ERIC Number: EJ806534
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008-Mar
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0036-0112
EISSN: N/A
The Reflexive Producer: The Influence of Farmer Knowledge upon the Use of Bt Corn
Kaup, Brent Z.
Rural Sociology, v73 n1 p62-81 Mar 2008
This paper examines the influence of farmer knowledge upon decision making processes. Drawing upon the sociological debates around the ideas of reflexive modernity and biotechnology as well as from classic adoption and diffusion studies, I explore the influences upon farmers' use of "Bacillus thuringiensis" (Bt) corn. Utilizing survey data gathered from corn farmers in Minnesota and Wisconsin, I argue that farmers are "reflexive" actors who actively negotiate between "expert" and "local" knowledges when deciding to plant Bt corn. Furthermore, I hypothesize that farmers are more likely to be influenced by their first-hand or local experiences than by state or expert observations. (Contains 3 tables and 2 footnotes.)
Descriptors: Agricultural Occupations, Biotechnology, Decision Making, Decision Making Skills, Rural Sociology, Food, Agricultural Skills, Farm Management, Use Studies, Indigenous Knowledge, Knowledge Level, Predictor Variables, Inferences, Regression (Statistics), Transformative Learning
Rural Sociological Society. 104 Gentry Hall, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211-7040. Tel: 573-882-9065; Fax: 573-882-1473; e-mail: ruralsoc@missouri.edu; Web site: http://www.ruralsociology.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Opinion Papers; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A