Doctoral Dissertation Research: Assessing Rural Farmers' Soil Management Practices

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Agricultural nitrate pollution and subsequent contamination of freshwater resources pose a major threat to human health. High levels of nitrates in drinking water are often attributed to poor nutrient management practices on farms, where fertilizers leach into regional water supplies. Agricultural scientists have widely investigated soil management practices that can reduce nitrate pollution; however, effective practices remain underutilized among farmers. This project, which supports the training of a graduate student in anthropological methods, uses theoretical insights from economic anthropology to investigate the factors that affect farmers’ amenability to various soil management practices and implications for nitrate losses to freshwater resources. This doctoral dissertation research focuses on farmers’ soil management practices among rural residential communities exposed to nitrates in drinking water. Specifically, it asks: how are agricultural soils managed when the people applying fertilizers are also those most exposed to nitrate-contaminated drinking water? To answer this question, the researcher will interview and work alongside farmers, shadow farmer assistance providers, and observe public meetings related to regional water quality. Findings will illustrate how environmental inequality intersects with socioeconomic mobility and community support to offer a deeper understanding of how communities of farmers negotiate the costs and benefits of resource management.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.