The Water Quality Information Center at the National Agricultural Library
Agricultural Research Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture
Implementing Agricultural Conservation
Practices: Barriers and Incentives
A Conservation Effects
Assessment Bibliography
Special Reference Briefs
Series no. SRB 2004-02
Compiled by
Joseph R. Makuch
Stuart R. Gagnon
Ted J. Sherman
Water Quality Information
Center
National Agricultural
Library
Agricultural Research
Service
U.S. Department of
Agriculture
375 citations
National Agricultural Library Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2351 August 2004
National
Agricultural Library Cataloging Record:
Makuch, Joseph
R.
Implementing
agricultural conservation practices : barriers and incentives : a
conservation effects assessment bibliography.
(Special reference
briefs ; NAL-SRB. 2004-02)
1. Agricultural
conservation--United States--Bibliography.
2. United
States--Environmental conditions--Bibliography.
3. Farmers--United
States--Attitudes.
4. Agricultural
pollution--United States--Bibliography.
5. Agriculture and
state--Environmental aspects--United States.
I. Gagnon, Stuart R. II.
Sherman, Ted J. III. Water Quality Information Center (U.S.) IV.
Title.
aZ5071.N3 no.
2004-02
Abstract
Implementing Agricultural
Conservation Practices: Barriers and Incentives, Special Reference Brief 2004-02. U.S.
Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural
Library.
This bibliography is one in a
multi-volume set developed by the Water Quality Information Center
at the National Agricultural Library in support of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture's Conservation Effects Assessment Project
(CEAP). The bibliography is a guide to recent literature examining
agricultural producers' views of conservation programs and
practices. It provides people working in the area of agriculture
and the environment with a guide to information resources that focus on the psychological and socioeconomic factors that influence
agricultural producers' behavior with regard to environmental
issues.
Keywords: conservation practices,
farmers' attitudes, psychosocial factors, production economics,
sociodemographic characteristics, conservation programs, Farm
Bill
Mention of trade names or
commercial products in this report is solely for the purpose of
providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or
endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
To ensure timely distribution,
this report has been reproduced essentially as supplied by the
authors. It has received minimal publication editing and
design. The authors' views are their own and do not
necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities
on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age,
disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or
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Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for
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To file a complaint of
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Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington D.C.
20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal
opportunity provider and employer.
August 2004
| Preface | 1 |
| About This Bibliography | 2 |
| Implementing Agricultural Conservation Practices: Barriers and Incentives | 3 |
| Subject Index | 85 |
| Author Index | 101 |
This is one in a series of bibliographies
developed by the Water Quality Information Center at the National
Agricultural Library in support of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP).
The purpose of CEAP is to study
the environmental effects of conservation practices implemented
through various U.S. Department of Agriculture conservation
programs. CEAP will evaluate conservation practices and management
systems related to nutrient, manure, and pest management; buffer
systems; tillage; irrigation and drainage practices; wetland
protection and restoration; and wildlife habitat establishment.
More information about CEAP is available at www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/nri/ceap/.
The current titles in this series are
Each of the documents, as well as bibliographies on similar topics, is accessible online from the Water Quality Information Center at www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/.
The center gratefully acknowledges the following organizations who granted permission to use their citations and/or abstracts in these bibliographies.
In addition, support from the
Natural Resources Conservation Service for the development of these
bibliographies is greatly appreciated.
Joseph R. Makuch, Ph.D.
Coordinator
Water Quality Information
Center
About This Bibliography
This bibliography is a guide to
recent literature examining agricultural producers' views of
conservation programs and practices. The purpose is to provide
people working in the area of agriculture and the environment with a guide to information resources that focus on the psychological and socioeconomic factors that influence agricultural
producers' behavior with regard to environmental issues. An
understanding of barriers to, and incentives for, conservation practices can help foster development of conservation programs and practices that fit the needs of agricultural producers.
There are 375 citations with
abstracts (when available) in this bibliography. Citations were
found through literature searches of the AGRICOLA database,
produced by the National Agricultural Library, and several
commercial bibliographic databases. In addition, Water Quality
Information Center staff created citations for documents that were
located by other means. Documents cited were published from
1993 through 2003 (with a few included from early 2004). URLs
are provided for online documents that are freely available. The
inclusion or omission of a particular citation does not imply
endorsement or disapproval.
Citations are arranged
alphabetically by title. To locate information on a specific topic,
for example, conservation tillage, use the subject index beginning
on page 85. To ensure that you see all the relevant citations for a
particular topic, be sure to also look up related terms in the
subject index, for example, no till, ridge till, etc., from the
example above. An author index is also available beginning on page
101.
To obtain a specific document,
please contact your local library. Information on how to obtain
documents from the National Agricultural Library can be found
at www.nal.usda.gov/ddsb/.
Implementing Agricultural Conservation Practices: Barriers and Incentives
1. The 1990 Farm Bill and water quality in
Corn Belt watersheds: Conserving remaining wetlands and restoring
farmed wetlands.
Lant, C. L.; Kraft, S. E.; and
Gillman, K. R.
Journal of Soil and Water
Conservation 50 (2):
201-204. (1995)
NAL Call #:
56.8 J822; ISSN: 0022-4561
Descriptors:
surveys/ water quality/ United
States, Midwest/ wetlands/ cropland/ conservation/ easements/
groundwater pollution/ groundwater recharge/ farms/ property
rights/ legislation/ agriculture/ environmental impact/ ecosystem
disturbance/ inland water environment/ Conservation Reserve
Program/ Wetland Reserve Program/ Watershed protection/
Environmental action/ Mechanical and natural changes
Abstract: Two contingent valuation surveys
including 770 mail surveys and 157 personal interviews were
conducted in ten Corn Belt counties to estimate potential
enrollment of farmed wetlands in the Conservation Reserve Program
(CRP) and in the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) and to elicit
farmers' and farmland owners' attitudes toward Swampbuster.
Weighted, piecewise-linear regression was used to obtain estimated
enrollments from the mail survey data. Results from the two surveys
indicate that enrollment of farmed wetlands in the CRP climbs from
2-8% of eligible acreage at an annual rental rate of $90/ac/yr to
52-64% at $140/ac/yr. Enrollment reaches 81-83% at rental rates of
$400/ac/yr. For the WRP, the two surveys are in less agreement.
According to the mail survey, enrollments climb from 4% of eligible
acreage at $500/ac for a 30-year easement to 26% at $2,500/ac.
Enrollments climb more rapidly at higher easement rates reaching
78% enrollment at $4,000/ac. Results from personal interviews,
however, indicate much lower enrollment rates of less than 2% of
eligible acreage at $1,700/ac climbing to 20% at $2,500/ac. Beyond
financial considerations, dealing with problems of altering
drainage facilities is a primary barrier to enrollment of farmed
wetlands in the WRP. Attitudes toward Swampbuster clearly indicate
the unpopularity of the program. About half of farmland owners with
wetlands would put them to some agricultural use in the absence of
Swampbuster. Only 30% feel that Swampbuster is necessary and fair,
while 68% feel it is a violation of their property rights and 56%
feel that the public should have to purchase wetlands if they wish
to protect them. Swampbuster could be made less unpopular by
addressing property taxes or by allowing some limited economic use
of wetlands.
© Cambridge Scientific Abstracts
(CSA)
2. The 2002 Farm Bill: U.S. Producer
Preferences for Agricultural, Food, and Public Policy.
Lubben, B. D.; Simons, C. J.;
Bills, N. L.; Meyer, N. L.; and Novak, J. L.
Oak Brook, Illinois: Farm
Foundation; Publication No.2001-02, 2001.
Notes: Author Affiliation: National Public Policy
Education Committee
Abstract: National survey of over 14,000
producers on agricultural policy, which includes sections on
conservation and environmental programs.
3. The acceptability of forest management
practices: An analysis of ethical accounting and the ethical
matrix.
Gamborg, Christian
Forest Policy and
Economics 4 (3): 175-186.
(2002)
NAL Call #:
SD1 .F6747; ISSN: 1389-9341
Descriptors:
ethical accounting/ ethical matrix/
forest management practice acceptability
Abstract: In this paper, the feasibility of using
stakeholder approaches to assess forest management practices is
examined. The paper focuses on two such approaches: the idea of
ethical accounting developed for livestock farming, and the
so-called ethical matrix. More extensive accounting is needed in
forestry. The public is increasingly sensitive to, and aware of,
the broader impact of forest management, not only on human welfare
but also on environmental values such as nature conservation and
biodiversity. Green accounting is being used to assess the
environmental effects of forestry. In a broader approach such as
ethical accounting as developed for livestock farming, both the
purpose and the type of use that is being made of the forest must
be examined. It is also necessary to ask which visible or invisible
stakeholders are to be included. However, it is important to note
that the adoption of stakeholder approaches does not remove the
need to reflect on one's fundamental ethical position. In fact, one
must critically consider one's basic values before applying these
approaches to forestry.
