The sustainability paradox: Experiences of farmers in Vermont

Abstract

Concepts of sustainability have been used for decades as goals for agriculture and food systems, with the 3-legged stool (social, economic, and envi­ronmental) as a common model. Other models include the Donut Model, which posits a zone where human needs are met without sacrificing environmental integrity, and the Planetary Bound­ary model, which identifies specific areas of envi­ronmental danger. While these models highlight critical issues and trade-offs, few studies center the farmers’ perspectives and their efforts to contrib­ute to sustainability goals and outcomes. Our farmer-research partners expressed that the con­ceptualizations of sustainability that ground our research were problematic and were denials of eco­logical and social-economic precarity. We explore these issues in dialogue with our farmer partici­pants to question the existing paradigm of agricul­tural sustainability and its implications. Our research fosters dialogue between researchers and farmers on how to move forward. When we study sustainability, does the neoliberal tendency to focus on the individual (farm) rather than our entire food system disproportionately blame the farmer for agricultural unsustainability, absolving society, pol­icy, and financialization of agriculture? How could food-system researchers reorient definitions and goals of sustainability to help policy makers and the public recognize the dire state of our farms and food systems? Interviews with farmers at six con­sumer- facing Vermont farms focused on how farmers understand, measure, and utilize concepts of sustainability in farm management. All farmers described barriers to contributing to the goals of sustainability while remaining economically viable and expressed that these problems are difficult or are stigmatized to talk about. We examine the impacts on the well-being of farmers who find deep meaning in sustainability goals but experience cognitive and practical dissonance when they real­ize that they cannot achieve these aims. We call for scholars and outreach professionals to revisit and reframe the concept of sustainability and its central role in agriculture and food systems. This research was a part of the Sustainability Metrics research project within the Food Systems Research Institute.