There's a lot more to it than making a living ...: human-animal relationships in three Iowa sustainable farming systems

Abstract

<p>A growing movement of small-scale, sustainable farmers are creating an alternative to industrial agriculture. They are raising animals in farming systems that are profitable, ecologically sound, and humane. This is a qualitative research study about human-animal relationships in three sustainable farming systems in Iowa. The data are from interviews with three Iowa farmers known for their excellent animal welfare and sustainable farming practices. Participant observation supplemented the interview data. I found that multiple human-animal relationships exist on each farm. Farmers in the study related to their animals through the human-animal bond, fiber art, communication, through focus on ecological integrity, spirituality, technology, and by providing good stockmanship. These relationships are inextricably intertwined with other sustainability goals. The findings suggest that there are multiple ways to provide excellent animal welfare on sustainable farms and that animal welfare should not be considered extraneous to the pursuit of agricultural sustainability.</p>