© Thomson
4. Adaptive management: Potential and
limitations for ecological governance.
Jiggins, J. and Roling,
N.
International Journal of
Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology 1 (1): 28-42. (2000)
NAL Call #:
S604.5-.I57; ISSN: 1462-4605
Descriptors:
environmental management/ learning/
institutions/ ecosystems/ integrated pest management/ literature
reviews/ social learning
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
5. Adaptive participation in watershed
management.
Chess, C.; Hance, B. J.; and
Gibson, G.
Journal of Soil and Water
Conservation 55 (3):
248-252. (2000)
NAL Call #:
56.8-J822; ISSN: 0022-4561 [JSWCA3]
Descriptors:
watersheds/ watershed management/
decision making/ public opinion/ community involvement/ demography/
geographical variation/ research/ literature reviews
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
6. Adoption and adaptation of scientific
irrigation scheduling: Trends from Washington, USA as of
1998.
Leib, Brian G; Hattendorf, Mary;
Elliott, Todd; and Matthews, Gary
Agricultural Water
Management 55 (2): 105-120.
(2002)
NAL Call #:
S494.5.W3A3; ISSN: 0378-3774
Descriptors:
agricultural water
management
Abstract: Scientific irrigation scheduling (SIS) is
defined as the use of crop evapotranspiration data and soil
moisture sensors to accurately determine when and how much to
irrigate. Three surveys were conducted during 1997 and 1998 to
determine the status of and direction for SIS in Washington.
According to the survey results, nine private consultants were
contracted to perform irrigation scheduling on nearly 120,000 ha
per year. Conservation districts, county extension, and the
national resource conservation service assisted producers in
scheduling irrigation on an additional 6000 ha in a year.
Two-hundred and four producers reported scheduling 26,750 ha of
irrigation on their own and 6000 ha with consultants. At a minimum,
the combined acreage reported in these surveys indicates an 18%
adoption rate of SIS. However, the actual adoption rate is much
greater if the self-implementation rate for the 200 producers is
representative of the entire state. Survey results also indicated
that potatoes and tree fruit account for more than half of the
acreage being scheduled. The main reason producers were willing to
pay for irrigation scheduling is to insure the quality of
high-value crops. Energy savings became important when water needed
to be lifted a considerable distance; however, water conservation,
high yield, fertilizer savings, and non-point pollution reduction
were considered secondary benefits. Center-pivots were the most
likely irrigation systems to be scheduled and a considerable
proportion of drip and solid-set sprinklers were scheduled, but a
very small proportion of furrow systems and set-move sprinklers
were scheduled. Over 75% of the survey respondents have personal
computers and 50% have modems but less than 5% are using their
computers to schedule irrigation. However, when examining the group
producers who irrigate more than 405 ha, 33% are using their
computers to schedule irrigation. Since computers and communication
technology are available "on-farm", and producers are showing a
willingness to implement SIS on their own, Washington State
University (WSU) has developed the Washington Irrigation Scheduling
Expert (WISE) software and a web-based information system.
Self-implemented SIS also requires increased producer knowledge
along with training for potential vendors. Therefore, WSU is
continuing traditional SIS educational efforts such as on-farm
testing of soil moisture sensors, workshops, field days,
publications and newsletters. Conversely, WSU has stopped providing
full-service SIS demonstrations that compete with existing
services, require intensive labor, and affect a limited number of
producers. Agri-business is employing a similar strategy as
self-service SIS providers have increased by seven companies since
the 1998 survey.
© Thomson
7. The adoption and diffusion of level fields
and basins.
Anderson, D. P.; Wilson, P. N.;
and Thompson, G. D.
Journal of Agricultural and
Resource Economics 24 (1):
186-203. (July 1999)
NAL Call #:
HD1750.W4; ISSN: 1068-5502
Descriptors:
cotton/ farm management/ irrigated
farming/ technical progress/ water conservation/ water costs/
innovation adoption/ legislation/ state government/ regression
analysis/ Arizona/ 1980 Groundwater Management Act/ laser
leveling
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
8. Adoption and economic impact of
site-specific technologies in U.S. agriculture.
El Osta, H. and Mishra,
A.
Selected papers from the
annual meeting of the American Agricultural Economics
Association (2001)
NAL Call #:
HD1405-.A44.
Notes: Supplemental online access through http://agecon.lib.umn.edu. Meeting held August 5-8, 2001, in
Chicago, Illinois. Includes references.
Descriptors:
site specific crop management/
variable rate application/ innovation adoption/ economic impact/
farmers' attitudes/ decision making/ production costs/ savings/
United States
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
9. Adoption of Agricultural Production
Practices: Lessons Learned from the U.S. Department of Agriculture
Area Studies Project.
Caswell, M.; Fuglie, K.; Ingram,
C.; Jans, S.; and Kascak, C.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
[Also available as: ERS Agricultural Economic Report No. 792], 2001
(application/pdf)
http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/aer792/
Descriptors:
natural resource management/
nutrient management/ soil management/ pest management/ water
management/ conservation practices/ agrochemicals/ crop yield/
innovation adoption/ participation/ econometric models/ regional
economics/ policy analysis/ economic analysis/ watersheds/ surveys/
United States/ farmer surveys/ USDA Area Studies
Project
Abstract: The U.S. Department of Agriculture
Area Studies Project was designed to characterize the extent of
adoption of nutrient, pest, soil, and water management practices
and to assess the factors that affect adoption for a wide range of
management strategies across different natural resource regions.
The project entailed the administration of a detailed field-level
survey to farmers in 12 watersheds in the Nation to gather data on
agricultural practices, input use, and natural resource
characteristics associated with farming activities. The data were
analyzed by the Economic Research Service using a consistent
methodological approach with the full set of data to study the
constraints associated with the adoption of micronutrients,
N-testing, split nitrogen applications, green manure, biological
pest controls, pest-resistant varieties, crop rotations,
pheromones, scouting, conservation tillage, contour farming, strip
cropping, grassed waterways, and irrigation. In addition to the
combined-areas analyses, selected areas were chosen for analysis to
illustrate the difference in results between aggregate and
area-specific models. The unique sample design for the survey was
used to explore the importance of field-level natural resource data
for evaluating adoption at both the aggregate and watershed levels.
Further analyses of the data illustrated how the adoption of
specific management practices affects chemical use and crop
yields.
10. Adoption of conservation production
systems in three Midwest watersheds.
Napier T.L.; Tucker M.; and
McCarter S.
Journal of Soil and Water
Conservation 55 (2):
123-134. (2000)
NAL Call #:
56.8-J822
This citation is provided courtesy
of CAB International/CABI Publishing.
11. Adoption of conservation production
systems in two Ohio watersheds: A comparative study.
Napier TL and Bridges T
Journal of Soil and Water
Conservation 57 (4):
229-235; 8 ref. (2002)
NAL Call #:
56.8 J822
This citation is provided courtesy
of CAB International/CABI Publishing.
12. Adoption of conservation production
systems within the north central region of the United
States.
Napier T.L.; Ascough J.C.; and
Flanagan D.C.
In: Soil erosion research for the
21st century: Proceedings of the International Symposium.
(Held 3 Jan 2001-5 Jan 2001 at Honolulu,
Hawaii.)
St Joseph, Mo.: American Society
of Agricultural Engineers; pp. 256-259; 2001.
This citation is provided courtesy
of CAB International/CABI Publishing.
13. Adoption of environmental protection
practices in the Scioto River watershed: Implications for
MODSS.
Napier, T. L. and Camboni, S.
M.
In: Multiple objective decision
making for land, water, and environmental management: Proceedings
of the First International Conference on Multiple Objective
Decision Support Systems (MODSS) for Land, Water and Environmental
Management: Concepts, Approaches, and Applications.
Boca Raton, Fla.: Lewis
Publishers; pp. 337-347; 1998.
Notes: Meeting held September 1996 in Honolulu,
Hawaii. Edited by S.A. El-Swaify and D.S. Yakowitz. Includes
references.
NAL Call #: HC13.I544-1996; ISBN: 1574440918
Descriptors:
farm management/ innovation
adoption/ decision making/ farm surveys/ farmers' attitudes/ Ohio/
multiple objective decision support system
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
14. Adoption of integrated pest management in
U.S. agriculture.
Vandeman, Ann M. and United
States. Dept. of Agriculture. Economic Research Service.
Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of
Agriculture, Economic Research Service; iii, 26 p.: ill.; Series:
Agriculture information bulletin no. 707. (1994)
Notes: Cover title. Running title: Adoption of IPM in
U.S. agriculture. "September 1994"--P. [i]. Includes
bibliographical references (p. 25-26).
NAL Call #: 1--Ag84Ab-no.707
Descriptors:
Agricultural pests---Integrated
control---United States/ Pests---Integrated control---United States
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
15. Adoption of nutrient management techniques
to reduce hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.
