Sociological water quality research: quantifying factors at multiple scales that influence farmers to shift from being potential to actual adopters of conservation practices
Issue
There is increasing awareness that in-field and edge-of-filed conservation practices in agriculture improve water quality and other ecosystem services, including the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, despite decades of major outreach, extension and conservation endeavors, governmental and non-governmental organizations promoting these voluntary conservation practices still have difficulties getting farmers to adopt them. Most of the existing adoption studies typically measure whether a farmer uses a practice or not. By lumping all non-adopters into a single category, typical adoption studies miss the opportunity to examine potential adopters who may be open to or interested in adopting conservation practices. A better understanding of farmers' conservation practices and adoption behavior is essential to successfully implementing outreach interventions that improve water quality and other ecosystem outputs.
Objective
This project aims to understand which factors influence farmers to shift from potential to actual adopters of conservation practices.
Approach
Researcheres will use data from two high-quality surveys of Iowa farmers, the Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll (IFRLP) and the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy (INRS) farmer survey, to understand the factors that predict shifts between non-adoption, potential adoption and actual adoption categories over time. By learning which factors predict shifts from the potential adopter of conservation practices to the adopter, they will develop a more comprehensive understanding of farmers' adoption processes so that the knowledge can be integrated into extension and outreach programs to encourage higher adoption of conservation practices in Iowa and beyond.
Project Updates
Note: Project reports published on the INRC website are often revised from researchers' original reports to increase consistency.
January 2025
During this period, researchers:
- Analyzed the Nutrient Reduction Strategy (NRS) farmer survey data on farmers' use of cover crops and no-till over time. The results show how net adoption rates of cover crops and no-till are far lower than gross adoption rates due to relatively high levels of disadoption. A researc paper reflecting this part of the project was developed.
- Finalized the base data set for Nutrient Reduction Strategy (NRS) farmer survey data paper 2, which focuses on the factors that predict movement between adoption categories (i.e., not using, no plans to use; might use in the future; using). The data analysis was completed, and the team has started writing paper 2.
- Completed the plan to analyze two years of Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll data (2021 and 2023) to further explore movements between adoption states and reasons for those shifts over time. This analysis will form the basis of a third paper.
Post-doctoral researcher Chris Morris was recruited to replace Upadhaya as co-PI when Upadhaya left Iowa State. Due to the project’s innovative subject matter and analytical approach, other researchers have also been recruited to the project, including Zhengyuan Zhu, Hao Sun and Laurie Nowatzke, so project goals have expanded to include a third paper.
Related accomplishments and activities
One journal article was drafted and is now under review at the journal Society and Natural Resources.
Three proposals were submitted to fund related work, with $195,429 successfully awarded/leveraged for two projects: to INRC: Rural Iowa Communities’ Water Quality Awareness, Engagement, and Policy Preferences, Katie Dentzman PI (funded); to INRC: Incentivizing Conservation: Understanding opportunities and barriers that influence Iowa farmers’ decisions to adopt nutrient management conservation practices over time, Chris Morris PI (funded); to INRC: Soil N Fertility Recommendations: Where Do We Stand and Where Do We Go to Improve IA’s Water Quality?, Marshall McDaniel PI (not funded).
June 2024
During this project period, researchers:
- analyzed Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy (INRS) farmer survey data on farmers' use of cover crops and no-till over time, and drafted a complete manuscript that will be submitted to a journal this summer. The results show how net adoption rates of cover crops and no-till are far lower than gross adoption rates due to relatively high levels of disadoption.
- prepared the base data set for the INRS farmer survey data, paper 2, which will attempt to understand the factors that predict movement between adoption categories (i.e., not using; no plans to use; might use in the future; using)
- are developing an analysis plan to use two years of Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll data (2021 and 2023) to further explore movements between adoption states, and reasons for those shifts over time. This analysis will form the basis of a third paper.
Related Accomplishments and Activities
A paper (referenced above) was submitted to peer-reviewed journal.
Three proposals were developed and submitted for future funding for related projects.
January 2024
Project leaders recruited new team members Zhengyuan Zhu, Hao Sun and Laurie Nowatzke to assist with analysis and writing.
Analyzed Nutrient Reduction Strategy (NRS) farmer survey data on farmers' use of cover crops and no-till over time. Working on a manuscript from NRS data. Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll 2023 data collected, developed longitudinal database.
Other Activities
10 presentations.
July 2023
During this project period, researchers:
- Mapped out how to use Nutrient Reduction Strategy (NRS) Survey data.
- Administered Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll 2023.
- Currently analyzing NRS data