Barnyards and Birkenstocks

Why Farmers and Environmentalists Need Each Other

Don Stuart

Narrated by Adrian Newcastle

Available from Audible

Book published by Washington State University Press

Rural America is struggling. The average farmer is now 57 years old. Family agriculture is gradually fading, and prime farmland is often converted into environmentally harmful applications. But food cultivation has ecological consequences, too. Farms consume 80 percent of the nation’s water. Although they often prevent sprawling development, improve water quality, or provide wildlife habitat, they also pollute rivers, drain wetlands, or emit destructive greenhouse gasses.

Don Stuart believes two dangerous trends—the loss of farms and damage to ecosystems—are connected, and that a major cause is the political deadlock between farmers and environmental activists. He offers a radical proposal: collaboration. To promote empathy and point out the costs of continued political impasse, he presents opposing perspectives. Topics include incentives, regulations, government spending, environmental markets, growth management, climate change, public lands grazing, and the federal farm bill. Drawing from multiple case studies and a lifetime spent settling conflicts, the author identifies characteristics of successful community programs to suggest a model for a prosperous, healthy future.

Don Stuart is an attorney who advises groups regarding advocacy and political action.

REVIEWS:

“This book is a valuable resource for farmers, environmentalists, academics, policymakers, students, and regulators.”

—Peter Goldmark, Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands

“Barnyard and Birkenstocks provides practical tips and advice on working towards the common goal of a flourishing and healthy environment.”

—AgInfo Network

“Offers very carefully nuanced ways of renegotiating the often deadlocked debate between environmentalists and farmers.”

—Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences

“Provides an in-depth account of the positive developments in farmer-environmentalist collaborations.”

—Journal of Multidisciplinary Research

“This work can serve as a textbook, reference, and guide.”

—CHOICE