Robinson, J. R. and Napier, T.
L.
Agricultural Systems
72 (3): 197-213. (June
2002)
NAL Call #:
HD1.A3; ISSN: 0308-521X [AGSYDS]
Descriptors:
hypoxia/ watershed management/
water conservation/ farm management/ nutrients/ innovation
adoption/ water quality/ socioeconomics/ farm surveys/ models/ data
collection/ regression analysis/ Ohio/ Iowa/ Minnesota/ Gulf of
Mexico
Abstract: Data were collected from 1011 land
owner-operators within three watersheds located in the North
Central Region of the USA to examine use of selected water
protection practices. A theoretical model developed from selected
components of the traditional diffusion paradigm and the farm
structure model was used to predict adoption and use of
conservation practices at the farm level within the study
watersheds. Study findings revealed that factors commonly purported
to be highly correlated with adoption of conservation production
systems were not useful for predicting use of conservation
production practices assessed. The production practices examined in
the study were percent of cultivated fields surrounded by grass
filter strips, percent of waterways in cultivated fields protected
by grass, use of banded fertilizer, use of side dressing of
fertilizer, and use of nitrification inhibitor. Study findings
revealed that the theoretical model developed to guide the study
was relatively ineffective for predicting adoption of the
conservation practices assessed in the study. None of the
statistical models developed from analysis of study data explained
more than nine percent of the variance in any of the conservation
practices assessed. Research findings suggest that existing
conservation programs are no longer useful policy instruments for
motivating land owner-operators to adopt and use production systems
designed to reduce agricultural pollution of waterways.
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
16. Adoption of nutrient management
technologies for rice production: Economic and institutional
constraints and opportunities.
Pandey, S.
Nutrient Cycling in
Agroecosystems 53 (1):
103-111. (Jan. 1999)
NAL Call #:
S631.F422; ISSN: 1385-1314 [NCAGFC].
Notes: In the special issue: Resource management in
rice systems: nutrients / edited by V. Balasubramanian, J.K. Ladha,
and G.L. Denning. Includes references.
Descriptors:
oryza sativa/ cropping systems/
green revolution/ crop management/ soil management/ soil fertility/
technology transfer/ innovation adoption/ cultivars/ dwarf
cultivars/ high yielding varieties/ fertilizers/ simulation models/
crop yield/ farm income/ use efficiency/ farm inputs/
literature reviews
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
17. Adoption of pest management strategies
under varying environmental conditions.
Caswell, Margriet F.; Shoemaker,
Robbin; and United States. Dept. of Agriculture.
Economic Research
Service.
Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of
Agriculture, Economic Research Service; iii, 16 p.: ill.; Series:
Technical bulletin (United States. Dept. of Agriculture) no. 1827.
(1993)
Notes: Cover title. "December 1993"--P. i. Includes
bibliographical references (p. 11).
NAL Call #: 1-Ag84Te-no.1827
Descriptors:
Agricultural pests---Integrated
control---United States---Technological innovations/
Pests---Integrated control---United States---Technological
innovations/ Pests Control---United States
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
18. Adoption of precision farming within three
Midwest watersheds.
Napier, T. L.; Robinson, J.; and
Tucker, M.
Journal of Soil and Water
Conservation 55
(2): 135-141. (2000)
NAL Call #:
56.8-J822; ISSN: 0022-4561 [JSWCA3]
Descriptors:
farmers/ site specific crop
management/ watersheds/ innovation adoption/ landowners/
prediction/ farmers' attitudes/ age/ education/ nature
conservation/ erosion/ risk assessment/ water quality
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
19. Adoption of Soil Conservation Practices: A
Revealed Preference Approach.
Lichtenberg, E.
College Park, MD: Department of
Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Maryland;
Working Paper No. 01-12, 2001.
Notes: Supercedes: Joint adoption of multiple
technologies: A dual, latent demand approach
(WP 00/14), by Lichtenberg, E. and
Strand, I.E.
[Cited, 20 April 2004:
http://www.arec.umd.edu/Publications/papers/2000-working-papers.htm]
Descriptors:
Supporting Science
Abstract: A revealed preference survey was
used to understand the adoption of 11 conservation practices, the
responsiveness of adoption to cost sharing, and complementarity of
the practices.
20. Adoption of sustainable
agriculture.
Hoiberg, Eric O. and Bultena,
Gordon L.
In: Planting the future:
Developing an agriculture that sustains land and community/ Bird,
E. A.; Bultena, G. L.; and Gardner, J. C., 1995; pp.
155-171.
Notes: ISBN: 0813820723
Descriptors:
continuous replacement/
controversial practice adoption/ new practices/ optimum
productivity goal/ policy making/ Agronomy (Agriculture)/
Conservation/ Government and Law
© Thomson
21. Agglomeration bonus: An incentive
mechanism to reunite fragmented habitat for biodiversity
conservation.
Parkhurst, G. M.; Shogren, J. F.;
Bastian, C.; Kivi, P.; Donner, J.; and Smith, R. B. W.
Ecological Economics
41 (2): 305-328. (2002)
NAL Call #:
QH540.E26; ISSN: 0921-8009
This citation is provided courtesy of CAB International/CABI
Publishing.
22. Agricultural and water-quality conflicts:
Economic dimensions of the problem.
Crutchfield, Stephen R.; Hansen,
LeRoy T.; Ribaudo, Marc.; and United States. Dept. of Agriculture.
Economic Research Service.
Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of
Agriculture, Economic Research Service; 18 p.: ill., maps.
(1993)
Notes: Caption title. "July 1993." "Water quality."
Includes bibliographical references (p. 18).
NAL Call #: 1-Ag84Ab-no.676
Descriptors:
Water quality---Economic
aspects---United States/ Groundwater---Pollution---Economic
aspects---United States/ Agricultural chemicals---Environmental
aspects---United States/ Agriculture and state---United States
This citation is from AGRICOLA.
23. Agricultural producers' perceptions of
sandhill cranes in the San Luis Valley of Colorado.
Laubhan, Murray K and Gammonley,
James H
Wildlife Society
Bulletin 29 (2): 639-645
(2001)
NAL Call #:
SK357.A1W5; ISSN: 0091-7648
Descriptors:
Grus canadensis tabida [greater
sandhill crane] (Gruiformes)/ human (Hominidae): farmer/ Animals/
Birds/ Chordates/ Humans/ Mammals/ Nonhuman Vertebrates/ Primates/
Vertebrates/ agricultural production/ croplands/ economic
attitudes/ human wildlife conflicts/ natural resources/
perceptions/ private land use/ social attitudes
Abstract: Management for migratory birds at an
ecosystem scale requires forming cooperative partnerships with the
private sector. To be effective, however, wildlife managers must
understand the economic and social attitudes of private landowners
to ensure that strategies involving stakeholders are viable and can
be implemented. We documented attitudes of farmers in the San Luis
Valley (SLV) of Colorado toward Rocky Mountain Population greater
sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) using a self-administered,
mail-back survey. Overall response rate was 46.7%. Viewing sandhill
cranes in the SLV was considered somewhat important or important by
78.6% of respondents. In contrast, only 62.1% of respondents
indicated that viewing sandhill cranes was somewhat important or
important on their own land. Farmers' attitudes toward viewing
sandhill cranes on their own property were related (P=0.02) to
perceived conflicts with crop production. The extent of crane use
(P=0.04) was the only variable we tested that predicted whether
conflicts were reported. Our results suggest that partnerships
between farmers and natural resource agencies concerned with
management of sandhill cranes may be viable. However, the role of
farmers in any proposed management strategy must be examined
carefully because there may be an upper limit of crane use on
private land that farmers will tolerate.
© Thomson
24. Agriculture and the Environment:
Information on and Characteristics of Selected Watershed Projects:
Report to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry,
U.S. Senate.
United States General Accounting
Office, Resources Community and Economic Development
Division.
United States General Accounting
Office [Also available as: GAO/RCED-95-218], 1995
(text/html)
NAL Call #: TD428 A37A57 1995
http://www.gao.gov/archive/1995/rc95218.pdf
Descriptors:
program evaluation/ governmental
programs and projects/ government agencies/ USDA/ Environmental
Protection Agency/ water pollution/ watershed management/ nonpoint
source pollution/ agricultural runoff/ environmental policy/ public
finance/ local government/ citizen participation/ case studies /
decision support systems/ United States/ EPA/ USGS/ United States
Geological Survey/ Fish and Wildlife Service/ National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration/ NO AA/ National Marine Fisheries
Service/ United States Army Corps of Engineers/ USACE
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
25. Agriculture and the environment: Listening
to the grassroots: A report based on a series of regional forums
and urban focus groups.
