+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| ***Natural     | > **Technical Report**                              |
| Resources***   | >                                                   |
|                | > **Working with Asian and Hispanic Limited         |
| ***C           | > Resource Farmers and Ranchers**                   |
| onservation*** | >                                                   |
|                | > ![](media/image1.emf)                             |
| ***Service***  | >                                                   |
|                | > *Social Sciences Team*                            |
| ***\_\_\_\     | >                                                   |
| _\_\_\_\_\_\_\ | > *Technical Report*                                |
| _\_\_\_\_\_*** | >                                                   |
|                | > *Release 4.1 (January 1997)*                      |
| ***Social      |                                                     |
| Sciences       |                                                     |
| Team***        |                                                     |
|                |                                                     |
| ***\_\_\_\     |                                                     |
| _\_\_\_\_\_\_\ |                                                     |
| _\_\_\_\_\_*** |                                                     |
+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------+

The Social Sciences Team is producing the following materials and
documents for use by NRCS employees, our partners, and the public:
Resource Books, Technical Notes, Technical Reports, and Software
Releases. Each series of documents will be consecutively numbered with
the date and release number on it. For example,

Technical Note 1.1 (May, 1996) indicates the 1st technical note of this
series & the 1st release of that document

Resource Book 3.2 (March, 1997) indicates the 3rd resource book and 2nd
release of that document

Technical Report 2.4 (December, 1996) indicates the 2nd technical report
and 4th release of that document

Software Program 5.1 (December 1999) indicates the 5th software program
and the 1st release

We are providing release numbers for these documents so that when more
current information becomes available the material can be updated and
released as a later version of the publication. More current information
may be provided to us by any NRCS employee, by our partners or
customers, or any member of the public.

If you have questions or suggestions on this current document or any
other topic, please contact Frank Clearfield, Director, Social Sciences
Team at (336) 370-3336.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits
discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color,

national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, and
marital or familial status. (Note all prohibited bases apply to all
programs). Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for
communication of program information (Braille, large print, audio tape,
etc.) should contact the USDA office of Communications at (202) 720-5881
(voice) or (202) 720-7808 (TDD). To file a complaint, write the
Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D.C., 20250, or call (202) 720-7327 (voice) or (202) 690-1538 (TDD).
USDA is an equal employment opportunity employer.

**Working with Asian and Hispanic Limited Resource Farmers and
Ranchers**

**Author**

**L. Clair Christensen**

Department of Human and Community Development

University of California

Davis, California

**Contributing Author**

**Myriam Grajales-Hall**

Spanish Broadcast and Media Services

University of California

Riverside, California

Contents

**Introduction 5**

Checklist 7

Mission 11

Commitment 12

Clientele 13

Understanding the Culture and Farming Practices of the Target Groups 15

Needs Assessment 23

Fitting the Program to the Farmer 25

Educational Approaches 26

Program Resources and Methods 28

Timing 31

Evaluation 31

Bibliography 32

Introduction

Limited resource farmers, as described by the U. S. Department of
Agriculture and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, have one or
more of the following characteristics:

1\. Gross farm sales average \$40,000 or less in each of the last three
years, and there is no non-farm income.

2\. Total household net income, farm and non-farm, is 75 percent or less
of the non-metropolitan median income level for the state or county.

3 Lack of access to capital, labor, or equipment.

4\. Farm or ranch size is significantly smaller than average size.

5\. Social, cultural, customs or language barriers, minimal awareness of
USDA programs, limited management skills, the level of formal education
is below the county average or undereducated, and are less likely to
take business risks and adopt new technology.

This guide deals with the fifth category, particularly Hispanic[^1] and
Southeast Asian limited resource farmers. In spite of their growing
numbers, many Hispanics and Southeast Asians are being bypassed by the
institutions that were set up to serve them. This is because agencies
and institutions have not changed along with the technological and
societal changes that have occurred during the past half-century.
Government policies change in response to political pressure. Limited
resource farmers usually cannot bring about such pressure.

This guide was developed over a 15-year period. It is based on the work
of professionals in Cooperative Extension, Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS), Farm Services Agency, Farmers' Home
Administration, Federal Crop Insurance, non-profit organizations, and
other groups involved with limited resource farmers.

From our experiences working with Hispanic and Southeast Asian farmers,
we have gathered a great deal of information and developed empathy for
the communities. We conducted informal interviews with individuals and
with groups, studied 11 farms run by Hispanics, developed case studies
of 200 Hispanic and 400 Southeast Asian limited resource farmers, and
studied several marketing organizations that purchase from these
farmers. We conducted training sessions and workshops for Hispanics and
Southeast Asians, as well as other limited resource farmers.

Both ethnic minority groups preferred training specifically geared to
their ethnic groups, sometimes conducted in their native languages. We
found in this project that limited resource farmers often do not
understand the functions of and the differences between the agencies
that are supposed to serve them.

We arranged workshops for agency professionals to share their extensive
experiences, activities, and accomplishments. This bringing together and
sharing of information among the agencies' staffs was especially
beneficial.

The guide begins with a checklist for you to fill out so you can
determine where you need additional help in working with limited
resource farmers.

The guide ends with a bibliography of publications from the various
agencies serving limited resource farmers. Users of this guide can
benefit greatly from reading these additional materials.

Checklist

These questions will raise other questions. Searching for the answers
will prepare you to plan and carry out a productive program with limited
resource farmers.

**Mission and Commitment**

1\. Do you have a copy of the Natural Resources Conservation Service
mission statement?

Yes No

Is working with limited resource farmers included in the mission
statement?

Yes No

3\. Are the goals and objectives of the limited resource farmer program
clear and concise?

Yes No

Are they understood and accepted by all levels of the agency's staff,
including the professional staff and the administrators?

Yes No

5\. How is this commitment demonstrated?

