Louisiana Cotton, Rice, Soybean and Sugarcane Farmer Stakeholders: Who Are They and What Are Their Perceptions of Farming Practi
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Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 2006 Louisiana cotton, rice, soybean and sugarcane farmer stakeholders: who are they and what are their perceptions of farming practices as related to the environment Robert James Soileau Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations Part of the Human Resources Management Commons Recommended Citation Soileau, Robert James, "Louisiana cotton, rice, soybean and sugarcane farmer stakeholders: who are they and what are their perceptions of farming practices as related to the environment" (2006). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 528. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/528 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please [email protected]. LOUISIANA COTTON, RICE, SOYBEAN AND SUGARCANE FARMER STAKEHOLDERS: WHO ARE THEY AND WHAT ARE THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF FARMING PRACTICES AS RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENT A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The School of Human Resource Education and Workforce Development by Robert James Soileau B.A., Louisiana State University, 1984 M.S., Louisiana State University, 2002 December 2006 ACKNOWLEGEMENTS This research paper would not have been possible without the support of many people. First, I would like to thank my son Grayson for his patience. The pursuit of this degree has cost us time together. There are many people within the LSU AgCenter that have supported my efforts. I want to thank Dr. Mike Futrell who is the director of the Agriculture Leadership Development Program. Dr. Futrell gave me the opportunity to further my education when he hired me in 1999. I also want to thank Frankie Gould, the director of LSU AgCenter Communications, and my fellow co-workers for their support. Several LSU AgCenter administrators have also supported this research: Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service Director Dr. Paul Coreil and Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station Director Dr. David Boethel. Finally, I appreciate the financial support and encouragement I received from the Chancellor of the LSU AgCenter, Dr. William B. Richardson. My research would not have been possible without this commitment. All of my committee members have been instrumental in the development of this research - Dr. Michael Burnett, Dr. Krisanna Machtmes, Dr. Margaret Reams and Dr. Krishna Paudel. I would like to extend a special thanks to the chair of my committee, Dr. Joe Kotrlik. Your guidance, support and hard work are greatly appreciated. Finally, I want to thank my parents, Dr. Robert R. Soileau and Dr. Lola F. Soileau. Their high expectations and support throughout the years have inspired me to pursue this degree later in my life. I’m forever grateful. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................................................ ii LIST OF TABLES........................................................................................................................ vii LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................... xviii ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................. xix CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................1 Rationale and Justification ..................................................................................................1 Reaction to Silent Spring ....................................................................................................2 Reaction to Negative Attitudes toward Agriculture ............................................................4 Elements of Risk and Public Perception of Agriculture .....................................................5 Communities and Stakeholders ...........................................................................................6 Agriculture Leadership .......................................................................................................7 Statement of the Problem.....................................................................................................7 Purpose and Objectives .......................................................................................................8 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE.........................................................................10 The Evolution of United States Agriculture ......................................................................10 Elements of Risk................................................................................................................16 Psychometrics ....................................................................................................................23 Risk Perception Studies .....................................................................................................26 Alternative Dispute Resolution..........................................................................................33 Environmental Conflict Models.............................................................................35 ADR and Land-Grant Institutions..........................................................................36 Forestry and ADR..................................................................................................37 Federal Involvement in ADR.................................................................................41 Use of ADR by Scientists ......................................................................................42 Agriculture’s Use of ADR .....................................................................................43 Risk Communications........................................................................................................45 Stakeholders.......................................................................................................................47 Land-Grant Public Relations..............................................................................................49 Conservation ......................................................................................................................52 Agricultural Leadership.....................................................................................................55 Summary............................................................................................................................65 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY .....................................................................................66 Population and Sample ......................................................................................................66 Delphi Population..................................................................................................66 Environmental Perceptions Survey Populations: Pilot Study................................67 iii Environmental Perceptions Survey Populations: LSU AgCenter Experiment Station Research Faculty...........................................68 Environmental Perceptions Survey Populations: Louisiana Consumers...............69 Instrumentation ..................................................................................................................70 Delphi Instrument ..................................................................................................71 Environmental Perceptions Survey Instrument .....................................................73 Data Collection..................................................................................................................75 Delphi Data Collection..........................................................................................75 Environmental Perceptions Survey Data Collection: Pilot Study..............................................................................................................76 Environmental Perceptions Survey Data Collection: Louisiana Consumers.............................................................................................77 Environmental Perceptions Survey Data Collection: LSU AgCenter Experiment Station Research Faculty...........................................78 Environmental Perceptions Survey Pilot Study.................................................................79 Data Analysis.....................................................................................................................88 CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS .....................................................................................................92 Delphi….............................................................................................................................92 First Objective....................................................................................................................93 Second Objective...............................................................................................................96