Ankeny, Iowa: Soil and Water
Conservation Society; 48 p.: ill.; 28 cm. (1995)
NAL Call #: S589.755 .S64 1995
Descriptors:
Agriculture---Environmental
aspects---United States/ Agriculture and state---United States/
Agricultural subsidies---United States/ Soil erosion---United
States/ Water quality---United States
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
26. Alternative and conventional agricultural
paradigms: Evidence from farming in southwest
Saskatchewan.
Abaidoo, S. and Dickinson,
H.
Rural Sociology
67 (1): 114-131. (Mar.
2002)
NAL Call #:
281.28-R88; ISSN: 0036-0112 [RUSCA]
Descriptors:
farmers' attitudes/ agricultural
policy/ environmental protection/ technology/ innovation adoption/
farm management/ farming systems/ agricultural households/ farm
surveys/ household surveys/ statistical analysis/
Saskatchewan
Abstract: Agricultural analysts have suggested that
the emergence of an alternative agriculture system represents more
than changes in practices; it is also thought to represent a shift
in environmental beliefs, values, attitudes, and norms. This means
that conventional and alternative systems of agriculture represent
distinct paradigms which are informed by two contradictory
worldviews. Insofar as this claim is correct, it is possible to
delineate, target, and promote one paradigm, depending on the
system of agriculture that policy makers wish to encourage. In this
paper we seek to clarify the practical application of the two
agricultural paradigms by examining the practices, beliefs, values,
norms, and attitudes of farmers in southwest Saskatchewan, part of
the semi-arid section of the North American Great Plains. Findings
support the view that different farming systems correspond to
different worldviews. Strong confidence in the market, however, is
not limited to conventional farmers, as suggested by the
literature.
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
27. Anaerobic digester survey of California
dairy producers.
Morse D; Guthrie JC; and Mutters
R
Journal of Dairy
Science 79 (1):
149-153; 11 ref. (1996)
NAL Call #:
44.8 J822
This citation is provided courtesy
of CAB International/CABI Publishing.
28. An analysis of farmer participation in
conservation oriented management on set-aside land in
England.
Neve, P; Mortimer, A M; and
Putwain, P D.
In: 1997 Brighton crop protection
[international] conference: Weeds. (Held 17 Nov 1997-20 Nov 1997 at Brighton,
England, UK.); Vol. 1-3.
Farnham, England, UK: British Crop
Protection Council (BCPC); pp. 681-682; 1997.
Descriptors:
human (Hominidae): farmer/ Animals/
Chordates/ Humans/ Mammals/ Primates/ Vertebrates/ set aside
land: conservation based management, farmer participation/ survey
method/ data collection method
© Thomson
29. An Analysis of Farmers' Incentives to
Conserve or Degrade the Land.
Milham, N.
Journal of Environmental
Management 40 (1): 51-64.
(1994)
NAL Call #:
HC75.E5J6; ISSN: 0301-4797
Descriptors:
soil erosion/ soil conservation/
agriculture/ erosion control/ resources management/ environmental
perception/ Watershed protection/ Environmental
perception
Abstract: In this paper, it is argued that an
increased understanding of the linkages between farmers' economic
incentives to control soil degradation, degradation-induced
productivity decline and future farmland productivity is essential
for the formulation of effective land degradation and soil
management policies. As a basis for the argument, a comprehensive
farm-level economic model for the optimum private and social
utilization of soil over time is developed. Complexities in the
decision process due to environmental conditions and other
uncertainties are considered. It is shown that, if farmers are well
informed, they will tolerate soil degradation only to the point
where the marginal net returns from depleting soil depth, fertility
or structure equal the marginal profits foregone from conserving
these productive aspects of the soil. Efficiency-related technical
progress is found to provide incentives for reduced rates of soil
degradation. It is also found that the optimum private rate of soil
degradation is not likely to mimic the socially optimal rate unless
capital markets and farm input and output markets operate
efficiently and competitively. The potential for monetary and
fiscal policy to impact on private rates of soil utilization is
highlighted as a topic for further detailed investigation. Finally,
it is argued that external costs and benefits from farming
activity, which have not as yet been comprehensively quantified,
may be the single most important cause of any differential between
the optimum private and social rates of soil
degradation.
© Cambridge Scientific Abstracts
(CSA)
30. Analysis of potential conservation effort
of CRP participants in the state of Missouri: A latent variable
approach.
Kalaitzandonakes, N. G. and
Monson, M.
Journal of Agricultural and
Applied Economics 26 (1):
200-208. (July 1994)
NAL Call #:
HD101.S6; ISSN: 1074-0708
Descriptors:
land diversion/ soil conservation/
federal programs/ program participants/ farmers' attitudes/
decision making/ mathematical models/ Missouri/ Conservation
Reserve Program/ multiple indicator multiple cause model
mimic
Abstract: This study investigated the influence of
economic, personal, and attitudinal factors on the intended
conservation effort of a sample of Conservation Reserve Program
(CRP) contract holders after their contracts have expired. Economic
factors were found to dominate the decision about future
conservation effort. Attitudes towards conservation were found to
have no significant influence on the decision. This fact may relate
to the recent changes in the regulatory environment brought about
by the 1985 Food Security Act which changed conservation from a
voluntary to regulated nature.
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
31. Analyzing Agricultural Landowners'
Willingness to Install Streamside Buffers.
Lynch, L.; Hardie, I.; and Parker,
D.
College Park, MD: Department of
Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Maryland;
Working Paper 02-01, 2002.
http://www.arec.umd.edu/publications/papers/Working-Papers-PDF-files/02-01.pdf
Descriptors:
Conservation Reserve Enhancement
Program/ Maryland
Abstract: A survey of Maryland land owners
examined what level of financial incentives is needed to interest
owners in installing buffers.
32. Applicability of Montreal Process
Criterion 7: Legal, institutional and economic framework: To
rangeland sustainability.
Mitchell, J E and Woodmansee, R
G
International Journal of
Sustainable Development and World Ecology 9 (2): 121-134. (2002);
ISSN: 1350-4509
Descriptors:
human (Hominidae): rangeland
managers, rangeland scientists/ Animals/ Chordates/ Humans/
Mammals/ Primates/ Vertebrates/ Montreal Process Criterion 7/ best
management practices / economic framework/ education/
enforcement capabilities/ institutional framework/ land use policy/
legal framework/ monitoring capacity/ monitoring programs/
outreach/ property rights/ public participation/ rangeland
sustainability/ reporting programs/ research/ values
Abstract: Criterion 7 - legal, institutional and
economic framework for rangeland conservation and sustainable
management - contains 19 of the 67 indicators incorporating the
Montreal Process. These indicators are aggregated into five
sub-criteria; those dealing with the legal, institutional, and
economic frameworks for supporting the sustainable management of
rangelands, and sub-criteria concerning the capacity to monitor and
conduct and apply research. Capacity for sustainability can be tied
to property rights (Indicator 48), land-use policy (Indicators 49,
50), and use of best management practices (Indicator 51). Public
participation in planning is an effective measure of sustainable
management, but with public interaction in planning, science is no
longer seen as being value-free (Indicators 52, 53, 54). Concerns
exist that the numbers of trained rangeland managers and
scientists, along with those in related disciplines, are inadequate
to meet existing and future needs (Indicator 55). Enforcement
capabilities, an institutional measure, rely upon the legal
framework to be effective (Indicator 57). Access to capital can be
important to graziers if they are to retain flexibility to manage
sustainably (Indicator 58). Monitoring and reporting programmes are
difficult and expensive, yet they remain critical for assessing
sustainable management (Indicators 60, 61, 62). Education, research
and outreach are equally meaningful as indicators of sustainability
for forests and rangelands (Indicators 63, 64).
© Thomson
33. Appropriation and Water Rights Issues in
the High Plains Ogallala Region.
White, S. E. and Kromm, D.
E.
Social Science
Journal 33 (4): 437-450.
(1996); ISSN:
0362-3319
Descriptors:
United States, High Plains,
Ogallala Region/ water rights/ groundwater management/ attitudes/
irrigation/ water use efficiency/ appropriation/ surveys/
beneficial use/ water conservation/ Water law and
institutions
Abstract: This research assesses the effectiveness
of groundwater doctrine in eastern Colorado and western Kansas
within the context of 330 irrigators' preferences for perceived
changes in groundwater appropriations and variances in existing
rules to best achieve the public interest. A survey of irrigators
in six groundwater management districts reveals that attitudes
conflict with several aspects of current appropriation doctrine.
There is significant support for broad-based, uniform reductions in
appropriations when groundwater becomes scarce rather than the
"first in time, first in right" requirement in the prior
appropriation doctrine. Many irrigators believe that past water-use
efficiency should be a criteria factored into appropriation
reduction polices. Most oppose the "use it or lose it" concept that
requires specified levels of beneficial use to protect a water
right, and irrigators oppose special exemptions to permit new wells
to benefit the public interest in fully appropriated areas.
