Reducing nitrogen fertilizer application as a climate change mitigation strategy: Understanding farmer decision-making and potential barriers to change in the US

Stuart, Diana; Schewe, Rebecca L.; McDermott, Matthew

doi:10.1016/j.landusepol.2013.08.011

Cited by 197 publications

(130 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Farmers were found to be hesitant to apply N at university-recommended rates because they did not trust the recommendations, viewed abundant N as insurance, or used recommendations made by fertilizer dealers. Similar findings were reported by Stuart et al (2014) for Michigan farmers, where fertilizer dealers and seed companies were critical sources in determining N fertilizer rates, while university recommendations and other tools were seldom relied on and often exceeded by farmers to increase yields when corn prices were high (Stuart et al 2014).…”

Section: Socio-economic Impediments To Adopting the 4rssupporting

confidence: 69%

“…Policies to advance Bmore food, low pollutionÂ ddressing farmers' decision-making and farmers' perceptions of risk Although some studies have documented that most fertilizer recommendations are made by private sector crop advisors (Stuart et al 2014), other surveys emphasize that farmers mostly make the decisions about fertilizer applications (Osmond et al 2014). Regardless, it is critical that everyone involved in agriculture, whether the fertilizer manufacturers and distributors, the crop advisors, or the public sector (i.e., extension, USDA-NRCS, soil and water districts) work together to ensure adoption of recommendations that optimize crop yield while limiting the negative environmental consequences of N losses into the environment.…”

Section: Socio-economic Impediments To Adopting the 4rsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nutrients in the nexus

et al. 2016

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Synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilizer has enabled modern agriculture to greatly improve human nutrition during the twentieth century, but it has also created unintended human health and environmental pollution challenges for the twentyfirst century. Averaged globally, about half of the fertilizer-N applied to farms is removed with the crops, while the other half remains in the soil or is lost from farmers' fields, resulting in water and air pollution. As human population continues to grow and food security improves in the developing world, the dual development goals of producing more nutritious food with low pollution will require both technological and socioeconomic innovations in agriculture. Two case studies presented here, one in sub-Saharan Africa and the other in Midwestern United States, demonstrate how management of nutrients, water, and energy is inextricably linked in both small-scale and large-scale food production, and that science-based solutions to improve the efficiency of nutrient use can optimize food production while minimizing pollution. To achieve the needed large increases in nutrient use efficiency, however, technological developments must be accompanied by policies that recognize the complex economic and social factors affecting farmer decision-making and national policy priorities. Farmers need access to affordable nutrient supplies and support information, and the costs of improving efficiencies and avoiding pollution may need to be shared by society through innovative policies. Success will require interdisciplinary partnerships across public and private sectors, including farmers, private sector crop advisors, commodity supply chains, government agencies, university research and extension, and consumers.

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Section: Socio-economic Impediments To Adopting the 4rssupporting

confidence: 69%

Section: Socio-economic Impediments To Adopting the 4rsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutrients in the nexus

et al. 2016

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“…Bosch et al (1995) reviewed the use of N soil testing and test results in fertilizer decision-making in a semi-regulated area in Nebraska; these researchers found that the regulatory approach did not promote the use of soil N test results and that farmers needed more education along with regulation. More recently, Stuart et al (2014) suggested that in Michigan, fertilizer dealers and seed companies were critical sources in determining N fertilizer rates, and university recommendations and other tools, such as pre-sidedress NO 3 test and GreenSeeker technology, were rarely used. Farmers were also increasing their N rates seeking increased yields due to high corn prices (Stuart et al, 2014).…”

Section: Farmers' Use Of Nutrient Management: Lessons From Watershed mentioning

confidence: 99%

Farmers’ Use of Nutrient Management: Lessons from Watershed Case Studies

et al. 2015

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Nutrient enrichment of water resources has degraded coastal waters throughout the world, including in the United States (e.g., Chesapeake Bay, Gulf of Mexico, and Neuse Estuary). Agricultural nonpoint sources have significant impacts on water resources. As a result, nutrient management planning is the primary tool recommended to reduce nutrient losses from agricultural fields. Its effectiveness requires nutrient management plans be used by farmers. There is little literature describing nutrient management decision-making. Here, two case studies are described that address this gap: (i) a synthesis of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the Conservation Effects Assessment Project, and (ii) field surveys from three nutrient-impaired river basins/ watersheds in North Carolina (Neuse, Tar-Pamlico, and Jordan Lake drainage areas). Results indicate farmers generally did not fully apply nutrient management plans or follow basic soil test recommendations even when they had them. Farmers were found to be hesitant to apply N at university-recommended rates because they did not trust the recommendations, viewed abundant N as insurance, or used recommendations made by fertilizer dealers. Exceptions were noted when watershed education, technical support, and funding resources focused on nutrient management that included easing management demands, actively and consistently working directly with a small group of farmers, and providing significant resource allocations to fund agency personnel and cost-share funds to farmers. Without better dialogue with farmers and meaningful investment in strategies that reward farmers for taking what they perceive as risks relative to nutrient reduction, little progress in true adoption of nutrient management will be made.

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“…In other contexts, this 'disconnection' has manifest through feelings of isolation, economic stress, and political frustration (Brown & Fraser, 2011;Garnett, 2014;Stuart et al, 2014) leading to issues regarding mental health, suicide and apathy toward an urban society that is not thought to value primary production (Macias, 2008;Weaver & Munro, 2009). …”

Section: Regional Land Use Priorities and Risk Perceptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regional agricultural governance in peri-urban and rural South Australia: strategies to improve multifunctionality

Fielke

Bardsley

2014

Sustain Sci

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The current neoliberal agricultural policy model focuses on maximising productivity and efficiency. The issues that arise from this governance focus are manyfold. In this study we illustrate the regional disparity and implications for agricultural sustainability caused by this governance focus. We surveyed farmers in two South Australian case study regions, the adjoining peri-urban Barossa-Light region and the rural area of Loxton. It was found that respondents from Loxton had larger properties, saw more benefits from government support for agriculture, and were more likely to prioritise support for their local community and increases in productivity. Respondents from Barossa-Light were more concerned about risks of urban encroachment and an increasing population in the region, prioritised keeping their farms in their families, and were more concerned about aspects of government support. These results highlight the complexity involved with applying appropriate government support mechanisms across a diverse industry such as agriculture, with various regional sustainability issues driving respondent priorities. We also suggest that regional variation will require explicit planning which aims for heterogeneous goals, and that educational, cooperative and alternative pursuits may help to increase the capacity of the land managers in the case study regions. These suggestions have broader implications for other regions where agricultural diversity complicates policy to support the industry within strongly neoliberal regimes.

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Reducing nitrogen fertilizer application as a climate change mitigation strategy: Understanding farmer decision-making and potential barriers to change in the US

Cited by 197 publications

References 41 publications

Nutrients in the nexus

Nutrients in the nexus

Farmers’ Use of Nutrient Management: Lessons from Watershed Case Studies

Regional agricultural governance in peri-urban and rural South Australia: strategies to improve multifunctionality

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