Geographers have long studied change in agricultural regions, viewing shifts in social relations, the application of technology, and nature's agency as the primary forces driving change. Over the past three decades, the cumulate weight of environmental regulations has begun to affect U.S. agricultural practices, especially in California, where the public is increasingly concerned with water quality and worker safety issues. During the past ten years, new agricultural partnerships in California have sought to voluntarily replace toxic chemicals with agro-ecological practices, creating networks of growers, agricultural scientists, and private agricultural consultants. This project investigates the impacts and strategies of these partnerships using Actor-Network Theory (ANT), which was developed to trace the impact of scientific enterprises on society. Geographers have returned to the topic of agriculture as a fertile subject for exploring nature-culture relations using ANT methodologies. This research project will answer the following question: how do California's agricultural partnerships (a) enroll nature, (b) build networks of knowledge, (c) influence the pest management decision making process, and (d) frame risk differently than does conventional agriculture? The project consists of two phases: one extensive and the other intensive. The first undertakes comparative analysis of all 32 partnerships; the second follows this with in-depth case studies in the three commodities with the longest-running partnerships. The primary sources of information for this are derived from fieldwork: interviews with project leaders and members; participant observation with growers, scientists, and private consultants; focus groups among growers and PCAs. This will be supplemented with quantitative data from project reports and analysis of pesticide use. Case studies in almonds, wine grapes, and prunes will explore how key actors have influenced the pest management decision-making process, enrolling beneficial organisms and human participants to change regional agricultural practices in California.
This research project draws from applied questions that emerge from discussions with agricultural professionals and agency personnel. It will contribute to a broader investigation of the role of agricultural science in society, making use of Actor-Network Theory to understand the social dynamics of reframing technological choice in agricultural regions. At the same time, this research will identify the key elements of these partnerships, and how they influence their various forms of success. The results will be made available to the public agencies and commodity organizations that have invested roughly $15 million in California's agricultural partnerships over the past decade. These partnerships are the primary strategy that public officials are using to reduce agrochemical use in California by promoting ecologically-based farming practices. As a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement award, this award also will provide support to enable a promising student to establish a strong independent research career.