Importantly, if irrigators' preferences were codified in the
groundwater appropriations doctrines, more groundwater could be
conserved.
© Cambridge Scientific Abstracts
(CSA)
34. Are 'Other Gainful Activities' on farms
good for the environment?
McNally, Sandra
Journal of environmental
management 66 (1): 57-65.
(2002)
NAL Call #:
HC75.E5J6; ISSN: 0301-4797
Descriptors:
human (Hominidae): farm household
members/ Animals / Chordates/ Humans/ Mammals/ Primates/
Vertebrates/ ESA Management Agreement [Environmentally Sensitive
Area Management Agreement]/ Environmentally Sensitive Area/
agricultural intensity/ conservation attitudes/ diversification
activities/ environmental performance measures/ farm environmental
improvement/ farm size/ land use type/ low agricultural income:
effects mitigation/ off farm employment/ other gainful activities
[OGAs]/ stated environmental intentions
Abstract: There has been a lot of academic interest
in the pursuit of diversification activities and off-farm
employment by farm household members. This is regarded as an
important strategy for mitigating the effects of low agricultural
income. One aspect of the debate about these so-called 'Other
Gainful Activities' (OGAs) is whether they are associated with any
environmental improvement on farms. In this paper, we use three
approaches to analyse this issue. We examine whether measures of
agricultural intensity are associated with the pursuit of OGAs by
farmers and their spouses. We examine whether OGAs are more likely
on farms where there is an ESA Management Agreement. Finally, we
examine whether OGAs are associated with the farmer's stated
environmental intentions. Although we tentatively conclude that
there is a relationship between OGA involvement and these measures
of environmental performance or concern by farmers, the magnitude
of the association is small relative to other variables such as
farm size, the type of land use, the form of business and recent
agricultural training.
© Thomson
35. Assessing sustainable land management
(SLM).
Hurni, H.
Agriculture, Ecosystems and
Environment 81 (2): 83-92.
(Oct. 2000)
NAL Call #:
S601.A34; ISSN: 0167-8809 [AEENDO].
Notes: In the special issue: Indicators of land
quality and sustainable land management / edited by J. Dumanski.
Paper presented at a symposium held August 1998, Montpellier,
France. Includes references.
Descriptors:
land management/ sustainability/
environmental degradation/ indicators/ evaluation/ measurement/
monitoring/ interdisciplinary research/ environmental impact/
natural resources/ information systems/ literature
reviews
Abstract: The term 'sustainable development' and
its component 'sustainable land management (SLM)' have been
receiving increasing attention in development co-operation and at
the global level. However, practical tools which can help local
users and multi-disciplinary teams to work together and apply these
general concepts at the local to regional levels have emerged only
very recently. Some of these tools, as well as programme support
services are presented in this paper. The author argues that only a
comprehensive, participatory approach involving stakeholders at all
levels will have the potential to develop locally useful solutions
within a favourable, i.e. 'enabling' institutional environment.
Assessment tools will require transdisciplinary methods that
involve natural, social, and political sciences as well as local
knowledge systems. Support services for SLM activities will have to
include monitoring and impact assessment, experimentation with
innovative ideas, resource assessment, information, and training.
Examples from different parts of the globe have shown that the
proposed tools are now receiving greater attention and may fulfill
the requirements set forth by the concept of SLM.
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
36. Assessing the retention potential of
Conservation Reserve Program practices in Alabama.
Onianwa, O. O.; Wheelock, G. C.;
Dubois, M. R.; and Warren, S. T.
Southern Journal of Applied
Forestry 23 (2): 83-87. (May
1999)
NAL Call #:
SD1.S63; ISSN: 0148-4419 [SJAFD9]
Descriptors:
nature conservation/ nature
reserves/ land use/ agricultural land/ land banks/ surveys/
forests/ grasslands/ ethnicity/ erosion/ Alabama
Abstract: Conservation reserve program (CRP)
participants in Alabama were surveyed to determine the probable
utilization of CRP acres should the contracts expire without
opportunity for renewal. From over 9000 contracts established
between 1986 and 1995, 594 contracts were randomly selected and
surveyed for the study. Two hundred and fourteen surveys were
completed and returned. Of these, 204 (34%) were usable. Result
indicate that 90% of CRP tree acres would be retained in trees
while nearly 60% of CRP grass acres would be converted to row crop
production. In addition, there are no significant differences in
the response between the minority and white participants with
regard to the intended use of CRP acres. Therefore, for sustained
mitigation of soil loss and reduction of excess production
capacity, tree planting as a conservation practice choice should be
advocated and encouraged.
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
37. Assessment of farmer attitudes and
behavioral intentions toward bird conservation on organic and
conventional Florida farms.
Jacobson, Susan K; Sieving,
Kathryn E; Jones, Gregory A; and Van Doorn, Annamamria
Conservation Biology
17 (2): 595-606. (2003)
NAL Call #:
QH75.A1C5; ISSN: 0888-8892
Descriptors:
bird (Aves)/ Animals/ Birds/
Chordates/ Nonhuman Vertebrates/ Vertebrates/ bird conservation:
behavioral intentions, farmer attitudes
Abstract: To enhance efforts to conserve birds,
especially insectivorous species, we examined the social dimensions
of conventional and organic farming in northern Florida (U.S.A.).
Using a framework for the adoption of agricultural innovations, we
developed a 44-item survey instrument to measure farmers'
socio-demographic background, farm characteristics, participation
in social organizations, communication and information networks,
and perceived barriers and incentives to adopting bird-friendly
practices. Seventy-six surveys were completed, with a response rate
of 84%for organic farmers and 60% for conventional farmers. The
population of conventional farmer was composed of more males who
were older, less educated, and earned a greater income than organic
farmers. Conventional farms were on average 20 times larger than
organic farms and grew less than half the varieties of crops. These
two factors correlated with higher agreement with statements that a
considerable amount of money is spent on pest management and that
leaf-eating insects cause considerable damage. Fewer conventional
than organic farmers scouted for pests daily, an important
component of integrated pest management. Almost all farmers (95%)
reported recognizing most of the bird species on their farms. More
organic farmers (31%) than conventional farmers (12%) reported more
than 30 bird species on their farms. Farmers' overall willingness
to attract birds to their farms was not correlated with economic or
noneconomic incentives and barriers to adopting bird-friendly
practices, such as current costs of pest management, experience
with bird damage to crops, and farmers' knowledge of insectivorous
birds and birds on their farms. Innovations in current farming
practices that could enhance bird populations should be
disseminated through existing social networks and media channels
identified in this paper.
© Thomson
38. Assessment of the adoption of sustainable
agriculture practices: Implications for agricultural
education.
Alonge, A. J. and Martin, R.
A.
Journal of Agricultural
Education 36 (3): 34-42.
(1995)
NAL Call #:
S530.A4; ISSN: 1042-0541
Descriptors:
sustainability/ farmers' attitudes/
innovation adoption/ demography/ regression analysis/ farming
systems/ profitability/ Iowa
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
39. Attitudes toward joint forest planning
among private landowners.
Jacobson, M. G.; Abt, R. C.; and
Carter, D. R.
Journal of Sustainable
Forestry 11 (3): 95-112.
(2000); ISSN:
1054-9811
This citation is provided courtesy
of CAB International/CABI Publishing.
40. Awareness of operation future among
landowner-operators in the Darby Creek watershed of
Ohio.
Napier, T. L. and Johnson, E.
J.
Journal of Soil and Water
Conservation 53 (4):
353-357. (1998)
NAL Call #:
56.8-J822; ISSN: 0022-4561 [JSWCA3]
Descriptors:
soil conservation/ water
conservation/ watersheds/ agricultural land/ voluntary services/
programs/ program effectiveness/ diffusion of information/ social
participation/ farmers' attitudes/ regional surveys/
Ohio
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
41. Biological integrity versus biological
diversity as policy directives.
Angermeier, P. L. and Karr, J.
R.
Bioscience 44: 690-697. (1994)
NAL Call #:
500 Am322A
Descriptors:
Supporting Science
Abstract:
Examined the ideas of biological
integrity and diversity as they pertained to human-generated
landscapes, such as agriculture, and discussed the need for
effective policy to create a complete conservation protection
plan.
42. Blending "hard" and "soft" science: The
"follow-the-technology" approach to catalyzing and evaluating
technology change.
