**6. Conclusion**

and is now employed as an academic. When asked whether he would have liked to enter into a common property resources system, his answer was a categorical *no.* It has to be realised that not every farmer will have the opportunity of such a career change, however, it is hard to determine a system that would prevent a small scale farmer from leaving his/her property. Family farming has been an important aspect of the Australian economy, and, unless more transnational and corporate farming businesses are accepted10, will remain an essential part of society. But, as Pannell et al. (2006) established, innovations are likely to be adopted only when they have a high "relative advantage" (p. 1407), indicating that economic factors drive their decisions (p. 1411). Similar opinions were established by Brunckhorst and Marshall (2006, pp. 205-206) when they tried to introduce group farming (embedded in the common property resources system) in the *Furracabad Valley* in New South Wales. These authors determined that conservatism of the farming community plays a significant part of not wanting

Where to from here? The lesson learned in relation to rural sustainability and the maintenance of the family farm is that corporate farming is not a viable option: the financial resources are not available. Co-operative farming also presents the problem of investment: in its present form it cannot support the family farm and restructuring of the agricultural sector needs substantial amounts of additional capital which would lead to new co-operative forms (Oczkowski, 2006). Since the rules of the common property resources system seem not practical or are too challenging for farming families, here are some thoughts that advocate improved sustainability of the land which would, in turn, mean a chance to maintain the family farm (economic and ecological benefits). It is the so-called adaptive ecosystem management network which is described by Manring and Pearsall (2006). The system requires networking between public, private, and non-profit organisations. It is called inter-organisational networking, and is a system that does not involve legal processes but good will, trust, reciprocity and organi‐ sational learning, it is consensus building through collaboration. Applying the system to the Australian farmers, they would have to make "balanced, multivariable decisions about how best to conserve ecosystem integrity while sustaining ecosystem services" (n. p.). Individual farmers have specific interests and knowledge in relation to the sustainability of the land and expectation of maintaining the family farm, all of which they could negotiate with other stakeholders. The system would include the *public*, which is interpreted here as meaning an official organisation, i.e. the appropriate council; the *private*, which is interpreted here as meaning members of the farming family, and *non*-*profit* stakeholders, meaning other farmers or landholders. All of these people would form an inter-organisational network. Working with the council may provide input into future planning, so may negotiations with non-profit stakeholders. Manring and Pearsall (2006) find that these networks are the basis of "many ecosystem management initiatives", using "certain forms of network and collaborative

decision making" (n. p.), the outcome would be a sustainable environment.

10 Chinese foreign investment into the farming industry is at present vigorously debated.

9 The squeeze of the price for milk by large supermarkets

to change habits.

294 Environmental Change and Sustainability

The findings of this research did not put my mind at rest regarding concerns about rural sustainability and the future of the Australian family farm. Ten years of drought and major floods between 2000 and 2012, findings in the literature, as well as attitudes at meetings re‐ garding the future of family farming, justify the concern. Participants at the meetings were concerned about income and succession but did not seem to be overly concerned regarding the environment and committed to change practices. So how can rural sustainability be ach‐ ieved and the family farm be maintained? One fundamental aspect of the common property resources system was to improve the ecology, which was achieved, as scientific studies demonstrated. Further, economic profits as well as individual and collective benefits could be realised. The system seemed like an appropriate solution considering the struggle of small scale farming enterprises. But research suggests that such a system is based on princi‐ ples and rules that need to be followed strictly in order to function which makes implemen‐ tation difficult. The Australian farming community is very conservative: individualism and independence are important aspects of their psychological make-up, which were major rea‐ sons for objecting to the common property resources system. On the other hand, changes in the farming industry are necessary. But what changes should be aimed for? If we are look‐ ing at issues from a neoliberal perspective, progress and change can result from letting the market operate freely. Here progress is seen as increased production, which supports a large part of the population as financial growth, produced by economic freedom, trickles down to socio-economically disadvantaged populations (Boutilier, 2009). But environmentalists (McAlpine et al., 2007) and people especially concerned about rural sustainability (Barr et al., 2005; Brunckhorst, 2002b; Institute for Self Reliance, 2009; Manring & Pearsall, 2006; Mar‐ shall et al., 2005; Ostrom, 1990; Pannell et al., 2006; Smajgle & Larson, 2006; Williamson et al., 2003) alert us that greater caution must be taken if sustainability is to be achieved. Sus‐ tainable development has, according to the World Commission on Environment and Devel‐ opment (WCED, 1987), to meet "the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (p. 8). The point here is that Australia does not seem to be on the correct path. Efforts have been made to improve sustainability and reduce the social costs of farming by promoting structural change in agriculture, however,

Conventional attempts to address these issues are hampered too frequently by an entrenched narrow focus on individ‐ ual property rights... as well as by institutional arrangements implemented at inappropriate scales for sustainable landscape futures (Brunckhorst & Marshall, 2006, p. 191).

It is difficult to provide any practical suggestions which are acceptable to the farming com‐ munity. This research found a clear divide between academic discourse and the pragmatic perspective of the farming industry. The key variables of the common property resources system, i.e. salience and heterogeneity (Brown, 2006, pp. 56-75), may have a different meaning and are of different importance to various groups of people. This leaves the author of this chapter rather dispirited. Does it mean that the farmers and landholders should be left alone to deal with their problems? But how can we? The important issues of rural sustainability and the family farm have not been solved, they remain problems. Given the structural conditions of the Australian economy and the larger global food economy, Australian farmers must carefully decide how to achieve rural sustainability. He or she may restructure vertically or horizontally, or may sell the property so that it can be integrated into a corporate business. Will rural sustainability be achieved? Time will tell.
