Defining a Purpose: Diverse Farm Constituencies and Publicly Funded Agricultural Research and Extension

Abstract

ABSTRACT In a time of shrinking public budgets, determining the most appropriate Land Grant University (LGU) response to expanding crises in the agri-food system has critical implications. Is the most effective role for public scientists to develop cutting-edge technologies that enable industrially organized farms to improve production efficiencies and compete more favorably in global markets? What is the distinctive function of public sector research and extension given increasingly sophisticated private information providers? Using data from a large scientific survey of Wisconsin farmers, this study explores views of representative farmers on the current directions of the LGU system and assesses who is benefiting from existing programs. While overall farmer support for a public system of research and extension is high, findings suggest that the goals of some programs may be at odds with many respondents' needs. The results also reveal an unmistakable bias in the types of farms that appear to be benefiting from LGU resources, with smaller and diversified farms being largely underserved. However, they also suggest broad based support for research and extension initiatives targeted at sustainable agriculture priorities.