Douthwaite, Boru; de, Haan
Nicoline C; Manyong, Victor; and Keatinge, Dyno
Conservation Ecology
5 (2): 13. (2002)
NAL Call #:
QH75.A1C67; ISSN: 1195-5449
Descriptors:
plant (Plantae): crop/ Plants/
Darwinian evolution/ conceptual models/ follow the technology
approach [FTT approach]/ hard science/ integrated natural resource
management [INRM]/ learning selection/ natural resource management
technologies [NRM technologies]/ natural selection/ novelty
generation/ plant breeding/ plausible promise/ promulgation/ rural
technology/ social adaptation / social negotiation/ soft
science/ stakeholders/ technology change: catalyzation,
evaluation
Abstract: The types of technology change catalyzed
by research interventions in integrated natural resource management
(INRM) are likely to require much more social negotiation and
adaptation than are changes related to plant breeding, the dominant
discipline within the system of the Consultative Group on
International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). Conceptual models for
developing and delivering high-yielding varieties have proven
inadequate for delivering natural resource management (NRM)
technologies that are adopted in farmers' fields. Successful INRM
requires tools and approaches that can blend the technical with the
social, so that people from different disciplines and social
backgrounds can effectively work and communicate with each other.
This paper develops the "follow-the-technology" (FTT) approach to
catalyzing, managing, and evaluating rural technology change as a
framework that both "hard" and "soft" scientists can work with. To
deal with complexity, INRM needs ways of working that are adaptive
and flexible. The FTT approach uses technology as the entry point
into a complex situation to determine what is important. In this
way, it narrows the research arena to achievable boundaries. The
methodology can also be used to catalyze technology change, both
within and outside agriculture. The FTT approach can make it
possible to channel the innovative potential of local people that
is necessary in INRM to "scale up" from the pilot site to the
landscape. The FTT approach is built on an analogy between
technology change and Darwinian evolution, specifically between
"learning selection" and natural selection. In learning selection,
stakeholders experiment with a new technology and carry out the
evolutionary roles of novelty generation, selection, and
promulgation. The motivation to participate is a "plausible
promise" made by the R&D team to solve a real farming problem.
Case studies are presented from a spectrum of technologies to show
that repeated learning selection cycles can result in an
improvement in the performance of the plausible promise through
adaptation and a sense of ownership by the stakeholders.
© Thomson
43. Bridging the gap between private
landowners and conservationists.
James, S. M.
Conservation Biology
16 (1): 269-271. (2002)
NAL Call #:
QH75.A1C5; ISSN: 0888-8892
This citation is provided courtesy
of CAB International/CABI Publishing.
44. Broadening the basis for enhancing
biodiversity: A farmer's perspective.
Milne, Bruce
In: People and nature
conservation: Perspectives on private land use and endangered
species recovery/ Bennett, A.; Backhouse, G.; and Clark,
T.
Mosman, New South Wales,
Australia: Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales,
1995;
pp. 204-208.
Notes: ISBN: 0646245074; Conference: Australasian
Wildlife Management Society Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Victoria,
Australia,
December 1993
Descriptors:
human (Hominidae)/ animals/
chordates/ humans/ mammals/ primates/ vertebrates/ attitude/
biodiversity decline/ education/ ethics/ land degradation/ soil
erosion/ water pollution/ Behavior / Conservation / Education /
Human Ecology (Anthropology)/ Philosophy and Ethics/ Pollution
Assessment Control and Management/ Soil Science
© Thomson
45. Building forest wealth: Incentives for
biodiversity, landowner profitability, and value added
manufacturing.
Johnson, Kirk. and University of
Washington. Northwest Policy Center. Washington Forestry Working
Group.
Seattle, Wash.: The Center; 44 p.:
ill. (1995)
Notes: "January 1995." Includes bibliographical
references (p. 42-43).
NAL Call #: SD413.W2J64--1995
Descriptors:
Forest conservation---Economic
aspects---Washington State/ Forest landowners---Washington State/
Forest policy---Washington State
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
46. A case study for adopting the nitrate
chloride technique to improve irrigation and nitrogen practices in
farmers' fields.
Al Jamal, M. S.; Sammis, T. W.;
and Ball, S. T.
Applied Engineering in
Agriculture 17 (5): 601-610.
(Sept. 2001)
NAL Call #:
S671.A66; ISSN: 0883-8542
Descriptors:
chloride/ tracers/ irrigation
water/ infiltration/ furrow irrigation/ irrigation/ water use
efficiency/ nitrate nitrogen/ leaching/ pollution control/
groundwater pollution/ innovation adoption/ resistance to change/
technology transfer/ crop management/ crop yield/ lactuca sativa/
capsicum annuum/ field crops/ horticultural crops/ farmers'
attitudes/ New Mexico/ best management practices/ irrigation
efficiency/ deficit irrigation
Abstract: Groundwater contamination caused by
nitrate-nitrogen (NO3(-)-N) leaching through soils is becoming a
serious problem in the irrigated Mesilla Valley of southern New
Mexico. The greatest groundwater contamination probably results
from large amounts of nitrogen fertilizer being applied to
shallow-rooted, high-value vegetable crops (i.e., onion, lettuce,
and chile). The main objective of the study was to demonstrate to
farmers that a chloride tracer could be used to determine the
irrigation and nitrogen-use efficiency of their management system
and how decreasing nitrogen (N) inputs will affect profitability.
Five farmers (representing 60% of the farmers that are the
technology diffusion leaders in the county) were chosen as
innovative farmers who would transfer the technology to others. The
average estimated irrigation efficiencies obtained from the
farmers' fields were high, ranging from 87 to 97%. These
unexpectedly high irrigation efficiencies under furrow irrigation
were a result of the farmers practicing deficit irrigation due to
limited water resources. However, deficit irrigation resulted in
yields below maximum yield (considered to be near the average
county yield). The amount of NO3(-)-N leached ranged from 9 kg/ha
under fall lettuce to 152 kg/ha under chile. The 152 kg/ha obtained
from the chile fields had a calculated average N application
efficiency of 57%, resulting in an average NO3(-)-N concentration
greater than the maximum contamination level allowed for drinking
water of 10 mg/L. Although the NO3(-)-N leached below farmers'
fields was high, the farmers did not think it was their
responsibility to change management practices unless their profits
would increase. Farmers rejected the adoption of the technology
because they felt the costs outweighed the benefits. Consequently,
transfer of this technology to the farmers failed. The farmers
indicated that they would adopt the technology only if forced to by
a regulatory agency.
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
47. A Case Study of Changing Land Use
Practices in the Northern Great Plains, U.S.A.: An Uncertain Future
for Waterbird Conservation.
Higgins, K. F.; Naugle, D. E.; and
Forman, K. J.
Waterbirds 25 (2 [supplement]): 42-50.
(2002); ISSN:
1524-4695.
Notes: Managing Wetlands for Waterbirds: Integrated
Approaches.
Descriptors:
Land use / Habitat changes/
Agricultural practices/ Conservation/ Wildlife management/ Aquatic
birds/ Habitat/ Breeding sites/ Wetlands/ Agriculture/ Nature
conservation/ Ecosystem management/ Environmental protection/ Aves/
United States, Great Plains/ Birds/ mixed grass prairies/
Conservation/ Conservation, wildlife management and recreation/
Reproduction and development
Abstract: Wetland and grassland habitats of the
northern Great Plains are a primary breeding ground for waterbirds
in North America. Native mixed grass prairies that were
historically used for cattle grazing have met with changing social
and economic pressures that put the remaining 40% of this resource
at high risk of tillage. In this paper, we describe the current
state of our waning rural societies, characterize impacts of land
use change on waterbird habitats, and discuss conservation actions
to benefit waterbirds. Recent population statistics indicate that a
record number of farmers facing low commodity prices are selling
their farms and moving to urban centers for employment. Other
farmers are shifting from diversified agriculture to monoculture
grain farming to take advantage of farm programs that provide
incentives to bring marginal land into production. Additional data
indicate that concurrent changes in crop types have decreased
quality of farmland wildlife habitat while bigger and faster farm
equipment and genetically modified crops continue to make farming
marginal land less risky. Legislators and administrators should be
advised that waterbird habitat loss continues to expand westward.
The last chance to sustain the unique grassland-wetland character
of the northern Great Plains is to accelerate grassland
conservation with short- and long-term stewardship programs and
incentives to family ranchers. This philosophy is of vital
importance because it also protects wetland habitats that otherwise
are vulnerable to drainage when native prairie is converted to
cropland. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, this would conserve
our prairie heritage for future generations while preserving the
private property rights of landowners.
© Cambridge Scientific Abstracts
(CSA)
48. The Central Valley Water Project
Improvement Act and water markets: Water markets, individual
incentives, and environmental goals.
Howitt, R.
Choices 9 (1): 10-13. (1994)
NAL Call #:
HD1751.C45; ISSN: 0886-5558.
Notes: Comment by B.D. Gardner and J.E. Warner, p.
4-9. Includes references.
Descriptors:
water policy/ environmental
legislation/ trade/ externalities/ incentives/ water costs/
marketing/ objectives/ California
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
49. The change to conservation: Moving farmers
toward new production practices.
Caswell, M.
Agricultural Outlook
(AO) (No. 281): 32-34.
(2001)
NAL Call #:
aHD1751.A422
This citation is provided courtesy
of CAB International/CABI Publishing.