Yes No

By support and encouragement?

Yes No

By an adequate budget and other resources?

Yes No

By official recognition?

Yes No

**Clientele**

6\. Do you know the limited resource farmers in your area?

Yes No

How do you identify them?

By the area in which they live?

Yes No

By the type of farm or the crops they grow?

Yes No

By ethnic grouping? (Hispanic, Asian, etc.)

Yes No

Because they are part-time farmers?

Yes No

By income level?

Yes No

By the size of their farms?

Yes No

8\. Do you have them on a contact list?

Yes No

9\. Do they know you?

Yes No

10\. Do you share contact lists and information about limited resource
farmers with other agencies and groups?

Yes No

11\. Have you compared your count of limited resource farmers in your
area with information provided in the latest Census of Agriculture?

Yes No

12\. How much do you know about the reading and writing skills of your
client?

Yes No

13\. Do you plan to evaluate materials for readability?

Yes No

14\. Can you identify any barriers to clientele participation related to
ethnicity, cultural background, gender, etc.?

Yes No

**Culture and Farming Practices of the Target Groups**

15\. If you need to assist non-English speaking farmers in your area,
how can you overcome the language barrier?

Yes No

16\. Do you understand the cultural characteristics of the Hispanic and
Southeast Asian limited resource farmers in your area?

Yes No

17\. Are you trained in cross-cultural communication and involvement?

Yes No

18\. Does the limited resource farmer community have a social
organization different from that of the larger community?

Yes No

19\. What is the power structure within the community?

Yes No

20\. Who are the leaders?

Yes No

21\. To whom do the limited resource farmers look for information and
assistance?

Yes No

22\. Are there unique problems for the limited resource farmer in your
area? Are they:

New to the county?

Yes No

New to the area?

Yes No

New to farming?

Yes No

New to types of agriculture in the area?

Yes No

23\. Do you know their farming backgrounds in:

Commercial farming?

Yes No

Small farms?

Yes No

Hiring farm workers?

Yes No

**Needs Assessment**

24\. What are the limited resource farmers' special needs?

Yes No

25\. Do you have programs to fill these needs?

Yes No

26\. Do the perceived needs of the farmers fit the goals and objectives
of the agency programs?

Yes No

27\. Do you have a plan to educate (sell your program to) limited
resource farmers?

Yes No

28\. Can you change the program to meet the needs of the farmer?

Yes No

**Fitting the Program to the Farmer**

29\. How well does your program fit the farm operation?

Yes No

30\. Does the operator have the economic resources and expertise to
install and maintain the practice?

Yes No

31\. Will the program improve the profitability or net worth of the
operation?

Yes No

32\. Can the farm operation be modified or redirected?

Yes No

33\. Does it benefit the family and community?

Yes No

34\. Can the program be carried to completion by the farmer or agency?

Yes No

**Educational Approaches**

35\. What educational tools are best for working with limited resource
farmers?

Score from 1 (least useful) to 10 (most useful):

  ---------------------- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
                         1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10

  Radio programs                                                      

  Television programs                                                 

  News stories                                                        

  Newsletters                                                         

  Field visits                                                        

  Demonstrations                                                      

  Educational meetings                                                

  Project                                                             
  groups/committees                                                   

  Advisory                                                            
  boards/committees                                                   
  ---------------------- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----

**Program Resources and Methods**

36\. Do you have the necessary resources for increasing your programming
for limited resource farmers?

  ----------------------------------- ----------------- -----------------
                                      Adequate          Need more

  Personnel                                             

  Training for personnel                                

  Specialist assistance                                 

  Educational materials                                 

  Educational equipment                                 

  Videos                                                

  Printed translations                                  

  Demonstration materials                               

  Specialized field equipment                           
  ----------------------------------- ----------------- -----------------

37\. Are you multiplying your effectiveness by cooperating with:

Other agencies serving limited resource farmers?

Yes No

Your own and other agencies' staffs?

Yes No

Administration?

Yes No

The community?

Yes No

**Evaluation**

38\. Are the goals and objectives of your limited resource farmer
program understood and documented so you can evaluate your progress as
well as the final achievement?

Yes No

39\. Do you have a realistic timetable?

Yes No

Does your timetable fit the limited resource farmers' timetables?

Yes No

Mission

> Most executives don't realize what's involved in creating a mission
> statement that truly represents deeply shared values and vision at all
> levels of the organization. It takes patience, a long-term
> perspective, and meaningful involvement---and few organizations rank
> high in those virtues. Many organizations have a mission statement,
> but typically people aren't committed to it because they aren't
> involved in developing it, consequently it's not part of the culture.
> Culture, by definition, assumes shared vision and values, as
> represented by a mission statement put together and understood and
> implemented by all levels of the organization. (Covey, Stephen R.,
> 1991, Principle Centered Leadership)

It is a constant effort for staff members to keep in perspective how
their projects fit into the over-all program of the agency. The workers
have to feel that others in the agency know and understand the
importance of their efforts. If not, staff soon feel isolated and that
their efforts are unimportant. This is common in government agencies, if
work assignments come from the top down and frequently must be added to
already full workloads.

The mission cannot remain static; neither can goals and objectives.
Change occurs in the demands and needs of clientele. Change also occurs
in response to political agendas to which the agency must respond.
Therefore, agencies must be continually developing goals and objectives
at all levels.

Staff in the field often comment that **they** know what they're doing,
but "the state and federal levels don't have a clue." Such grumbling
reinforces the constant need for mission clarification.

Commitment

For a limited resource farmer program to succeed, the policy makers in
an organization as well as individual workers must be committed to its
success.

Administrators must show their commitment by providing appropriate
funding for training, supplies, equipment, meetings and workshops,
publicity, consultants, and interagency cooperation. They need to show
staff that their work matters by providing incentives such as bonuses,
or recognition.

