Understanding the Issues Faced by Tennessee Farmers in Adopting Organic Practices

Abstract

The demand for the organic food has increased over the last few years in the USA but organic crop production is not increasing proportionally. In Tennessee numbers of certified organic farms are very low. This study attempts to identify and analyze fruit and vegetable farmers’ perceptions towards organic farming in Tennessee. Two hundred and fifty conventional and organic farmers were randomly selected from the Pick Tennessee products database. From the responses of 116 farmers revealed that 65% of respondents are following organic farming practices. Also, all the eight variables selected as farmers’ perceptions towards organic farming were affected growing practices. There were significant relationships (p≤ 0.05) between some growing practices and perceptions. Most of the organic farmers have identified high cost, labor intensity, pest and disease problems and certification process as challenges to continue organic farming. Conventional farmers have identified high cost of production, time consuming as some of major barriers to enter organic farming. Factors such as producing vegetables, farming experience, hours work per week on farm, gender, annual cash farm income contributed significantly to the adoption of organic farming.