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Topic

Farmers’ Perspectives on Transitions Away from Animal Agriculture Food Systems

Department of Sociology

Date & location

• Wednesday, December 4, 2024

• 9:30 A.M.

• Cornett Building

• Room A317

Reviewers

Supervisory Committee

• Dr. Andre Smith, Department of Sociology, University of Victoria (Supervisor)

• Dr. Anelyse Weiler, Department of Sociology, UVic (Member) 

External Examiner

• Dr. Maneesha Deckha, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria 

Chair of Oral Examination

• Dr. John Lutz, Department of History, UVic

   

Abstract

Despite a growing field of research on how workers in highly polluting sectors are transitioning to more sustainable livelihoods, little research is available on how farmers in animal agriculture engage in such transitions. Conventional animal agriculture is widely recognized as a significant contributor to climate change and other environmental problems. This research explored farmers’ motivations for transitioning away from animal agriculture and toward plant-based agriculture or animal sanctuaries, documenting sources of support and the barriers farmers face in transitioning.

The research design entailed qualitative semi-structured interviews with eight U.S. farmers. The study was guided by the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) in the analysis and discussion section of the thesis. The findings showed that there are a multitude of forces influencing farm transitions, indicating a need to use a wide variety of strategies for transitions. Beyond economic and political motivations, some farmers in the study were motivated by a change in their view on animals whereby they no longer agree with animal agriculture processes such as breeding and sending animals to slaughter. Farmers noted barriers to transitioning such as the burden of debt, particularly for contract chicken farmers, an increase in labour demands with vegetable production, and the need to develop new marketing strategies to align with their new enterprises. The study’s findings can inform farm policy on supporting farmers who wish to transition their farms from animal to plant-based operations. Keywords: food system transition, animal to plant-based farm transitions, sustainable agriculture, animal agriculture, plant-based agriculture, sustainable transitions research field, veganic, industrialization, multi-level perspective, contract farming.