The developers and the independents: white Mississippi cattle producers’ perspectives on government farm programs and success

Author

Kelli J. Russell

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Hagerman, Margaret Ann

Committee Member

Leap, Braden T.

Committee Member

Peterson, Lindsey

Committee Member

Hossfeld, Leslie H.

Date of Degree

5-3-2019

Original embargo terms

Complete embargo for 2 years

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Sociology

Degree Name

Master of Science

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of Sociology

Abstract

In this thesis, I explore how white producers of U.S. agriculture’s top commodity—cattle—understand participation in government farm programs. As such, the central research question guiding this research is: how do white Mississippi cattle producers portray their decisions to pursue (or not pursue) government farm programs? Specifically, I offer insights into how farmers reconcile tension between being independent/self-sufficient and accepting government subsidies. Using data from 289 hours of participant observation at agricultural events and 33 interviews with producers, I examine sociologically how these understandings of farm program participation relate to producers’ ideological notions of “success” and how race and gender shape these understandings.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/20933

Recommended Citation

Russell, Kelli J., "The developers and the independents: white Mississippi cattle producers’ perspectives on government farm programs and success" (2019). Theses and Dissertations. 4309.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/4309