Midwestern US Farmers Perceive Crop Advisers as Conduits of Information on Agricultural Conservation Practices

Abstract

Nonpoint source pollution from agricultural land uses continues to pose one of the most significant threats to water quality in the US, with measurable impacts across local, regional, and national scales. The impact and the influence of targeted conservation efforts are directly related to the degree to which farmers are familiar with and trust the entities providing the information and/or outreach. Recent research suggests that farmers consistently rank independent and retail-affiliated crop advisers as among the most trusted and influential sources for agronomic information, but little is understood about whether farmers are willing to receive advice from crop advisers on the use of practices that conserve soil and water, and, if so, whether crop advisers will be perceived as influential. We present survey data from farmers (n = 1461) in Michigan's Saginaw Bay (Lake Huron) watershed to explore these questions. Results suggest that farmers view crop advisers as trustworthy sources of information about conservation, and influential on management practices that have large conservation implications. We discuss these results, along with perceived barriers and opportunities to crop advisers partnering with traditional conservation agencies to enhance the impact of voluntary conservation programs.

Conditional Causal Mediation Analysis of Factors Associated With Cover Crop Adoption in Iowa, USA

“…As with the information source variables above, we anticipate that higher levels of influence attributed to public sector groups and agricultural conservation NGOs will be positively related to cover crop adoption. Although little research has examined the influence of private sector firms on conservation behavior, we tentatively hypothesize a positive direction of influence for those actors based on Eanes et al ().…”

“…The recent emphasis on soil health messaging, which generally promotes cover crops along with other practices such as no-till and extended rotations, is an example of a campaign that is resonating with farmers (Roesch-McNally et al, 2018). Relatedly, the evidence that private sector advisors such as agricultural retailers may actually have a negative indirect impact on adoption of practices such as cover crops is concerning, given that they are trusted advisors who are increasingly seen as promising partners in water quality improvement efforts (Eanes et al 2017). The results suggest a need for assistance to help them become more effective positive influencers.…”

“…This suggests that influence of private sector entities such as agricultural retailers, seed dealers, and other crop advisors may have a negative effect on awareness and/or attitudes, which in turn had a negative effect on cover crops adoption. This finding is concerning given the increasing emphasis on engaging private sector entities in conservation efforts (Eanes et al, ). Recent research has shown that farmers look to and trust private sector agricultural retailers and crop advisors for both agronomic and soil and water conservation information (Arbuckle, ; Eanes et al, ; Prokopy et al, ).…”

“…This finding is concerning given the increasing emphasis on engaging private sector entities in conservation efforts (Eanes et al, ). Recent research has shown that farmers look to and trust private sector agricultural retailers and crop advisors for both agronomic and soil and water conservation information (Arbuckle, ; Eanes et al, ; Prokopy et al, ). These results point to a need for increased engagement with these actors to help them improve their effectiveness as conservation technical assistance providers.…”

Adoption of agricultural conservation practices in the United States: Evidence from 35 years of quantitative literature

“…As Rogers (2010) noted, information sources can shape initial knowledge of issues or innovations as well as ongoing knowledge development, and actors that are seen as "change agents" can play an active, persuasive role in influencing decisions to adopt or reject a given technology. In the conservation realm, research has shown that farmer engagement with information sources, whether through contacts with public sector sources such as conservation agencies (Gillespie et al 2007;McBride and Daberkow 2003;Nowak 1987), attendance at field days, workshops or similar events (Nowak 1987;Claytor 2015;Singh et al 2018), or with private sector agricultural advisors (Eanes et al 2017), is generally hypothesized to be positively associated with practice adoption. Prokopy et al (2008) used the term "networking" to describe information-related variables.…”