50. The choice of tillage, rotation, and soil
testing practices: Economic and environmental
implications.
Wu, J. J. and Babcock, B.
A.
American Journal of
Agricultural Economics 80 (3): 494-511. (Aug. 1998)
NAL Call #:
280.8-J822; ISSN: 0002-9092 [AJAEBA]
Descriptors:
farm management/ innovation
adoption/ decision making/ agricultural land/ environmental impact/
economic impact/ nitrogen fertilizers/ application rates/
conservation/ erosion/ tillage/ rotations/ agricultural regions/
crop management/ soil testing/ probabilistic models/ Nebraska/
polychotomous choice selectivity model
Abstract: Farmers' management practices can have a
significant effect on agricultural pollution. Past research has
analyzed factors influencing adoption of a single management
practice. But often adoption decisions about many practices are
made simultaneously, which suggests use of a polychotomous-choice
model to analyze decisions. Such a model is applied to the choice
of alternative management practices on cropland in the Central
Nebraska Basin and controlled for self-selection and the
interaction between alternative practices. The
results of the choice model are
used to estimate the economic and environmental effects of adopting
alternative combinations of management practices.
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
51. Combining actual and contingent behavior
data to model farmer adoption of water quality protection
practices.
Cooper, J. C.
Journal of Agricultural and
Resource Economics 22 (1):
30-43. (1997)
NAL Call #:
HD1750.W4; ISSN: 0162-1912
This citation is provided courtesy
of CAB International/CABI Publishing.
52. Combining spatial and survey data to
explain participation in agricultural land preservation
programs.
Lynch, L. and Lovell, S.
J.
Land Economics 79 (2): 259-276. (2003)
NAL Call #:
282.8-J82; ISSN: 0023-7639
This citation is provided courtesy
of CAB International/CABI Publishing.
53. A common vision: Evaluating the farming
industry's progress toward sustainability.
Forney, D. R.
Reviews in
Toxicology 2 (1-4): 303-314.
(1998); ISSN:
1382-6980.
Notes: Conference: Pesticides and the Future:
Minimizing Exposure of Humans and the Environment, Kisarazu
(Japan), 26-30 May 1997; Publisher: IOS Press, Van Diemenstraat 94
Amsterdam 1013 CN The Netherlands
Descriptors:
Environmental protection/
Environmental impact/ Agricultural pollution/ Agriculture/
Nature conservation/ Pollution control/ Resource conservation/
Sociological aspects/ Economics/ Sustainable agriculture/
Agrochemicals/ Agricultural practices/ Pollution/ Sustainable
development/ Resource management/ Research programs/
Environment management/ United States, Maryland/ United States,
Maryland, Chestertown, Chesapeake Farms/ sustainable farming/
Chesapeake Farms/ Prevention and control/ Environmental impact/
Environmental action/ Protective measures and control
Abstract: The Sustainable Agriculture Project at
Chesapeake Farms is a study of what is working in farming today -
technologies and practices born on both industrial and sustainable
farms to help ensure the industry's success. Many were created in
response to the negative impacts of industrial agriculture, paving
the way for social pressure and regulation to reshape the way
farming is done. There is an increased demand for the protection of
natural resources, safe food and water, and a commitment to social
issues. Sustainable agriculture addresses these demands by
considering its impact in the context of human, ecological, and
economic parameters. While sustainable agriculture is not yet
mainstream, a common vision for sustainability is moving the
industry as a whole in the right direction. This paper illustrates
how the Sustainable Agriculture Project at Chesapeake Farms
contributes to our knowledge and understanding of sustainability so
that we can effectively evaluate the industry's
progress.
© Cambridge Scientific Abstracts
(CSA)
54. Communication and adoption evaluation of
USDA water quality demonstration projects: Evaluation
report.
Nowak, Peter J. and United States.
Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension
Service.
Washiington, D.C.: Plant and
Animal Science Production, Protection, and Processing, CSREES/USDA;
iv, 43 p.: ill. (1 col.), col. map. (1997)
Notes: Cover title. "Both funding and technical
support were provided by USDA's Cooperative State Research,
Education, and Extension Service" ... [et al.]--P. ii. "October 22,
1997"--T.p. Includes bibliographical references (p.
42-43).
NAL Call #: aTD223.C662--1997
Descriptors:
Water quality management---United
States/ Farmers---United States---Attitudes
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
55. Communication and adoption evaluation of
USDA water quality demonstration projects: Executive
summary.
Nowak, Peter J.; United States.
Extension Service; United States. Natural Resources Conservation
Service; and United States. Farm Service Agency.
Washington, D.C.: Plant and Animal
Science Production, Protection, and Processing, CSREES/USDA; 5 p.
(1997)
Notes: Cover title. "The projects have been jointly
conducted by Cooperative Extension, the Natural Resources
Conservation Service, and the Farm Service Agency"--P. 2. "October
22, 1997"--P. [1].
NAL Call #: aTD223.C66--1997
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/wgwq/demoeval1.html
Descriptors:
Water quality management---United
States/ Farmers---United States Attitudes
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
56. Comparative differences in Ontario
farmers' environmental attitudes.
Filson, Glen C
Journal of Agricultural and
Environmental Ethics 6 (2): 165-184. ( 1993)
NAL Call #:
BJ52.5 .J68
Descriptors:
agricultural sustainability/
conservation/ education/ statistics
© Thomson
57. Comparison of perceptions and
implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) between IPM and
conventional farmers of greenhouse vegetables in northern
Greece.
Papadaki, Klavdianou Afroditi;
Tsakiridou, Efthimi; and Giasemi, Evangeli
Environmental
Conservation 27 (1): 36-42.
(2000)
NAL Call #:
QH540.E55; ISSN: 0376-8929
Descriptors:
human (Hominidae): farmer/
vegetable crops (Angiospermae)/ Angiosperms/ Animals/ Chordates/
Humans/ Mammals/ Plants/ Primates/ Spermatophytes/ Vascular Plants/
Vertebrates/ Common Agricultural Policy [CAP]/ advisory support/
environmental attitudes/ greenhouses/ integrated pest management
[IPM]: implementation, perceptions/ technical support
Abstract: Reform of the European Union's Common
Agricultural Policy (CAP), especially through Regulation 2078/92,
provided a dual role for farmers as food producers and stewards of
the environment and the countryside. Implementation of integrated
pest management (IPM) in greenhouse enterprises in Greece is a part
of this effort. In this study, the effectiveness of the adoption
and implementation of IPM practices in greenhouse vegetable
cultivation in Central Macedonia (Greece) was assessed. Eighty-six
farmers enrolled in an IPM programme and 28 conventional greenhouse
farmers were selected and interviewed in 1997, using a
questionnaire designed to assess their behaviour in the greenhouse
and examine their attitudes towards the environment. Wide adoption
of IPM was found still to face many hindrances, mainly due to the
lack of appropriate technical and advisory support by the
agricultural local services, and farmers' low level of knowledge of
IPM. Comparisons between IPM and conventional farmers revealed
that: (1) the two groups' behaviour did not differ significantly in
greenhouse production practices, but (2) IPM farmers were more
aware of the new environmental dimension of the CAP, and (3) they
expressed more concern about the negative effects of modern
agriculture on nature, than conventional farmers.
© Thomson
58. Conservation Reserve Program:
Cost-effectiveness is uncertain: Report to the Chairman,
Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug
Administration, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations,
House of Representatives.
United States, General Accounting
Office and United States, Congress House Committee on
Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture Rural Development Food
and Drug Administration and Related Agencies
Washington, D.C.: General
Accounting Office; 14 p. (1993)
Notes: Cover title. "March 1993." "GAO/RCED-93-132."
"B-252621"--P. 1. Includes bibliographical references. SUDOCS: GA
1.13:RCED-93-132.
NAL Call #: S604.6.U55--1993
http://archive.gao.gov/d44t15/148906.pdf
Descriptors:
Conservation Reserve
Program---United States/ Cost effectiveness/ Agricultural
conservation---United States
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
59. Conservation tillage and input
use.
Uri, N D
Environmental Geology 29
(3-4): 188-201. (1997)
NAL Call #:
QE1.E5; ISSN: 0943-0105
Descriptors:
agriculture/ conservation/
mathematical model/ pesticide use/ soil science/ tillage
Abstract: There continues to be a question as to
the overall effectiveness of conservation tillage practices in
reducing the impact of agricultural production on the environment.
While it is generally recognized that water runoff and soil erosion
will decline further, as tillage and mulch tillage systems are not
used more extensively on cropland, what will happen to pesticide
and fertilizer use remains uncertain. To gain some insight into
this, the conservation tillage adoption decision is modelled. On
the assumption that the decision to adopt conservation tillage is a
two-step procedure, the first decision is whether or not to adopt a
conservation tillage production system and the second concerns the
extent to which conservation tillage should be used - appropriate
models of the Cragg and Heckman (dominance) type are estimated.
