Certified Organic Production: The Experiences and Perspectives of Washington Farmers
AGRICULTURE GOALS AND FARMING CHALLENGES
Below is a list of potential goals for sustainable agriculture. To what degree do you think your organic farm operation contributes to each of the following goals?
| Potential Goals for Sustainable Agriculture | Mean Scores on a Scale from 1 (”No Contribution”) to 5 (“Significant Contribution”) |
|---|---|
| Promote soil conservation | 4.10 |
| Establish relationships of trust with consumers | 4.09 |
| Reduce toxins released into environment | 4.08 |
| Protect human health | 4.02 |
| Protect water resources | 3.87 |
| Protect biodiversity | 3.85 |
| Provide safe working conditions for farm workers | 3.85 |
| Provide wildlife habitat | 3.83 |
| Increase the sustainability of agriculture | 3.82 |
| Make efficient use of nonrenewable resources | 3.63 |
| Improve the quality of rural life | 3.62 |
| Preserve traditional knowledge | 3.53 |
| Support local businesses | 3.52 |
| Provide adequate farm income | 3.51 |
| Enhance rural economic development | 3.43 |
| Create direct producer-consumer linkages | 3.41 |
| Reduce dependence on large corporations | 3.32 |
| Teach children about farming | 3.29 |
| Reduce dependence on external inputs | 3.24 |
| Provide a living wage to farm workers | 3.06 |
| Teach community members about farming | 2.99 |
| Promote social justice / equity | 2.54 |
| Nonresponses ranged from 10 to 21 | |
During the past year, to what extent have these factors been problems for you in making your organic farm operation successful?
| Potential Problems in Making Organic Farm Operation Successful | Not at All (%) |
Minimal (%) |
Moderate (%) |
Considerable (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High cost of organic inputs | 14.0 | 17.3 | 39.5 | 29.2 |
| High labor costs | 26.3 | 17.4 | 29.5 | 26.8 |
| Inability to find enough farm labor | 39.6 | 20.8 | 18.5 | 21.1 |
| Variable or low yields | 26.3 | 31.9 | 28.3 | 13.6 |
| Lack of access to processing facilities | 61.2 | 13.7 | 15.2 | 9.9 |
| Geographic isolation | 56.4 | 22.8 | 12.9 | 7.9 |
| Difficulty in obtaining bank loans | 72.9 | 13.9 | 6.5 | 6.8 |
| Limited marketing opportunities | 55.8 | 20.5 | 17.3 | 6.4 |
| Difficulty in obtaining organic inputs | 40.1 | 28.5 | 25.9 | 5.5 |
| Limited access to technical assistance | 54.5 | 26.5 | 13.7 | 5.2 |
| Lack of business background | 60.6 | 22.9 | 11.3 | 5.2 |
| Sense of social isolation from other farmers | 51.2 | 28.8 | 16.3 | 3.8 |
| Sense that you are not taken seriously as a farmer | 62.7 | 24.8 | 9.0 | 3.5 |
| Language or cultural barriers | 58.9 | 26.4 | 11.1 | 3.5 |
| Lack of farming background | 67.5 | 17.7 | 11.6 | 3.2 |
| Lack of internet or e-mail access | 82.0 | 11.9 | 3.2 | 2.9 |
| Lack of computer knowledge | 66.7 | 20.8 | 9.9 | 2.6 |
| Need for child care | 80.4 | 13.2 | 4.7 | 1.8 |
| Sense that you are not welcome in farmer associations | 76.8 | 16.8 | 4.6 | 1.7 |
| Lack of family support for your role in managing the farm | 74.4 | 16.6 | 7.6 | 1.5 |
| Gender discrimination | 91.8 | 7.0 | 0.9 | 0.3 |
| Racial or ethnic discrimination | 92.6 | 7.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Nonresponses ranged from 11 to 17 | ||||