Document Type

Dissertation - University Access Only

Award Date

2004

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department / School

Rural Sociology

First Advisor

Donna Hess

Abstract

A random sample of agricultural producers from North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin is used to examine producers' decisions to use or not use genetically modified organisms. Using the rational choice theoretical framework to guide analyses, the associations between proportion of genetically modified com acres grown by agricultural producers and perceived cost, perceived risk, perceived benefit, educational attainment, and age, are examined. Analyses are conducted separately for conventional and organic agricultural producers to explore the possible effect of worldview differences on decisions to use or not use GMOs. For conventional producers: 1) perceived cost was significantly, negatively associated with proportion of GM com acres planted; 2) perceived risk was significantly, negatively associated with proportion of GM com acres planted; and 3) perceived benefit was significantly, positively associated with proportion GM com acres planted. Education and age were not significantly associated with proportion of GM com acres planted. For organic producers, only education was significantly related to proportion of GM com acres planted; the association was negative. Lastly, it was concluded that conventional and organic producers have distinct worldviews and corresponding hierarchies of value preferences that might influence their decisions to use or not use GMOs.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Transgenic organisms.
Corn -- Genetic engineering.
Farmers -- Middle West -- Attitudes.
Rational choice theory.

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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Rights Statement

In Copyright