Environmental sustainability key to tackling rising rural conflict
In years past, conflicts in rural communities were often prevented and solved through an unwritten honour system. When producers struck a deal with each other, their word was usually good enough. If they didn't deliver on it, no one else would do business with them — simple as that.
But times have changed. Today, as the face of rural Alberta changes, so too are the dynamics of conflict in rural communities. Bigger farms, specialization, the exodus of urban expats to rural acreages and the environmental issues which have underpinned many of those factors have introduced new challenges. In other words, the days of the handshake agreement have given way to a new era of litigation and negotiation.
Regardless of era, there has always been one certainty: when conflict arises, conflict must be dealt with. Jim Kiss, Farmers' Advocate for the province of Alberta, and Dennis Budney, Farm Implement Act Inspector with the Farmers' Advocate Office, say there are a growing number of tools available to help producers deal with conflict, not the least of which are the resources of the Farmers' Advocate Office itself.
The strategy Kiss and Budney recommend above all else is preventing conflict. A key tool that can help producers avoid conflict stemming from environmental issues is the Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) program. From better record keeping to implementing changes that keep animals out of a creek shared by neighbours, the Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) outlined in the EFP workbook can play an important role in developing and implementing practices that are sustainable both environmentally and socially.
Conflict may arise from a number of situations, but more often than not it boils down to insufficient communication. "Here's an example," says Kiss. "Producers have some rights that other people don't have, such as the Stray Animal Act which gives a producer the right to protect livestock from predators. But what happens when that predator is someone else's family dog?
"If a producer shoots the dog on the grounds that it's their 'right,' they open up a highly emotional situation that may have been prevented by simply calling the neighbours and asking them to keep their pet tied up."
Producer attitudes towards economics can sometimes get in the way of conflict resolution as well. "Agricultural producers in general have a cost-efficient mentality," says Kiss. "They often will not invest a dollar if they do not see a direct and absolute return in the short term, and the same can apply to investment of time.
"However, preventing conflict, much like building environmental sustainability, usually does not result in a short term, tangible payoff. But it can mean the difference between spending a bit of money to have a lawyer draw up a contract today versus losing thousands down the road when an oral contract doesn't hold up in court."
If there's one key action that can enable positive relationships with neighbours, it's to take a businesslike approach to communication. "Farming is business — most times very big business," says Kiss. "And business doesn't run without communication. Misunderstandings tend to decrease the more businesslike a situation is handled."
How can a producer not only communicate with neighbours, but generate a feeling of goodwill that can work as social capital in the future? "It mostly comes down to common courtesy," says Kiss.
"That could mean informing neighbours about night-time combining. It could also mean waiting for the right prevailing winds before applying manure. It could even be as simple as knowing who the neighbours are and how to get hold of them. In short, a little courtesy and goodwill can go a long way."
However, there are no guarantees that all people are going to be receptive to a producer's message. Some producers become frustrated when they exercise due diligence only to still have neighbours object to a proposed project or practice.
"That's the reality of doing business in today's society," says Kiss. "The fact is that it's no different from what other industries have to do, and just like other industries, there are going to be people who will take a reactionary stance no matter what you do. But for the most part, if a producer communicates and makes efforts to be a good neighbour, most people will listen."
Disagreement over historical agreements is a common source of conflict in rural communities today, says Budney, especially when there is no written contract to act as a guideline. "Say, for example, that a landowner allowed another producer to put up hay on his land on a share basis. However, the agreement is never put down in writing.
"So the landowner dies and the inheritor, who's been away from the farm for 20 years, has no idea how to deal with this agreement because he's not familiar with the new laws and regulations. Consequently, you would have a recipe for conflict."
Kiss and Budney say many producers still rely on these verbal — or "handshake" — agreements. "We preach day-in and day-out to put agreements in writing and not rely on your memory," says Kiss. "We're not saying people are less honest than they used to be. It's simply a more concrete form of information, and in today's world it just makes good, prudent common sense."
Contracts do not have to be complicated, says Kiss, and even a rudimentary one is better than none at all.
Negotiation is the key to solving disputes in today's business world. But for it to work, both sides of the conflict have to be willing to compromise.
"People need to be in the mindset to negotiate," says Budney. "If one party is fundamentally opposed to the other party's offer, there can be no negotiation. That's why lawyers often direct clients back to our office — we're impartial and we get the job done quickly."
Ideally, however, the Farmer's Advocate Office prefers to provide producers with the tools to manage and solve conflict before a dispute reaches such an impasse. "We'll provide advice and options and we can mediate, but ultimately we cannot resolve producers' conflicts for them — only they and the other party can do that."
The future of rural communities will likely continue on the same path it is headed today, with bigger farms and more "rural lifestyle" acreages creating potential conflict. Preventing conflict will be driven in large part by environmentally sustainable practices, says Dan Moe, a regional team leader for AEFP. Again, developing an EFP can help.
"So many of the BMPs in the EFP program have their roots in respect — respect for neighbours and respect for the environment. It's hard to have one without the other, and that's the kind of point we try to put across in our workbook and workshops."
In general, Kiss and Budney believe most producers are on the right track to handle the challenges the future presents. "On the whole, producers are getting better and better at communicating with neighbours and cultivating goodwill in their communities. This is good, because farmers and ranchers will play a key role in educating urban people on farm practices — they will be on the front lines of social sustainability issues."
This article is reprintable with credit to AEFP as follows "Reprinted courtesy of the Alberta Environmental Farm Plan Company; www.albertaEFP.com".