Staff members also must be committed to and understand their importance
to the program. Most USDA and Cooperative Extension personnel are
experts in technical agriculture. But to develop a limited resource
farmer program with ethnic groups, including Hispanic and Southeast
Asian farmers, requires additional skills. All employees involved with
the program need to be willing to learn new methods, be sensitive to the
cultures, practices, beliefs, family systems and goals of various ethnic
groups, be willing to change, be able to communicate in the languages of
the farmers (with translators when necessary), be patient, and be
willing to commit their time.

Only when both the agency and the workers are committed to a successful
limited resource farmer program is success possible.

Clientele

The following sources have proven most useful for determining who the
limited resource farmers are:

**Census of Agriculture**

The Census of Agriculture is one method we have of determining the
number of farms and their characteristics. It can be useful in gaining
an overall perspective, since it breaks down the farms according to
income categories, as well as size by acreage, and indicates whether
operators are full-time or part-time farmers. It lists the various
commodities, giving the number of farms involved with each. Its main
weakness is it is taken only every five years, so some groups may be
left out, especially those who are just beginning, such as immigrant
Southeast Asians and Hispanics. Nevertheless, it gives a general
overview of the agricultural situation.

**Lists of Cooperators**

One of the best ways to obtain a list of farmers is for agencies to
share their lists of cooperators. If the USDA agencies (NRCS, Farm
Services Agency, Cooperative Extension, Farmers' Home Administration)
combine their knowledge, most limited resource farmers will be included.
In California, for the last 15 years, there have been six Cooperative
Extension Small Farm Advisors, covering nine counties where the majority
of the limited resource farmers operate. They have developed lists of
farmers meeting the limited resource farmer definition.

**Agricultural Commissioner**

The Agricultural Commissioners' offices are excellent places to find
names of farmers. Farmers apply for permits to use pesticides or
chemicals at the commissioners' offices. Lists of applicants are
available as computer printouts for a small charge. The lists give
little information about the farmers, but they'll give you a good start
on gathering information about farmers in your area.

**County Assessor**

Another source of information to determine ownership patterns in the
county, although it takes considerable time and would probably only be
used with special studies, is the County Assessors' offices. In many
counties all of the assessor's records are computerized and are
available for a small charge.

**Marketing Organizations**

Marketing organizations include cooperatives, private companies,
brokers, and others who deal with farmers. They can identify and help
contact limited resource farmers. One successful use of a marketing
organization was obtaining from them a list of all farmers in an area
who marketed certain types of vegetables.

**Sales and Service Companies**

Sales and service companies are good sources of information if you
develop a rapport with the salespeople.

S**ocial and Business Organizations**

Social and business organizations are a good source of identification
and contact. Among these are the non-profit organizations which, as
their goal, assist ethnic or low-income families and individuals.

Use the least complex and quickest method for finding the limited
resource farmers in your area. You don't need very detailed information
to start working with the farmers.

When contacting the farmers, proceed with caution, especially if you are
making contact with them rather than them making contact with you
(through another agency's list, for example). If the farmers have come
forward for help from you, they have identified themselves as receptive
to your efforts. When people need to be persuaded to be cooperators, you
need to be able to motivate them to go along with your program.

Understanding the Culture and Farming Practices of the Target Groups

**Language**

If your goal is to help limited resource farmers become part of the
mainstream, you have to help them communicate and participate with the
English-speaking business community, rather than to try to get the
business community to adapt to their different languages.

Communicating with a non-English speaking group is obviously difficult.
But, there are several ways to deal with this problem. Some contend that
everything should be in Spanish for a Spanish-speaking audience. Others
say it should all be in English. After a great deal of work with
Hispanic and Southeast Asian farmers in California, we learned that the
best answer lies somewhere between. Bilingual farm advisors found that
written material in both languages informs better and is more acceptable
to farmers than either language alone. Also, the farmers learned more
from verbal communication than from written materials. For Spanish
speakers, the best method for disbursing information is radio programs
and announcements in Spanish, meetings, conferences, demonstrations, and
individual contacts in both languages.

Also, be aware of jargon. A soil scientist or economist, for instance,
generally uses words and phrases perfectly understandable to others in
his field but they may be unintelligible to outsiders, particularly
those who don't understand much English. Translators need to take this
into account or their work will be of little use to the clientele.

**Suggestions for English to Spanish Translation**

Mistakes made in the past with translations can help you avoid such
mistakes in the future. One problem is the difference between classic
Spanish and the "valley Spanish" spoken by farm workers. The most useful
publications have been generated by farm advisors who work closely with
farm workers---newsletters and other publications printed in two
columns---one English, the other Spanish.

With any vital language, there are vocabulary variations. When
translating, there are four possible solutions to regional variations:
use all appropriate variations of a word; target vocabulary variations
to each subgroup; avoid colloquialisms; use alternative phrases. The
following guidelines will help translators:

• Use simple English, approximately third-grade level.

• Use short and simple sentences of fewer than 16 words.

• Use nouns rather than pronouns.

• Avoid colloquialisms.

• Avoid possessive forms (his, theirs, etc.).

• Use specific rather than general terms.

• Use the active rather than the passive voice.

• Avoid the subjective (verb forms with could and would).

• Use redundant wording to clarify the context and meaning of a phrase
whenever possible.

**Bilingual Communication Tips**

• Do not talk/write in acronyms and keep technical jargon to a minimum.

• Have a local farmer review the meaning of words and ease of
understanding technical information.

• Budget funds to develop a dictionary for Spanish (or other language)
technical terms and phrases. Also use photos to ensure that the meaning
is clear.

• Provide incentives and rewards for non-Spanish speaking employees to
learn Spanish.

• Communicate in language a farmer will understand.

