A mixed methods approach to understanding farmer and technical service provider perceptions of climate change and adaptation in Vermont, United States

The relationships among farmers’ belief in climate change, perceptions of climate risk, and use of climate adaptation practices is a growing topic on interest in U.S. scholarship. The northeast region is not well represented in the literature, although it is highly agricultural and will likely face climate risks that differ from those faced in other regions. We used a mixed methods approach to examine northeast farmers’ perceptions of climate change and climate risks over time, and perceived trade-offs associated with on-farm practices. Our investigation shows how northeastern farmers think about climate-risk, and what they are doing to address it.