Based on farm-level data on corn production in the United States
for 1987, the profile of a farm on which conservation tillage was
adopted is that the cropland had above-average slope and
experienced above-average rainfall, the farm was a cash grain
enterprise, and it had an above-average expenditure on pesticides
and a below-average expenditure on fuel and custom pesticide
applications. Additionally, for a farm adopting a no-tillage
production practice, an above-average expenditure was made on
fertilizer.
© Thomson
60. Conservation tillage in US
agriculture.
Uri, N D
Environmental
Technology 19 (10):
1017-1027. (1998)
NAL Call #:
TD1.E59; ISSN: 0959-3330
Descriptors:
agricultural production/ climate/
conservation tillage/ environmental impact/ policy factors/
resource management/ soil erosion/ soil type
Abstract: Conservation tillage was used on nearly
36% of planted hectares in 1996 in the United States. This level
has remained relatively unchanged since 1993. The use of
conservation tillage varies by crop and is dependent on
site-specific factors including soil type, topsoil depth and local
climatic conditions. A number of economic, demographic, geographic
and policy factors have affected the adoption of conservation
tillage. While it is not possible to quantify exactly the impact of
these factors, it is clear that management complexities and
profitability are key factors impeding the further adoption of
conservation tillage.
© Thomson
61. Conservation tillage research and
extension education in California.
Mitchell, J P; Miyao, E M;
McGiffen, M; and Cahn, M D
HortScience 36 (3): 472. (2001)
NAL Call #:
SB1.H6; ISSN: 0018-5345.
Notes: Conference: 98th Annual International
Conference of the American Society for Horticultural Science,
Sacramento, California, USA, July 21-25, 2001
Descriptors:
Education/ Soil Science/
California/ United States / North America/ Nearctic region/
conservation tillage/ research/ tillage method
Abstract: Despite a 300% increase in conservation
tillage (CT) acreage in the Midwest during the last decade, less
than 0.5% of row crop acreage in California is currently farmed
with CT practices (CT Information Center, 2000). Primary reasons
why CT approaches have not been more widely adopted in California
include lack of experience and information related to CT, limited
locally-available CT equipment, concerns about irrigation
management in surface residues, and the fact that planting bed
dimensions typically change from one rotation crop to the next.
Despite these concerns, however, there has been a well-documented
increase not only in interest in CT, but also in terms of CT
research and demonstration activities during the last five years
throughout California. Whereas in 1996 there was one CT
research/demonstration site in the state, there were upwards of
twenty in 2000. The Univ. of California's Division of Agriculture
and Natural Resources Conservation Tillage Workgroup has been
involved in many of these research and extension education efforts
and during the last five years has increased the number of its
members and affiliates from three to over 60 in 2000. Primary
incentives for evaluating CT options in California include cutting
production costs, improving soil quality, managing weed with
surface residues, and minimizing soil compaction. The extent to
which these goals might be realized in California's highly
productive and intensive row crop production valleys is the subject
of considerable ongoing research and innovation.
© Thomson
62. Constraints to the adoption of innovations
in agricultural research and environmental management: A
review.
Guerin, L J and Guerin, T
F
Australian Journal of
Experimental Agriculture 34 (4): 549-571. ( 1994)
NAL Call #:
23-Au792; ISSN: 0816-1089
Descriptors:
agriculture/ cost/
technology
Abstract: There are several constraints to the
adoption of technologies and innovations by Australian farmers.
Here an attempt has been made to define the major constraints to
adoption. These are identified as: the extent to which the farmer
finds the new technology complex and difficult to comprehend; how
readily observable the outcomes of an adoption are; its financial
cost; the farmer's beliefs and opinions towards the technology; the
farmees level of motivation; the farmer's perception of the
relevance of the new technology; and the farmer's attitudes towards
risk and change. The classical adoption-diffusion model and
subsequent modifications are discussed. In particular, issues
relating to the participatory action research (PAR) approach are
raised and discussed. In addition, methodologies in extension
research are briefly discussed and the roles of extension personnel
and agricultural scientists in the technology adoption process are
examined. The adoption of innovations in natural resource
management is discussed and the findings indicate that this is an
area of agriculture in which extension practice and research will
play an increasingly important role in the future. Recommendations
for further research into adoption of technological innovations in
resource management and agriculture are made.
© Thomson
63. Constructing a nitrogen fertilizer
recommendation system using a dynamic model: What do farmers
want?
Smith, J. U.; Dailey, A. G.;
Glendining, M. J.; Bradbury, N. J.; Addiscott, T. M.; Smith, P.;
Bide, A.; Boothroyd, D.; Brown, E.; Cartwright, R.; Chorley, R.;
Cook, S.; Cousins, S.; Draper, S.; Dunn, M.; Fisher, A.; Griffith,
P.; Hayes, C.; Lock, A.; Lord, S.; Mackay, J.; Malone, C.;
Mitchell, D.; Nettleton, D.; Nicholls, D.; and Overman, H.
Soil Use and
Management 13 (4): 225-228.
(1997)
NAL Call #:
S590.S68; ISSN: 0266-0032
This citation is provided courtesy of CAB International/CABI
Publishing.
64. Contract holders' preferences for the 1995
Food Security Act.
Fox, L.; Meyer, N.; and Greear,
J.
Bulletin - Idaho
Agricultural Experiment Station 773: 39. (1995)
NAL Call #:
100-Id14; ISSN: 0441-9855.
Notes: In the subseries: Idaho Conservation Reserve
Program. Includes references.
Descriptors:
conservation areas/ federal
programs/
program participants/ landowners/
demography/ regional surveys/ attitudes/ land use/ statistical
data/ microeconomics/ Idaho/ United States
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
65. The contribution of scenic beauty
indicators in estimating environmental welfare measures:
A case study.
Fanariotu, I. and Skuras,
D.
Social Indicators
Research 65 (2): 145-165.
(2004); ISSN:
0303-8300.
Notes: Number of References: 40
Publisher: Kluwer Academic
Publ
Descriptors:
Sociology & Anthropology/
contingent valuation/ forest fires/ forest landscape/ landscape
conservation/ scenic beauty estimates/ choice contingent valuation/
confidence intervals/ information/ preferences/ landscape/ impacts/
stands/ tests
Abstract: Aesthetic indicators of landscapes,
expressed as individual scenic beauty estimates, may be used as
proxies of individuals' specific aesthetic values, and improve the
properties of welfare estimates produced by contingent valuation
models. This work presents results from an interdisciplinary study
where forest scenic beauty indicators are utilized in an economic
valuation study approximating welfare estimates from increased
forest fire protection. The omission of scenic beauty indicators
from the economic valuation of environmental resources produces
biased and overestimated welfare measures. Combining economic and
environmental indicators significantly improves the explanatory
power of economic valuation models and of the produced welfare
measures. Such a combination, however, is only possible when
carried out by interdisciplinary research teams. The results of
such research are significant to environmental and natural resource
policy makers and planners.
© Thomson ISI
66. Control of Nonpoint Source Pollution
Through Voluntary Incentive-Based Policies:
An Application to Nitrate
Contamination in New York.
Peterson, J. M. and Boisvert, R.
N.
Agricultural and Resource
Economics Review 30
(2): 127-138. (2001)
NAL Call #:
HD1773.A2N6; ISSN: 1068-2805
Descriptors:
Government policies/ Environmental
economics/ Agricultural runoff/ Land use/ Pollution control/
Environmental quality/ Nonpoint pollution/ Nitrates/ Environmental
Policy/ Nonpoint Pollution Sources/ Water Pollution Control/ Corn/
Farms/ United States, New York/ Environmental action/ Water quality
control
Abstract: A voluntary program is developed to
achieve environmental goals through the self-interested choices of
farmers under environmental risk and asymmetric information.
Farmers behave to maximize expected net returns, and environmental
quality standards are formulated through chance constraints.
Because the government may not know each farmer's soil type, policy
options must be self-selecting. The model is applied empirically to
nitrate leaching and runoff from corn production in three New York
regions. Asymmetric information between producers and the
government would impose additional cost burdens on society, but
these costs are modest in the context of other farm
programs.
© Cambridge Scientific Abstracts
(CSA)
67. Controversy over CRP in Montana:
Implications for the future.
Saltiel, J.
Journal of Soil and Water
Conservation 49 (3):
284-288. (May 1994-June 1994)
NAL Call #:
56.8-J822; ISSN: 0022-4561 [JSWCA3]
Descriptors:
soil conservation/ federal
programs/ participation/ farmers' attitudes/ opinions/ regional
surveys/ Montana/ Conservation Reserve Program
This citation is from
AGRICOLA.
68. Correlates of plant nutrient use among
Ohio farmers: Implications for water quality
initiatives.
Napier TL and Sommers
DG