• Garbage Collection
• Emergency Response Services
Livestock Farming
And Small Towns
The Iowa State Studies: Subjective Data
• Civic Engagement
• Service and Fraternal Organizations
• Recreational Groups
• Political Groups
• Civic Groups
• Job-Related Organizations
• Church-Related Groups and Organizations
Livestock Farming
And Small Towns
The Iowa State Studies: Findings
• In Iowa, the larger the scale of agriculture the
better the objective and subjective evaluations
of the community.
• This effect is not uniform within or across
years.
• This effect is small in size.
Livestock Farming
And Small Towns
The Iowa State Studies: Conclusions
• Large-scale farming has a modest, favorable
effect on the structure and functioning of small,
rural towns in Iowa.
Livestock Farmers
And Small Towns
The Good Farmer
• We were asked to learn about the good farmer.
• We chose to learn about the good neighbor.
• We learned that their interests are about the
same.
Livestock Farmers
And Small Towns
The Iowa State Studies
• 16 small, rural towns, one each in 8 counties.
• 2006.
• 150 survey interviews in each town.
• 20 in-depth interviews combined with the
survey interviews.
Livestock Farmers
And Small Towns
The Iowa State Studies: The Surveys
• We asked the same questions as the
community surveys: Citizenship, Caring,
Trustworthiness, Fairness.
• Then, we asked residents to rate pork
producers on those same issues!
Livestock Farmers
And Small Towns
The Iowa State Studies: Survey Findings
• Pork producers were rated by town residents
as below, but nearly equal to fellow town
residents in caring, citizenship, and fairness.
• Pork producers were rated by town residents
as above, but nearly equal to fellow town
residents in trustworthiness.
Livestock Farmers
And Small Towns
The Iowa State Studies: The Interviews
• We asked pork producers to tell us what
citizens can do better to build good
relationships with pork producers.
• We asked producers how citizens view them.
• We asked producers how they view citizens.
Livestock Farmers
And Small Towns
The Iowa State Studies: Interview Findings
• Pork producers take pride in adding jobs and
helping the local economy.
• Pork producers take pride in their civic
engagement.
• Pork producers feel well-informed about how to
be a good neighbor.
Livestock Farmers
And Small Towns
The Iowa State Studies: Interview Findings
• Pork producers struggle with urban and other
rural residents regarding odor issues.
• Pork producers struggle with urban and other
rural residents regarding what constitutes
humane treatment of animals.
Livestock Farmers
And Small Towns
The Iowa State Studies: Conclusions
• The ability of Iowans to develop policies,
programs, and relationships that can mitigate
concerns about odors and treatment of animals
will be critical in defining the quality of the
social fabric in rural areas and small towns.
Livestock Farming
And Farmers
Overall Conclusions
• The Iowa State studies evaluated the effects of
large-scale farming on the objective and
subjective quality of life in small towns.
• We found no reason for concern thus far that
large-scale farming is detrimental to quality of
life in Iowa’s small towns.
Livestock Farming
And Farmers
Overall Conclusions
• The Iowa State studies evaluated the quality of
the social fabric binding livestock producers to
other rural and urban residents of small towns.
• We found no reason for concern thus far that
debates about livestock farming are eroding
the quality of the social fabric among farmers
and small town residents.
Livestock Farming In Iowa
Thank You!