Continuity in farming - Not just family business

Abstract

Currently, many European family farms are closing down, being rented out or sold outside the family (here termed non-family farm transfer). The discontinuity of family farms is expected to lead to changes in the organisation of farm production, and consequently to changes in agricultural landscapes and agrarian development. This expectation logically follows from the assumption that family farm transfer contributes to continuity in agriculture while non-family farm transfer leads to innovation and discontinuity. Our paper challenges these assumptions. Based on interviews with young and prospective farmers in Sweden, we compare family and non-family transfer in terms of the process of transfer, the relationship between former and new farmer, and farming practices. We identify respect, support and farm legacies as critical elements in farm continuity and argue that family farm transfer and non-family farm transfer can have more in common than conventionally assumed. Indeed, both family and non family farm transfer entail relationships and practices that lead to continuity and change in farming practices. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Family farming; Succession; Non-family transfer; Continuity; Discontinuity; Agricultural change

Published in

Journal of Rural Studies
2017, volume: 50, pages: 198-208
Publisher: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

SLU Authors

• Joosse, Sofie

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Grubbström, Ann

  • Uppsala University

UKÄ Subject classification

Economic Geography
Sociology (excluding Social work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology)
Human Geography

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2016.11.018

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/84320