• Learn local terminology for technical terms from farmers.

• Listen to local farmers.

∑ Natural Resources Conservation Service

**Translation Techniques**

There are three translation techniques:

1\. One-way translation: a bilingual person translates the original into
the target language. Usually the translation corresponds to the
denotative rather than the connotative meaning of the original.

2\. By committee: two or more translators, working separately, translate
the original into the target language.

3\. Double translation or back translation: one person translates the
original into the target language. The second translates it back to the
original language.

Translation probes are used to test the accuracy and appropriateness of
a translation. These include field pretesting, asking bilingual
individuals questions about both language versions, performance checks,
and evaluation by experts.

**Choosing Translators**

The success of a translation depends on the qualifications of the
translator. Because someone is a member of a certain ethnic group or
speaks a language other than English at home, he may not be a qualified
translator. A recent immigrant might not be appropriately familiar with
English or with regional variations in his native tongue. The following
suggestions may help.

• When choosing a translator preference should be given to coordinate
bilinguals (those who learned the languages at different times, and
preferably in two different cultures) over compound bilinguals (those
who learned the languages at the same time). The first can better
articulate the cultural meaning of words.

• Experienced translators, while more costly than volunteers or office
staff, will produce a higher quality product.

• Commercial translation services usually are geared toward producing
fast versions of commercial products. Be careful when contracting with
these companies. Request samples of translations similar to the one you
will be requesting.

One good example of a translation that failed is that of an airline that
tried to lure passengers with the phrase "sentado en cuero." The
original message was intended to emphasize the comfort of sitting on
leather seats, but the translation encouraged consumers to "sit naked"!
Or, General Motors, when trying to market their "Nova" automobile in
Latin America, did not know the name "Nova" in Spanish means "no va"
(doesn't go)!

**How to Communicate Across Cultures**

• Speak slowly, audibly and distinctly.

• Use simple words and avoid jargon or slang.

• Learn some simple phrases, such as greetings.

• Learn to listen better. Don't let accents get in the way. Give time
for the person to mentally translate what you said.

• Do not judge people on their accents or language fluency.

• Respect silence. Don't feel you need to fill every gap.

• Avoid making ethnic jokes.

• Discard every assumption you can.

• Learn about new cultures.

• Be patient. Keep smiling!

**Better Communication Comes From**

**YOUR HEAD** (being aware)

**YOUR HEART** (caring/respect)

**YOUR HABITS** (acquiring new and more flexible behaviors)

**Cultural Characteristics**

Cultural differences affect all of us. They are also part of our
communication problem. Some things to remember:

• Cultural differences among people cause different perceptions and
values among them.

• One set of cultural values is not necessarily better than another.

• Public education and services should be **effectively** available to
people regardless of their cultural differences.

• People should not be required (explicitly or implicitly) to abandon
their cultural heritage as a condition for receiving public education
and services.

• Appropriate communication and working relationships between people of
different cultures require mutual respect and some understanding of each
others' culture.

• When people hear directly from others regarding the others' culture
and values, they tend to be more respectful of them, especially if the
exchange takes place between personal acquaintances.

• Personal acquaintance and communication, over time, usually increase
trust amongst the participants.

• Personal trust of individuals from another culture tends to make a
person more respectful of that culture generally.

• Personal and cultural respect fosters more frequent and effective
working relationships among people who have mutual interests.

• Simply putting individuals from two cultures together does not
necessarily result in cross-cultural understanding. In fact, without
careful facilitation and sensitivity, the opposite may occur.

• In spite of our best intentions and efforts, we may make
cross-cultural "goofs." Cross-cultural learning involves making mistakes
and learning from them.

**Hispanic Cultural Values**

• Allocentrism or collectivism: Hispanics prefer interpersonal
relationships in groups that are nurturing, loving, supportive, and
respectful. This can be of significant when designing and implementing a
program. Unfortunately, this value can move Hispanics to provide
researchers with biased responses or socially desirable answers in order
to promote the nurturing nature of the encounter.

• Simpatia: Emphasizes the need for behaviors that promote smooth and
pleasant social relationships. It moves the individual to show a certain
level of conformity and empathy for the feelings of other people, and to
behave with dignity and respect towards others, striving to achieve
harmony in interpersonal relations. These two values, allocentrism and
simpatia, may be responsible for greater socially desirable responses by
Hispanic respondents and for differences in how aggressive and assertive
behaviors are perceived by Hispanics.

• Familialism: This is one of the most important culture-specific values
of Hispanics. Recent research has shown that familialism, together with
a desire for a better life and a belief in self-determination, is one of
the key Hispanic values. This value involves strong identification with
and attachment to the nuclear and extended families and strong feelings
of loyalty, reciprocity, and solidarity among members of the same
family. Familialism also manifests itself in close relationships and
involvement with fictive kin (compadres and comadres or co-parents).
Researchers have found that appeals to family values or incentives, such
as a small gift for the children or relatives, can motivate Hispanics to
participate in a program or project.

• Power distance: This cultural value, a measure of interpersonal power
or influence that exists between two individuals, supports the notion
that societies have powerful individuals as a result of inherent traits
or of inherited or acquired characteristics. The maintenance of personal
respect (respeto) in interpersonal relations allows individuals to feel
that their personal power, whatever it may be, is being acknowledged.
This is particularly important in the treatment of strangers (e.g., when
to address individuals using usted (formal "you") or tu (familiar
"you").

• Personal space: In general Hispanics prefer less physical space when
they interact with others. They are less likely to feel that their
personal space has been invaded when a stranger comes close to them.
Hispanics may find non-Hispanics cold and distant because of their need
for more physical distance.

• Gender roles: Much has been written about Hispanic males and machismo
and women being submissive. While these stereotypical assumptions may
not be valid, it is important to be aware that these attitudes may be
present, although not prevalent.

