Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Adoption Of Range Management Innovations By Utah Livestock Producers, Elizabeth Anne Didier

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Recent years have seen changes in ecological conditions, ownership patterns, and political-legal forces that affect the sustainability of Western range livestock production. Enterprise diversification and implementation of improvements are advocated as ways for ranchers to cope with marginal returns from ranching while better managing resources. However, relatively few ranchers make such substantive changes in their operations, and previous research suggests that rates of adoption may be especially low in Utah.

Using a qualitative approach, this study explored innovation adoption among Utah ranchers. During preliminary interviews with 13 key informants, commitment to traditional ranching lifestyles, the state's settlement pattern, and availability …