Farmers' typology in an environment of policy reform

Agricultural policy reforms and the changing regulatory environment have pushed farmers towards adopting different strategies in accordance with their characteristics, perceptions, capabilities, and skills. This study explores Israeli egg farmers’ strategies in an environment of an emerging policy reform, which threatens their economic viability and sustainability. An innovative theoretical framework consisting of farmers’ typology is constructed, and an analysis of farmers’ conceptualisations in a changing environment of policy reform is established. The study results suggest three contrasting identities of farmers; farmer as farmer, motivated by non-economic goals, due to the psychological attachment to his farm and land, ideology, and conservative perception; farmer as guest, employing a passive approach and maintaining a short-term perspective; farmer as entrepreneur, adopting an active approach of opportunity recognition and exploiting potential for growth. As arises from the study results, farmers are heterogenous and adopt different strategies to manage in a dynamic environment. Policymakers should acknowledge this research suggestive theoretical framework, when designing an agricultural policy reform.