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A typology of dairy farmer perceptions towards climate change

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Abstract

Dairy farming is an industry which could potentially mitigate a large amount of greenhouse gas emissions. However, perception and acceptance towards climate change is a significant barrier to voluntary adoption of best practice techniques. A number of countries have set targets for reducing emissions, of which Scotland has one of the most ambitious agendas. This paper presents results from an extensive survey of 540 dairy farmers, conducted in 2009, with the aim of understanding attitudes, values and intentions towards climate change. Only half of these farmers agreed that temperatures would rise in the future and this could significantly hinder adoption of voluntary measures to meet emissions targets. To explore this further a typology was developed on the responses to attitude and value statements, using principal components and cluster analysis methods. Six distinct types were found to exist which had a range of outlooks towards the impact of climate change in the future. However, five of the six types stated no intention to adopt practices which would reduce emissions. The typology approach supports diversified engagement strategies and a more innovation-led or resource maximisation view towards farming was expressed by several of these types. This may indicate that policy makers should focus on ‘win-win’ technologies as a means to effectively engage with these. However, a number of types were disengaged from the process which was driven by uncertainties towards projections for global warming and this needs to be addressed by both scientists and policy makers to ensure greater participation within the farming community.

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Notes

  1. KMO statistics were both greater than 0.8 and the Bartlett tests for spherecity were significant at 5% confidence.

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Acknowledgements

This paper was prepared under the Scottish Government RSD funded research programme ‘Economic Adaptation’ for which the authors are grateful. We thank David Roberts and Desiree Rohmer at the SAC Dairy Research Centre for helpful comments on the survey questions. We are grateful to the Scottish dairy farmers who took the time to complete the survey for us. We also thank two anonymous reviewers who provided very useful comments on the paper. All opinions expressed are solely the responsibility of the authors.

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Correspondence to Andrew P. Barnes.

Appendix: List of attitude and value statements used within the questionairre

Appendix: List of attitude and value statements used within the questionairre

Attitudes

Statement

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Unsure

Agree

Strongly Agree

Profit-oriented

On a farm of this size you must be focused on production if you are to survive.

Farmers should always aim to have the highest production from their livestock.

Focussing on niche markets will improve my profit margins.

Price premiums for organic products will increase compared to conventional production.

General environmental responsibility/regulations

Environmental measures should be paid for by the government.

Other industries pollute more than farmers and should be penalised more.

It is fair that dairy farmers should be held responsible for environmental damage they cause in this community.

Environmental regulations increase the farmers work load.

Adapting to environmental regulations reduces your income.

Environmental regulations are a good thing for the future of farming.

Climate change risk perception

It is likely that average annual temperatures will increase in the future.

Climate change will only impact negatively in the long term.

My standard of living will improve due to climate change.

My input costs will increase because of climate change.

Economic risk perception

Government payments to encourage production will reduce the risks in dairy industry.

The recent fluctuations in fuel prices are affecting my business planning

Food prices rises will continue to stay high.

Recent changes in the banking system have affected my ability to plan effectively.

Attitudes towards climate change issues

Climate change is an important environmental issue.

Climate change should be seen as beneficial and not detrimental to dairy farming.

Climate change will lead to increasing productivity losses due to diseases and pests.

Dairy farming contributes to climate change.

Values

 

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Unsure

Agree

Strongly Agree

Climate change issues

Uncertainty due to Climate change seriously affects my ability to invest in my business.

The risks from climate change do not merit more insurance investment.

The threat from climate change forces me to re-assess my business objectives.

General economic behaviour

I aim to get the best market prices for my milk.

It is important for me to improve the quality of liquid milk output.

It is important to me to keep debt as low as possible.

To farm successfully it is important for me to keep up-to-date with new farming methods.

For me it is important to make the largest possible profit.

It is important to make best use of my farm’s resources.

It is important for me to try new varieties of breeds crops/stock.

General environmental’ behaviour

It is important for me to farm as environmentally friendly as possible.

In adopting environmental methods it is important for me to lead rather then follow.

It is important that farming with regard to the environment is profitable for me.

It is important for me to leave the land as good as, or better than, I received it.

It is important for me to reduce pollution caused by my dairy farming.

Encouraging wildlife, planting trees and protecting the water supply is important to me.

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Barnes, A.P., Toma, L. A typology of dairy farmer perceptions towards climate change. Climatic Change 112, 507–522 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-011-0226-2

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