Diversity of Paths in Organic Farming: A Question of Professional Meaning?

In this research, the authors investigate how engagement in organic farming prompts farmers to reconstruct the meaning of their profession. Drawing on life-history interviews with 49 organic or formerly organic producers in the Rhône-Alpes region, the paper presents three detailed cases that highlight key components of this professional redefinition, including technical mastery of life-based practices, regained autonomy, and new market strategies. The study shows that the significance producers attach to organic farming evolves over time and across stages of certification, revealing an astonishing diversity of career trajectories and underscoring the importance of understanding how farmers continuously negotiate and reshape the purpose of their work.