In Agriculture and Human Values, Scholar Hannah Gosnell examined the social dimensions of sustainability in ranching communities in Oregon’s High Desert Basin, an area often overlooked in research that focuses primarily on environmental and economic concerns.
Interviews with 21 ranchers identified challenges related to land ownership and succession, community relationships, access to physical and mental health care, equity and inclusion, learning and adaptation, and industry structure. Ranchers raised concerns about rising property prices, changing land ownership, weakening community ties, limited health care access, and economic pressures from industry consolidation. The findings show that these challenges are interconnected and vary across communities. The authors argue that sustainable ranching depends not only on environmental practices and economic viability, but also on healthy rural communities and equitable industry structures.
