Goals and management strategies of dairy farmers
I. Valentine, E.M. Hurley, W. Glass
Department of Plant Science and Department of Agricultural and
Horticultural Systems Management, Massey University, Palmerston North,
New Zealand
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1993,
53: 111-114
In a study of dairy farm owners from a small geographical region and
exposed to similar environmental conditions, management decisions were
found to be better described by long-term goals than the commonly assumed
goals of productivity and profitability. The assessment was made after
analysing physical and managerial data from a two year period that included a
period of drought. Farmers were interviewed to establish their long-term
goals and the rationale of various farm strategies. Cognitive maps, where
important concepts are mapped and linked to illustrate the line of argument,
were used to represent visually, farmers goals and rationale.
The long term goals of the 32 case farmers indicated that for 14 of them
expansion and development was important; nine were interested in stabilising
and economising; nine were looking for ways of reducing their involvement.
These findings are relevant to advisers, who wish to help their client, to
industries, whose goals may differ from those of the farmer, and to resource
managers, who may wish to see environmental and ethical standards adopted
by farmers.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
Farmers' goals; cognitive mapping; case study.
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Last Updated 25-01-1997
