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Barriers to the adoption of management-intensive grazing among dairy farmers in the Northeastern United States

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

J.R. Winsten ,
A. Richardson ,
C.D. Kerchner ,
A. Lichau  and
J.M. Hyman
J.R. Winsten*
Affiliation:
Winrock International, 2121 Crystal Drive, Suite 500, Arlington, VA 22202, USA
A. Richardson
Affiliation:
Prescott Creeks Preservation, P.O. Box 3004, Prescott, AZ 86302, USA
C.D. Kerchner
Affiliation:
AgRefresh, P.O. Box 843, Burlington, VT 05401, USA
A. Lichau
Affiliation:
Department of Community Development and Applied Economics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
J.M. Hyman
Affiliation:
Department of Community Development and Applied Economics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
*
*Corresponding author: Jwinsten@winrock.org
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Abstract

This paper uses recent survey results from almost 1000 dairy producers in northeastern US to analyze farmers’ perceptions of barriers to the adoption of rotational grazing [management-intensive grazing (MIG)] as a means for feeding their dairy herds. The survey found that approximately 13% of dairy producers in the region were using MIG during the 2006 growing season. Approximately 40% of farmers surveyed were using a confinement feeding operation where the milking herd does not graze at all and close to 47% were using a traditional system that involved some pasture forage for the milking herd. Regardless of the popular sentiment that increased information and technical assistance is needed in the field, producers more frequently report a series of other barriers as being greater obstacles to the adoption of MIG. Farmers using confinement feeding tended to see each of the barriers presented as being more significant obstacles than did other farmers. Farmers with higher debt ratios and higher milk production per cow were more likely to view the financially related barriers (decreased milk production per cow, cash flow and farm profits) as significant obstacles.

Keywords

dairy farmingmanagement-intensive grazingrotational grazingtechnology adoptionbarriers to adoption
Type
Research Papers
Information
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems , Volume 26 , Issue 2 , June 2011 , pp. 104 - 113
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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