Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
BIOS and the Lodi winegrape partnerships successfully cast their
approach as new, innovative, socially enjoyable, and environmentally
friendly—yet profitable. These appeal to the general orientation of pro-
ducers toward innovation and pragmatism. Bob Bugg's depiction of the
BIOS system as “charismatic” plays to these growers' concern with
appearance. BIOS shifted grower perception of cover crops from being
“weedy” to being attractive. Field days provided an opportunity for
Production Maximizers to see how other growers were managing their
farming operation and for Networking Entrepreneurs to exchange infor-
mation with more people. Some partnership leaders have portrayed their
efforts to have maximum social appeal while quietly pursing specific pol-
lution reduction goals. To the extent they portray and can demonstrate
partnership practices as profitable and innovative, they appeal to a
broader audience of growers.
Many advocates of sustainability, including CAFF, have argued that
smaller growers are more environmentally oriented, pointing to Glenn
Anderson, who farms less than 40 acres yet supports his family.
Environmental Stewards spanned the farm size spectrum, with several
BIOS/BIFS participants managing more than 1,000 acres. Lodi wine-
grape grower Randy Lange fits the Environmental Steward profile, yet
farms more than 6,000 acres. His business orientation, however, gives
him credibility with other growers who do not share environmental
values to the degree he does. Production Maximizers tended to have the
largest operations, and Networking Entrepreneurs had the greatest
percentage of smaller farms to facilitate off-farm employment.
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Participating growers are acutely aware of their geographic context:
farming in a highly urbanized state, home to many people who see their
industry as a threat to the environment. In US farming regions with rapid
suburban sprawl, especially coastal states, growers are attracted to part-
nerships because they provide a vehicle to defend themselves against
public antipathy toward farming. One vineyard manager in Monterey
County said:
. . . I've been (a vineyard manager for) 30 years. For more than 20, I would say
vineyards were considered the ecological friend of the state of California when it
came to agricultural production endeavors. And somewhere in this growth
period . . . we became an environmental concern.
Another winegrape grower in this region said:
