BEYOND ADOPTION: THEORY AND EMPIRICS TO PREDICT AND UNDERSTAND THE SUSTAINED USE OF COVER CROPS BY AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS

Goal: Understand the factors that are associated with spatial and temporal variations in the persistence of agri-environmental practices.Supporting objectives:Quantify the effect of different elements of agricultural systems on the persistence of cover crop use.Quantify the effect of climate on the persistence of cover crop use.Quantify the effect of short-term assistance from agri-environmental programs for cover crop use on the persistence of cover crop use.Develop hypotheses about the mechanisms that mediate the effects on persistence from agricultural systems, climate, and agri-environmental assistance programs and develop a behavioral theory of persistence for agri-environmental practices.