• Time orientation: Traditionally, time is an imprecise concept in Latin
America. Hispanics tend to have a more flexible attitude toward time.
This may have to do with Hispanics placing greater value on the quality
of interpersonal relationships than on the length of time in which they
take place. Being highly efficient or time conscious may be perceived as
impolite or insulting to Hispanics. Time commitments are considered
desirable objectives but not binding promises.

• Become familiar with the community: Before planning, developing,
publicizing or implementing a program, and in order to establish
legitimacy, it is critical to understand Hispanics and their
communities. In addition to information and data readily available, it
is useful to know the names of places frequented by Hispanics, preferred
shopping and recreational areas, names of adult education programs, and
names of social and community organizations serving them.

**Definitions of Prejudicial "-isms"**

In relations between different racial and cultural groups some
individuals tend to think or act in ways that belittle people from other
racial or cultural groups. Here are some common words relating to such
situations along with definitions.

**Stereotyping** Assuming, until there is other evidence, that someone
will think or behave in a certain way because he or she is a member of a
particular racial or cultural group.

**Prejudice** An attitude that a person from a particular racial or
cultural group is inferior in some way because he or she is a member of
that group.

**Discrimination** A prejudiced action by a person or a group which
excludes or limits access for people of a particular racial or cultural
group from otherwise available resources, events, places, or
opportunities.

**Racism** A pattern of prejudiced actions that put and keep people of a
racial (or, stretching the meaning, cultural) group at a disadvantage
compared to people of other groups; or failure to protect the
discriminated group's property, rights, or other resources.

**Institutional Racism** A situation where the structures and policies
of a society's government, economy, and/or belief systems perpetuates
racial (and cultural) discrimination.

Prejudice and discrimination are concepts which apply to other
situations besides racial and cultural differences. Humans can develop
almost unconscious habits of thinking about others in prejudicial
ways---based on the classifications into which we put people. We may
make a negative judgment about someone we don't even know because of
some factor of appearance or status. Here are some examples:

  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------
  **Weightism**           Skinny snakes           Fat slobs

  **Elitism**             Stupid peasants         City slickers

  **Ageism**              Old geezers             Young punks

  **Lookism**             Silly blondes           Hippie freaks

  **Sexism**              Dumb broads             Macho men

  **Classism**            Rich bitches            Welfare bums

  **Regionalism**         Loud-mouthed Texans     Pushy New Yorkers

  **Nationalism**         French frogs            Yankee imperialists

  **Ethnocentrism**       We are "The People"     They are backward
  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------

Notice that the phrases are in the plural. When we discriminate against
people, not because of our experience with them but because of how they
look or what group we fit them into, we are acting on a prejudice---a
pre-judgment. Even our language incorporates prejudicial "isms." For
example, in the paragraph above, "belittle" (a sizeism) is used.

There is little doubt that all people sometimes discriminate and are
sometimes discriminated against, but among the prejudicial "isms" racism
probably causes the most unfair suffering.

**Organization**

Each group has a formal or an informal power structure (organizational
network). To be aware of this and how it works will greatly improve the
speed of adoption of new ideas and ensure the ultimate success of the
program.

**Unique Problems**

Situations crop up in any educational project that interfere with
progress. In working with individuals from different backgrounds, these
problems may not be immediately apparent. Two stories help illustrate
this.

The concept of time in American industrial society is well understood by
most of us. We work and play by the clock. We punch in and punch out of
activities, speaking metaphorically. In the Asian, Hispanic, and Native
American culture, activities are based on a different life style.

"My elders told me another aspect of American lifestyle that was hard
for them to become accustomed to---the concept of time. In Asian
cultures, time is not as important as in western culture. In the old
country, people did not have to make appointments to see each other.
They are not as time-oriented as people in the United States. The
lifestyles were different and my elders felt like they were rushed to
get everything done on time. They felt that each day was divided 'too
incrementally.' They did not see the need to be so 'time-oriented.'"
(Tracy Ly, University of California at Davis graduate student)

"To most traditional Native Americans, events occur 'in their own time.'
Native Americans who subscribe to the 'old ways' are not tied to the
world of deadlines, fiscal years, action plans, and the like. This
perspective represents a problem to many time-conscious mainstream
Americans. The time perspective held by traditional Native Americans
makes it especially difficult for long-term resource planners such as
SCS (Soil Conservation Service)." Report, Workshop: "Working with Native
Americans," 1988)

Hispanic culture has a similar concept. Knowing something about the
reason people react in a certain way can help us understand their
actions so we do not have negative feelings about them.

Another interesting example occurred among the Hmong refuges in central
California. Health workers were concerned because Southeast Asian women
were suffering considerable stress from having to go to the hospital to
give birth to their babies. Having their babies in hospitals had never
been required of them before coming to this country. When asked the
reason for their concern, it was discovered that they thought their
babies had to be born in hospitals in order for them to receive birth
certificates. The birth certificate was important to them, because they
understood it proved their children would be citizens. Once they were
shown it was possible to get a birth certificate without going to the
hospital, most of their babies were born at home.

**Farming**

Most limited resource farmers have been involved in farming most of
their lives, but they may have been farm workers, or, if immigrants,
they may have experienced a completely different type of agricultural
production. If you consider this when planning projects and presenting
information, you will save yourself a great deal of work.

Helping limited resource farmers adopt new practices is not simple.
Patience is important. Trust has to be established before improvements
can be made. There are cultural differences that block out our
effectiveness. In some cultures people will listen to what a person has
to say and act as if they are interested when they really are not---they
are acting polite to avoid insulting or hurting the other person's
feelings. Or, in some cultures, people will say they are interested and
looking forward to a particular plan when in actuality they do not care
about it at all. Some of this reluctance is due to a deep distrust of
agencies and government or officials .

