Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T13:56:49.497Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The grass is greener: Farmers' experiences with pastured poultry

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 August 2011

Kathleen Hilimire
Kathleen Hilimire*
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Studies, University of California, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA.
*
Corresponding author: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Rearing poultry outdoors on pasture for egg and meat production is a growing industry in the USA. However, little has been written on farmers' experiences with this practice. This paper presents the results of in-depth interviews and surveys with 18 California pastured poultry producers (62% response rate). Although the sample size of growers is small in absolute numbers, it represents 62% of nearly all pastured poultry growers in California, a state known for the pioneering work of growers who specialize in alternative agricultural practices. Such alternative systems merit critical analysis in order to refine their implementation and contribution to sustainable food production. This research aims to provide such critical analysis of pastured poultry production, a highly innovative and emergent practice. Growers were queried concerning the values that brought them to participate in alternative animal production, the benefits and challenges of integrating pastured poultry into farming operations, the use of heritage and industrial breeds, and management practices. Results showed that the influence of Joel Salatin, farmer and author of Pastured Poultry Profits, tied with farmer desire to sustainably produce meat and/or eggs as the main drivers respondents gave for raising pastured poultry (39% each). Farmers reported the primary benefit of pastured poultry was soil fertility (61%), followed by marketing appeal (44%). The most commonly cited challenge to pastured poultry growers was predation of birds (44%) followed by cost of feed (22%). Pastured poultry were directly profitable to 50% of farmers, although 78% of respondents cited indirect profits through savings on items such as fertilizer and pest management. This paper places these results in the context of value-laden farmer decision-making.

Keywords

poultrypasturealternative food networkfarmereggssurvey
Type
Research Papers
Information
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems , Volume 27 , Issue 3 , September 2012 , pp. 173 - 179
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Hendrickson, J., Sassenrath, G.F., Archer, D., Hanson, J., and Halloran, J. 2008. Interactions in integrated US agricultural systems: The past, present and future. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 23(4):314–324.Google Scholar
2Karsten, H.D., Patterson, P.H., Stout, R., and Crews, G. 2010. Vitamins A, E and fatty acid composition of the eggs of caged hens and pastured hens. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 25(1):45–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3Murdoch, J., Marsden, T., and Banks, J. 2000. Quality, nature, and embeddedness: Some theoretical considerations in the context of the food sector. Economic Geography 76(2):107–125.Google Scholar
4Follett, J.R. 2009. Choosing a food future: differentiating among alternative food options. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 22(1):31–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5Goodman, D. 2004. Rural Europe redux? Reflections on alternative agro-food networks and paradigm change. Sociologia Ruralis 44(1):3–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6Oberholzer, L., Greene, C., and Lopez, E. 2006. Organic Poultry and Eggs Capture High Price Premiums and Growing Share of Specialty Markets. United States Department of Agriculture Outlook Report from the Economic Research Service LDP-M-150-01.Google Scholar
7Nielsen, A.C. 2005. Organic and Functional Foods Have Plenty of Room to Grow. Available at Web site: http://us.acnielsen.com/news/ (accessed September 1, 2010).Google Scholar
8Crandall, P.G., Seideman, S., Ricke, S.C., O'Bryan, C.A., Fanatico, A.F., and Rainey, R. 2009. Organic poultry: Consumer perceptions, opportunities, and regulatory issues. Journal of Applied Poultry Research 18(4):795–802.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9Ponte, P.I.P., Prates, J.A.M., Crespo, J.P., Crespo, D.G., Mourao, J.L., Alves, S.P., Bessa, R.J.B., Chaveiro-Soares, M.A., Gama, L.T., Ferreira, L.M.A. and Fontes, C. 2008. Restricting the intake of a cereal-based feed in free-range-pastured poultry: Effects on performance and meat quality. Poultry Science 87(10):2032–2042.Google Scholar
10Hinrichs, C.C. and Welsh, R. 2003. The effects of the industrialization of US livestock agriculture on promoting sustainable production practices. Agriculture and Human Values 20(2):125–141.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11Bernard, R.B. 2006. Research Methods in Anthropology: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. 4th ed.Altamira Press, New York.Google Scholar
12Burton, R.J.F. and Wilson, G.A. 2006. Injecting social psychology theory into conceptualisations of agricultural agency: Towards a post-productivist farmer self-identity? Journal of Rural Studies 22(1):95–115.Google Scholar
13Salatin, J. 1996. Pastured Poultry Profits. Polyface, Swope, VA.Google Scholar
14Pollan, M. 2006. The Omnivore's Dilemma. Penguin Press, New York, NY.Google Scholar
15Fanatico, A. and Polson, S. 2005. Poultry Genetics for Pastured Production. ATTRA-National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service [serial on the Internet]. Available at http://www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/poultry_genetics.pdfGoogle Scholar
16Fanatico, A.C., Pillai, P.B., Hester, P.Y., Falcone, C., Mench, J.A., Owens, C.M. and Emmert, J.L. 2008. Performance, livability, and carcass yield of slow- and fast-growing chicken genotypes fed low-nutrient or standard diets and raised indoors or with outdoor access. Poultry Science 87(6):1012–1021.Google Scholar
17Fanatico, A.C., Pillai, P.B., Cavitt, L.C., Owens, C.M., and Emmert, J.L. 2005. Evaluation of slower-growing broiler genotypes grown with and without outdoor access: Growth performance and carcass yield. Poultry Science 84(8):1321–1327.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18Burbaugh, B., Toro, E., and Gernat, A. 2010. Introduction to Pasture-Raised Poultry: Maximizing Foraging Behavior. Animal Science Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida Document No. AN237.Google Scholar
19Beyer, R.S. and Wilson, K.J. 2000. Poultry Nutrition Information for the Small Flock. Kansas State University. Available at http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/library/lvstk2/ep80.pdf (accessed July 24, 2011).Google Scholar
20Feagan, R.B. and Morris, D. 2009. Consumer quest for embeddedness: A case study of the Brantford Farmers' Market. International Journal of Consumer Studies 33(3):235–243.Google Scholar
21Griffin, M.R. and Frongillo, E.A. 2003. Experiences and perspectives of farmers from Upstate New York farmers' markets. Agriculture and Human Values 20(2):189–203.Google Scholar