The Virtues of the Farmer in the 21st Century

In the political theoretical debates on animal and environmental ethics, in contrast to wider agricultural policy debates, it seems that the position of the traditional family farm is not considered. The overall tone in these debates is that altering nature for human purposes is not tenable anymore. This paper concentrates on the position of the traditional family farm in political theory. By applying the technique of virtue ethics it is researched whether the traditional family farm is legitimate at least in philosophical terms. Derived from the above-mentioned debates a framework of four (representative) farm role models is developed: the sustainable farmer, the steward farmer, the biological farmer and the ecological farmer. This philosophical exercise is highly relevant considering the emphasis on the role of the farmer and the public goods he provides in the debate on the proper justification for farm support. By conducting interviews, the practical applicability of the four farmer-roles is also investigated.