There are differences in how people from different cultures receive
information. In the U.S. farmers have used NRCS, Cooperative Extension
and other agencies as well as commercial businesses as trusted
authorities, whereas in other countries, and among some ethnic groups,
information/advice is accepted only through family and friends. To
bridge this barrier against helpful entities, trust and understanding
have to be established.

**Cultural Barriers as Seen by a Recent Southeast Asian Immigrant**

• Americans are seen as too impersonal, not family oriented enough. Too
much paperwork is required, hierarchy and different structures are
problems.

• Neighborhoods have friends, family friends that grandparents knew, a
support network where doors are not closed and people can come and go,
like a large get-together.

• Large family businesses are desirable, where family members help each
other out.

• Some cultures are not used to calling people by name, but addressing
them with respect, being aware of their rank.

• It feels as though we are too time oriented, schedules too
incremental.

• Too much paperwork is required. This takes too long. Approvals are
needed from different departments.

• Families are scattered, not one unit anymore.

• People are made to feel they are being pitied.

• People want to be left alone to learn and discover for themselves
instead of asking for help.

• People don't rely on the government or the law and are not familiar
with procedures.

Needs Assessment

Before beginning a program with limited resource farmers, determine what
their needs are. Ask yourself:

• Is the program needed?

• Will it improve the income/value of the farm and conserve the land?

• Are agency staff members well enough acquainted with the area and the
individual operation to judge the needs?

• What are the needs of the farm operation as seen through the eyes of
the farmer?

Every agricultural agency has specific mandates, programs, and services
that it is expected to perform or provide. This is well understood by
agency staffs, and their lines of responsibility in most cases are
clear. Occasionally there are gray areas and sometimes duplication among
agency programs. At times this has caused antagonism between the
providers, which is not beneficial to an agency or a farmer. If we turn
the situation around and view it from the perspective of limited
resource farmers, conditions become the opposite of what is intended,
resulting in confusion and a lack of knowledge about which agency does
what and how they should be contacted.

Part of the problem is that the services provided by certain established
programs do not match the needs of individual farms or groups of farms.
In order to be of assistance, the agriculture agency has to understand
the farmer's needs and circumstances and the farmer must understand how
the agency can be of help. A successful program will provide the
services and information that will fill those needs. Developing such a
program, in most cases, requires times and effort. There are a number of
techniques available.

• Study family and farm characteristic information provided in the
general and agricultural census.

• Consult studies by land grant universities, USDA, and others.

• Conduct surveys, either by mail or by meeting with farmers. Talking
directly with farmers is usually more productive, but the interviewers
need to have experience and be trained. Techniques vary.

• Observe farms and farmers in your area. Over time a great deal of
reliable information can be obtained by the professional worker from his
own and others' careful observations.

• Talk to and interview knowledgeable people. In any community, many
people know limited resource farmers, have worked with them, had
business transactions with them, taught their children. This is probably
the quickest way to get information and if gathered and used objectively
is a good source.

• Contact the farmers directly. This is the best source of information.
Its only drawback is that it is time-consuming so you can actually
contact only a small percentage of limited resource farmers.

In considering the problem of gathering information there are two
fundamentally divergent approaches, the social indicator approach and
the self-report approach. The first approach assumes that needs are
unknown and the task is to measure how well they are being met in
comparison with the norm. The second approach assumes that needs are
known and understood by the group but need to be articulated to the
providers.

**Statements from USDA Agency Staff Working with Hispanic Limited
Resource Farmers**

• Educate the contacts about the services and information that you can
provide.

• Begin to deliver information and services that illustrate to your new
contact that you indeed have valuable services that can assist them. A
common way to do this is to help them solve a problem or make a valuable
contact.

• Continue to work closely with the clientele and respond in a timely
fashion to any inquiries they may have (in other words, bend over
backwards to assist them).

• Develop an educational program that meets their needs (i.e.,
newsletter articles in their language, bilingual meetings, etc.). The
information should be geared to **their** particular problems.

• Institutionalize your outreach efforts (i.e., have a yearly bilingual
meeting, or a bi-monthly bilingual newsletter).

• Continue to reach out to new members of the community so that you are
able to expand your base of clientele contacts and not be perceived as
assisting just a few individuals.

• Identify people who can deliver the information
requested---individuals who have the technical competence, as well as
social and educational skills, to deliver information effectively.

• Select the time, place, and sequence of delivering the information
with the proper materials. Make the place and time convenient to the
audience desired.

• Seek the cooperation of other individuals who have done this locally.

• Be careful how you phrase information. Language has to be active,
simple, and to the point. Farmers respond to positive economic changes.
It has to be clear that they will stand to gain when they improve (for
instance) their irrigation systems.

• People change at different rates. These rates are influenced by
institutions, communities, neighbors, families, and social psychological
forces. Also, changes are not always linear, positive, or permanent.

• We need to know with whom we are dealing , their likes and dislikes,
language, educational level, pressure points, what they respond to,
their needs, and barriers, social or cultural. To do this we need to
identify the people who market their crops, buy seed, fertilizer, etc.
from, and pepper them with information in their language.

• For example, irrigation improvement programs administered by NRCS
require plan approval and work quotations by contractors. In the past,
when half of the cost was paid by government and this knowledge became
known, in many cases the cost immediately inflated. In some cases the
farmer's cost was as great as if there had been no cost sharing.

• Another example is the highly competitive drive of many Hispanic
farmers to be the best in what they do. This can work both ways; it can
be a deterrent or a motivator for change. Each farmer competes with a
group of farmers but at different levels or tiers. It is as though
Farmer X says to himself that he can't possibly compete with Farmer Y,
given his level of resources, but, by golly, he is going to be the best
within the group of farmers with similar conditions with whom he may
interact on a daily basis. Changing here can be dangerous if success
does not follow. The desire to belong is also important.

