Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 3.3
Factors stimulating the development of partnerships, as identified by California's
partnership leaders. Source: Interviews with agroecological partnership leaders
(
N
= 32). Multiple responses possible.
Farm Advisor, commodity organization, NGO pursues funding
26
Environmental regulatory pressure
22
Group of growers want to pursue agroecological alternatives
15
Development of resistance to pesticides
9
Recognition of public dissatisfaction with existing agricultural practices
9
Anticipation of food-safety concerns
3
Economic opportunity
2
Passage of the FQPA represented a window of opportunity for grass-
roots activists, scientists interested in alternative agriculture,
entrepreneurial private foundations interested in agriculture, and agency
administrators to yoke the environmental and policy problem of organo-
phosphate use with the “solution” of agroecological partnerships.
21
California's agroecological partnership leaders reported that regulatory
pressures were the second most common motivation for undertaking
partnerships (table 3.3), and observers noted similar trends nationwide.
The FQPA started many growers' organizations thinking about pro-
duction practices without organophosphates and other highly hazardous
agrochemicals, should the USEPA cancel their registrations. The passage
of the FQPA signaled the end of an era. When a pesticide registration had
been cancelled, it had been routine for growers to simply substitute
another hazardous pesticide, with a slightly different chemical formula-
tion. The threat of OP loss stimulated scientists and growers'
organizations to seek out alternative strategies for developing new
practices, and new ways of extending those practices.
Building on his experiences with the California Clean Growers
Association and other partnerships, Jeff Dlott helped the Pew Charitable
Trusts (PCT) develop several agroecological initiatives. PCT had become
interested in agroecological partnerships through its financial support
of BIOS. Pew hired Dlott to design a partnership for Sun-Maid raisin
growers. Based on this success, Pew then asked Dlott to draft a plan for
a national agroecological partnership resource center, integrating social,
economic, and ecological science support for partnerships. In 1996, PCT
