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Full text release has been delayed at the author's request until December 20, 2024

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Including Amish in Agriculture Planning: Opportunities for Integrating Members of the Amish and Plain Communities into Food and Agriculture Planning in Wayne County, Ohio

Hershberger, Jeremy Edward
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6413-0475
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1629790067091965

Abstract Details

2021, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Rural Sociology.
This research focuses on Amish and Plain farmers for several reasons. First, Amish, and Plain people are a substantial portion of the farmers in the Wayne County area. They represent 20.4% of the farmers in Wayne County and 53.7% of the farmers in neighboring Holmes County. Second, Amish and Plain farmers are likely to be a growing portion of the farming population in this multi-county area with the Amish population doubling every 21.25 years (Donnermeyer 2015), they are more likely to be younger. They are more likely to say they would encourage their children to become farmers, and less likely to say that their children cannot afford to take over their farm. Third, Amish and Plain farmers represent a large portion of the mid-sized farms in the Wayne County area. Fourth, Amish and Plain farmers have been underrepresented in government decision-making and policy creation historically (Brock, Ulrich-Schad, and Prokopy 2018). Fifth, Amish and Plain farmers are more likely to be certified organic and use specialty labels or certifications. For these reasons, Amish and Plain farmers are especially important to economic and community development in the Wayne County area. The first objective of this research is to enhance the inclusivity and effectiveness of county food and agricultural planning in Amish and Plain communities. The second objective is to provide perspective for planners, Extension workers, practitioners, and researchers for understanding the Amish and Plain farming community. Select literature about value-added agriculture, Amish and Plain studies, and rural community and economic development are used to provide background and context for this study. This research does four things: 1) Highlights the importance of Amish and Plain farmers to Wayne and Holmes Counties, Ohio. 2) Delineates the differences in production and marketing practices between Amish and non-Amish farmers in Wayne and Holmes County using the 2020 Ohio Farm Poll data. 3) Identifies the ways that Wayne County currently integrates Amish and Plain farmers into agriculture and land use planning using interview data. 4) Uses interview data to set forth strategies enabling Amish and Plain farmers to participate in agriculture and land use planning in Wayne County. This research uses quantitative data from the 2020 Ohio Farm Poll and qualitative data from the Pathways to Prosperity applied research and Extension project. Findings indicate that Amish are central to Wayne County agriculture and that they are set to increase in their importance in both Wayne County and other Amish farming communities. Wayne County uses the mainstream engagement tools to connect with farmers, however, interviews with Amish farmers revealed the need for a more nuanced and Amish community-centered approach to engagement and integration. Strategies for integrating Amish and Plain farmers into county planning fall into three general categories: location (go to where they are) trust (build long-term relationships in the community), and communication (adapt to their way of communicating and making decisions).
Shoshanah Inwood (Advisor)
Jason Parker (Committee Member)
Douglas Jackson-Smith (Committee Member)
Jill Clark (Committee Member)
209 p.
Agricultural Economics; Agriculture; Agronomy; Area Planning and Development; Bible; Cultural Anthropology; Demographics; Land Use Planning; Livestock; Sociology
community development; economic development; Amish; Plain Anabaptist; Wayne County, Ohio; Holmes County, Ohio; rural sociology

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Hershberger, J. E. (2021). Including Amish in Agriculture Planning: Opportunities for Integrating Members of the Amish and Plain Communities into Food and Agriculture Planning in Wayne County, Ohio [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1629790067091965

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hershberger, Jeremy. Including Amish in Agriculture Planning: Opportunities for Integrating Members of the Amish and Plain Communities into Food and Agriculture Planning in Wayne County, Ohio . 2021. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1629790067091965.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hershberger, Jeremy. "Including Amish in Agriculture Planning: Opportunities for Integrating Members of the Amish and Plain Communities into Food and Agriculture Planning in Wayne County, Ohio ." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1629790067091965

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1629790067091965
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.