Plain producer approaches to antibiotics and natural remedies used in the barn and home: A ‘third way’ in herd healthcare?

Abstract

Scholars and activists have called for a recognition of a “third way” of farming which is beyond the binary between organic and conventional agriculture and instead represents a spectrum of practices. In this paper, we ask if the way Plain (conservative Amish and Mennonite) farmers manage antibiotic use and natural remedies is an example of these middle paths. Antibiotic use in managing herd health is a practice with significant environmental and health implications. Regulations and use patterns may enhance potential bifurcation between conventional and organic production in the US compared to the European context. The data for this study were collected through semi-structured interviews with 29 Plain dairy producers and nine veterinary health professionals in Michigan and Pennsylvania. Interviews focused on attitudes and behavior around herd health and possible connections to family healthcare management. Overall, our results indicate that the Plain farmers, especially the Amish, combined minimal antibiotics with a mixture of natural remedies. This indicates that delineations between organic and conventional agriculture and natural healthcare and mainstream healthcare may be more nuanced and complex than has been characterized in previous literature.