Fitting the Program to the Farmer

Programs designed for limited resource farmers have to be affordable. To
promote or advocate practices not affordable or feasible to limited
resource farmers will be detrimental both to them and the community.

Don't just assume that you know the clientele, their understanding of
what you have to offer, or their farm capabilities and conservation
needs.

Go over the checklist after you plan your program. Make sure your
program fits your clientele's needs.

Educational Approaches

Keep in mind these few ideas and your project will have a chance for
success:

• Choose the most effective approach for the best results.

• Plan your presentation and adapt it to your audience, both in language
and content.

• Take care to phrase information appropriately.

• Keep communication active, simple, and to the point.

• Make suggestions practical and within the frames of reference of the
farmers.

• Make it clear that the farmers will gain from the practice or
improvement---farmers respond to positive economic changes.

• Make demonstrations appropriate so they will be effective.

• Carefully plan your involvement with a new group.
Business-as-usual---programs that worked in the past---may not work with
a new group.

All groups do not respond to offers of outside technical assistance. A
study of strawberry growers in the coastal areas of California among
Anglo, Japanese and Hispanic growers showed that Hispanics were least
likely to be contacted or influenced by agency professionals. This was
due partly to their own cultural patterns of seeking advice mainly
through family channels. Hispanics expressed a deep mistrust of anyone
from the government. Extension advisors were accepted more readily when
they drove private and unmarked cars. Traditional methods must be
changed or modified to be effective in these circumstances.

A number of educational techniques are standard in working with farmers.
After using these standard techniques with limited resource Hispanic and
Southeast Asian farmers, we evaluated them and found the most successful
(in descending order) are:

**Individual Farmer Visits**

The individual farmer visit is still the most productive method for
getting individual results. We are not talking about the casual drop-in,
but a visit that is based on a direct request or an observed problem
where problem solving information has been conveyed.

**Radio and Television**

A somewhat surprising development has been the success of Spanish
speaking radio and television in getting out announcements and
information. In the evaluation of a number of programs, radio and TV
have proven far more successful than any of the written methods.

**Field Demonstrations**

Field demonstrations, the core of USDA education, are successful with
limited resource farmers. But places and resources to conduct
demonstrations such as crop trials are not always available on an
operator's farm, due to lack of land and economics. Demonstrations at
experiment stations solve this problem.

**Project Advisory Groups**

Inviting limited resource farmers to become members of advisory councils
or committees is beneficial for both the farmers and the profesionals
who are extending knowledge, because the farmers are directly involved
in decision making. Knowledge transfer occurs in both directions---the
professional learns as well as the farmer. One difficulty which is more
acute with limited resource farmers is the amount of time and expense
involved in participating on committees. In most cases, the farmer is
not only the manager, but also a farm worker. Time for outside
activities is limited and expensive for him. The professional has to
work around the problem.

**Educational Events**

Educational events held for specific ethnic groups have proven
successful. Meetings in conjunction with marketing and service company
demonstrations and displays have been even more productive.

**Newsletters**

Newsletters are widely used with agricultural clientele as the main
method of information delivery. With limited resource farmers this has
not been very successful because many of these operators do not read.
Newsletters are most successful when printed in both English and
Spanish, using a double column format, with both languages on the same
page.

**News Stories**

News stories are used occasionally, when a newsworthy activity has
occurred or when a publication becomes interested in developing a
special interest article. These events do not happen often.

Program Resources and Methods

It is essential to have appropriate program resources, including
creative ideas for working with limited resource farmers.

**Personnel**

The employees of an agency working with limited resource farmers are the
most important program resource, whether they be specialists,
para-professionals, support staff, or contract employees. Working with
limited resource farmers requires people who are sensitive, open-minded,
committed, skilled, and patient. Personnel working with limited resource
farmers will be exposed to different cultures and languages. If they
project professionalism, competence, and confidence, the clientele's
confidence in them will be boosted and the project will have a better
chance to succeed.

If funding is available and there are enough limited resource farmers to
justify additional staff, a bilingual professional would be most
productive. Such a specialist can help overcome social and communication
barriers. The second most valuable staff addition would be a
para-professional. In some cases a translator might be needed.

Without these additional staff members, the agency's professional must
become trained and be willing to put forth the extra effort needed to
reach the clientele. This training will be necessary to assist in
overcoming communication and social barriers.

**Ideas for Working with Limited Resource Farmers**

For most limited resource farmers, working with your agency will be a
new experience. You'll need to be sensitive and patient with people who
are not familiar with you or your program. Education should be your
number one priority. Tailor your educational program to the limited
resource farmers. If efforts in education are successful, future
problems with communication and social barriers may be kept at a
minimum.

Communication is vital. If they understand you and you understand them,
problems will be solved faster and progress and success may occur at an
earlier stage in the project. Their inability to communicate does not
mean that they do not want to learn or to improve their lifestyles. Most
immigrants invest their life savings in their farms. Their farms are
probably their most important source of income. They want to farm
effectively and increase their profits just like any other farmer.

Trust between personnel and clientele is essential. It is human nature
to be fearful or cautious in unfamiliar situations. If limited resource
farmers are new to the country, they may be overwhelmed with the new
culture and the language. Clientele need to trust agency personnel in
order to ask for help and to actually implement the projects
recommended. Without that trust, you may not be able to complete the
project.

Choose problems to address that are within the farmers' economic
capabilities. Remember, their bottom line is profit.

Patience is another important factor when working with limited resource
farmers. Improvement and progress may be slow, but will happen over
time. Initial goals and objectives should not be set too high. Within
each community, there are different meanings for progress and
improvement. What may be considered important progress to one community
may be of little concern to another. Just give the project time for the
community to absorb and study the ideas. Allow them to see the progress
themselves. Seeing is believing.

