How to get farmers to protect crops from geese: partner with officials
A Swedish study of 1,182 farmers found that inexperienced growers were far more likely to adopt goose-damage prevention if authorities positioned themselves as partners rather than distant regulators. The finding suggests wildlife agencies need collaborative messaging strategies—not top-down directives—to drive farmer compliance and protect agricultural productivity.
Originaltitel: Disseminating research of goose damage prevention – evaluating effects of message framing and farmer experience
<p>Disseminating research in wildlife management is challenging. This study explores how framing four information texts influenced Swedish crop farmers’ (n = 1,182) perceived ability to cope with wild geese, and their behavioral intentions to implement goose damage prevention strategies. A digital survey, based on a before–after randomized controlled trial, evaluated the impact of message framing with content representing varying psychological distance at a social (farmer vs. management authorities) and spatial (farmer’s field vs. landscape) dimension. Introducing management authorities as active partners increased farmers´ intentions to undertake adaptation measures and scaring tactics among farmers with less experience with geese. Meanwhile, farmers with higher levels of experience showed a greater willingness to undertake hunting interventions. The findings suggested that social support is important to increase farmers’ ability to cope. Future evaluations should explore collaborative communication strategies between researchers and wildlife management. © 2025 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.</p>