2026-09-24T19:22:09Z https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/124555 2026-01-14 col_2142_5131 col_2142_14737 com_2142_5130 com_2142_690 com_2142_397

Stewart, William P Johnson, McKenzie Chu, Maria Williams, Daniel R 2024-05 application/pdf en text Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'U of I Access', the embargo will last until 2026-05-01 The student, Benjamin Leitschuh, accepted the attached license on 2024-04-22 at 10:59. The student, Benjamin Leitschuh, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2024-04-22 at 11:08. This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2024-04-23 at 12:51. DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #20531 on 2024-09-16 at 00:44:18 Re-diversifying the heartland: Investigating the dynamics of Midwestern farmer identity and agroecological transformation Leitschuh, Benjamin 2024-04-23 Farming Agriculture Agroecology Hegemony Common Sense Place-making Sense Of Place Illinois Agribusiness Qualitative Social Science The environmental impact of industrialized agriculture in the U.S. Corn Belt, compounded by the effects of climate change, has raised concerns about the long-term sustainability of current farming practices. To strengthen the resilience of the U.S. food system, restore degraded ecosystems, and revitalize rural communities, it is imperative to explore alternative agricultural systems. In my dissertation, I investigated the potential of transitioning to agroecological farming systems on a large scale in Illinois. Through interviews with a group of Illinois farmers, I identified the core values and norms that define a "good farmer" among this population. The farmers in this study identified that place meanings associated with maintaining a family legacy of farming, creating a viable future for future generations, and environmental stewardship were as important to a good farmer identity as the need to increase efficiency and yields. Since agroecology is compatible with many of these good farmer ideals, a transition away from industrial agriculture may be well- accepted by Illinois farmers. Additionally, I analyzed over six decades of advertisements in a major farming publication to uncover the discourse promoted by agribusiness about what constitutes a "good farmer." The agribusinesses documented in this analysis continue to promote the ideas of what makes a good farmer that are in conflict with what farmers have themselves expressed, although this disparity is often masked in ways that give the illusion of compatibility. Finally, I proposed a new conceptual framework that addresses the current obstacles to an agroecological transition by underscoring the out-sized role that place-making and sense of place have in both maintaining the status quo and supporting a different agricultural vision for the future of the Midwest. Text eng https://hdl.handle.net/2142/124555 Copyright 2024 Benjamin Leitschuh Ph.D. Dissertation Natural Res & Env Sciences University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Natural Res & Env Sci