Social risk perceptions of climate change: A case study of farmers and agricultural advisors in northern California

•Social risk perceptions affect farmers’ response to climate change.•Farmers perceive social risks associated with belief in climate science and the adoption of associated practices.•Farmers’ concerns include reduced access to neighborly networks of reciprocity.•Social risk perception can slow the pace and scale of climate action.•Agricultural advisors often reinforce climate change perceptions expressed by farmers.•Accounting for perceived social risks may improve climate policy and program effectiveness. Crop and livestock farmers must respond to climate change, including a range of physical and cultural impacts and risks. In rural northern California, farmers face extreme drought and catastrophic wildfires with increasing frequency. I draw on an extended case study of farmers and agricultural advisors in Siskiyou County to understand how rural agriculturalists perceive risks when navigating climate change discourses. While farmers are changing their management practices in response to the physical effects of climate change, many perceive substantial social risks within their communities if they align themselves publicly with climate change beliefs or actions. Perceived social consequences included loss of access to the benefits of membership in formal and informal farming groups. Efforts focused on educating or convincing farmers of climate science may, in some contexts, increase rather than decrease the perceived social risks of climate action. The framing of climate policies, programs, and practices – especially by public agricultural advisors like Cooperative Extension Advisors and local USDA staff (e.g., Farm Service Agency) – is important not only for increasing farmer participation, but also for reducing perceived social risks associated with climate change. Interventions that focus on livelihood impacts and validate existing land stewardship-oriented values have more potential to increase the pace and scale of climate change mitigation and adaptation in agriculture.