The same standards should not be set across the spectrum of all groups
and communities. There should be some basic standards set by the agency
and different objectives and goals for each new project or group with
whom you work. Each community has its own pace.

**Educational Materials**

You should have special educational materials such as publications,
audio and video tapes, and special equipment for demonstrations, special
presentations, and other educational events. Sometimes equipment must be
adapted and specialized for small operations.

The content and language of materials need to be specific to the
audience, since all Hispanic groups are not the same and there are a
number of distinct Asian communities. These groups do not all come from
the same place. Experiences and farming techniques are different.
Consideration should be given to these facts when preparing or adopting
educational materials.

**Demonstrations**

Demonstrations can be an effective method to eliminate fear and doubt.
Show the limited resource farmers how the project will be implemented
and allow them to see each step of the project. With an effective
demonstration, the recommendations may be welcomed more easily.

On larger, well established farms, land and equipment for demonstrations
is often furnished by the farm operator. Funding is often provided by
commodity groups and commercial businesses. Limited resource farmers, in
most cases, do not have adequate land or equipment to provide for
demonstration plots, and many times do not belong or participate in
commodity or business organizations. This condition makes it necessary
for the agency personnel to find other alternatives, such as:

• Use of experiment station land.

• Cooperation with larger operators.

• Additional funding through special programs.

• Development of special equipment through purchase or designing and
building. (This has been done with spraying and chemical treatment
equipment.)

**Outside Resources**

Other agencies have specialists and staff involved with the Hispanic and
Asian communities who are indigenous to the group and fluent in their
languages. It is especially productive to involve them when developing
programs for limited resource farmers. Contact:

• State, USDA and other federal agencies.

• Universities and colleges, community colleges, in addition to the Land
Grant institutions.

• Non-profit organizations working with ethnic groups.

• The private sector, marketing, sales, and financial institutions.

Timing

Timing is crucial to the operation of a farm. Meetings, educational
events, and demonstrations should be scheduled according to the farmers'
convenience to ensure maximum participation and success of the project.
The time to start and complete projects should be scheduled around the
farms' operations, the cropping season, and the convenience of the
audience. Their religious holidays and traditional events should be
taken into account.

Concepts of time may differ from community to community. Whereas one
culture may value promptness, another may not respond in the same way.
Knowing what to expect is helpful.

Pay attention to the sequence of delivering the information, as well as
to the appropriateness of it.

A project can be a help or a burden, depending on its timing.

Evaluation

If you don't know where you've been, you probably won't know where
you're going.

To be effective, you need to periodically evaluate the effectiveness of
your program. You must be aware of the progress the program is making
toward achieving the goals and objectives you set out. Two effective
ways of evaluation are:

• Response from the clientele.

• Observation over time by the one delivering the program.

The evaluation plan should have a series of steps such as: establishment
of contact, mutual understanding or communication, needs assessment or
acknowledgment, establishment of a trust relationship, project
acceptance, project implementation, and results of project (in acres,
dollars, etc.).

With the mainstream clientele most of these steps have been accomplished
and are taken for granted. With the new clientele each step is
necessary, therefore the evaluation process must be an ongoing effort.

It is important that supervisors and administrators recognize the
realities of working with limited resource farmers so that in their
evaluations of the professionals, credit and encouragement can be given
as the program progresses through its various steps. It takes time;
sometimes a long time.

Bibliography

Articles and correspondence with Cooperative Extension farm advisors
working with the Small Farm Program: Pedro Ilic, Manuel Jiminez, Louie
Valenzuela, Faustino N. Muñoz, Richard Smith, Gregory Encina Billikopf.
1975 to 1995.

California Agriculture. March-April, 1993. Volume 47, No. 2. University
of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

California Small Farms (draft). 1995. University of California Small
Farm Center.

Covey, Stephen R. 1991. Principle Centered Leadership. Simon and
Schuster.

Cross-Reach for Building Cross-Cultural Partnerships. 1988. Oregon State
University Western Rural Development Center.

Guide for Estimating Participation in Conservation Operations and
Watershed Protection Projects. Feb. 1989. NRCS.

A Guide for Outreach: Marketing Procedures for Field Offices (draft).
1991. Social Sciences Technical Note No. 2. NRCS.

Mountjoy, Daniel C. 1994. Farming Practices Survey and Outreach
Recommendations for Elkhorn Slough Water Quality Projects. University of
California ABS Department.

A Productive Nation in Harmony with a Quality Environment; Soil
Conservation Service Strategic Initiatives for the 1990s. 1989. NRCS.

Reaching Limited Resource Audiences. 1991. Extension Service/USDA.

Sociological Training, Module 3, Collating and Analyzing Social
Information, Workshop Sociology Resource Handbook. 1991. NRCS.

Soil Conservation Service's Policy Process for Identifying Limited
Resource Farmers, Collecting and Analyzing Social Information. 1991.
NRCS.

Strategic Plan, North Region. 1990. University of California Cooperative
Extension.

Understanding Community Development; a Guide for Native American
Community Leaders and Professionals. 1988. Western Rural Development
Center.

Working More Effectively with Hispanics (focus group meeting). 1992.
NRCS.

Working More Effectively with Native Americans Workshop. 1988. NRCS.

[^1]: "Hispanic" is a label used to group individuals living in the U.S.
    who trace their backgrounds to Spanish-speaking countries in Latin
    America or Spain. It is used mainly by the government and the media,
    not by the individuals themselves. "Hispanic" denotes an ethnic
    group, not a race, since Hispanics belong to all races. When working
    with Hispanic farmers, detemine the "ethnic label" the farmers
    prefer to use (Mexican, Mexican-American, Cuban, Salvadorean, etc.).