IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/lauspo/v116y2022ics0264837722000436.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How much is policy driving the adoption of cover crops? Evidence from four EU regions

Author

Listed:
  • Kathage, Jonas
  • Smit, Bert
  • Janssens, Bas
  • Haagsma, Wiepie
  • Adrados, Jose Luis

Abstract

EU agriculture is facing increasing expectations and pressure from society and policymakers to support environmental protection and climate change mitigation. Catch and cover crops (CCC) are an underused farming practice that can potentially contribute towards these goals. Previous research is sparse and has yielded few relevant insights into CCC adoption behaviour by farmers. In this study we analyse a dataset from farm surveys in four EU regions to better understand the role of policy and non-policy factors in CCC adoption. Our data suggests that adoption rates vary widely between regions, while farm adoption intensities are low. We find that policy is by far the strongest determinant of adoption rates and adoption intensities. CCC adoption patterns have been shaped mainly by the Nitrates Directive and the Common Agricultural Policy's greening requirements. Agronomic motives are a third but much weaker impetus for adoption. Environmental and climate change considerations do not play a significant role in farmers' adoption decisions. Most non-adopters would likely become adopters if stronger policy obligations or additional subsidies were implemented. Non-adopters‘ responsiveness to subsidies and willingness to accept is highly varied but only weakly predictable from easily observed farm characteristics.

Suggested Citation

  • Kathage, Jonas & Smit, Bert & Janssens, Bas & Haagsma, Wiepie & Adrados, Jose Luis, 2022. "How much is policy driving the adoption of cover crops? Evidence from four EU regions," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:116:y:2022:i:c:s0264837722000436
    DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2022.106016
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264837722000436
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.landusepol.2022.106016?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David Conner & Jennifer Miller & Asim Zia & Qingbin Wang & Heather Darby, 2016. "Conjoint Analysis of Farmers’ Response to Conservation Incentives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(7), pages 1-15, July.
    2. Chabé-Ferret, Sylvain & Subervie, Julie, 2013. "How much green for the buck? Estimating additional and windfall effects of French agro-environmental schemes by DID-matching," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 65(1), pages 12-27.
    3. Bergtold, Jason S. & Duffy, Patricia A. & Hite, Diane & Raper, Randy L., 2012. "Demographic and Management Factors Affecting the Adoption and Perceived Yield Benefit of Winter Cover Crops in the Southeast," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 44(1), pages 1-18, February.
    4. Stupak, Nataliya & Sanders, Jürn & Heinrich, Barbara, 2019. "The Role of Farmers' Understanding of Nature in Shaping their Uptake of Nature Protection Measures," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 301-311.
    5. Anita Wreford & Ada Ignaciuk & Guillaume Gruère, 2017. "Overcoming barriers to the adoption of climate-friendly practices in agriculture," OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers 101, OECD Publishing.
    6. Bijttebier, J. & Ruysschaert, G. & Hijbeek, R. & Werner, M. & Pronk, A.A. & Zavattaro, L. & Bechini, L. & Grignani, C. & ten Berge, H. & Marchand, F. & Wauters, E., 2018. "Adoption of non-inversion tillage across Europe: Use of a behavioural approach in understanding decision making of farmers," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 460-471.
    7. Erwin Wauters & Erik Mathijs, 2014. "The adoption of farm level soil conservation practices in developed countries: a meta-analytic review," International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 10(1), pages 78-102.
    8. François J Dessart & Jesús Barreiro-Hurlé & René van Bavel, 2019. "Behavioural factors affecting the adoption of sustainable farming practices: a policy-oriented review," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 46(3), pages 417-471.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Pirjo Peltonen-Sainio & Lauri Jauhiainen & Tuomas J. Mattila & Juuso Joona & Tony Hydén & Hannu Känkänen, 2022. "Pioneering Farmers Value Agronomic Performance of Cover Crops and Their Impacts on Soil and Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-18, July.
    2. Jantiene E. M. Baartman & Joao Pedro Nunes & Hedwig van Delden & Roel Vanhout & Luuk Fleskens, 2022. "The Effects of Soil Improving Cropping Systems (SICS) on Soil Erosion and Soil Organic Carbon Stocks across Europe: A Simulation Study," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-28, June.
    3. repec:ags:aaea22:335568 is not listed on IDEAS

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Meike Weltin & Silke Hüttel, 2023. "Sustainable Intensification Farming as an Enabler for Farm Eco-Efficiency?," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 84(1), pages 315-342, January.
    2. Wang, Tong & Jin, Hailong, 2024. "Impact of cost share programs on conservation practice adoption: A new perspective," 2024 Annual Meeting, July 28-30, New Orleans, LA 343974, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    3. Amer Ait Sidhoum & Carolin Canessa & Johannes Sauer, 2023. "Effects of agri‐environment schemes on farm‐level eco‐efficiency measures: Empirical evidence from EU countries," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 74(2), pages 551-569, June.
    4. Sawadgo, Wendiam & Plastina, Alejandro, 2021. "Do cost-share programs increase cover crop use? Empirical evidence from Iowa," ISU General Staff Papers 202101010800001084, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    5. Kreft, Cordelia & Huber, Robert & Wuepper, David & Finger, Robert, 2021. "The role of non-cognitive skills in farmers' adoption of climate change mitigation measures," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    6. Christian Stetter & Philipp Mennig & Johannes Sauer, 2022. "Using Machine Learning to Identify Heterogeneous Impacts of Agri-Environment Schemes in the EU: A Case Study," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 49(4), pages 723-759.
    7. Philippe Coent & Raphaële Préget & Sophie Thoyer, 2021. "Farmers Follow the Herd: A Theoretical Model on Social Norms and Payments for Environmental Services," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 78(2), pages 287-306, February.
    8. de Lauwere, Carolien & Slegers, Monique & Meeusen, Marieke, 2022. "The influence of behavioural factors and external conditions on Dutch farmers’ decision making in the transition towards circular agriculture," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    9. Dmytro Serebrennikov & Fiona Thorne & Zein Kallas & Sinéad N. McCarthy, 2020. "Factors Influencing Adoption of Sustainable Farming Practices in Europe: A Systemic Review of Empirical Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-23, November.
    10. Bernini, Cristina & Galli, Federica, 2024. "Economic and Environmental Efficiency, Subsidies and Spatio-Temporal Effects in Agriculture," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    11. Lawson Connor & Roderick M. Rejesus & Mahmut Yasar, 2022. "Crop insurance participation and cover crop use: Evidence from Indiana county‐level data," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(4), pages 2181-2208, December.
    12. Braito, Michael & Leonhardt, Heidi & Penker, Marianne & Schauppenlehner-Kloyber, Elisabeth & Thaler, Georg & Flint, Courtney G., 2020. "The plurality of farmers’ views on soil management calls for a policy mix," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    13. Bourceret, Amélie & Amblard, Laurence & Mathias, Jean-Denis, 2022. "Adapting the governance of social–ecological systems to behavioural dynamics: An agent-based model for water quality management using the theory of planned behaviour," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    14. Bartolini, Fabio & Vergamini, Daniele & Longhitano, Davide & Povellato, Andrea, 2021. "Do differential payments for agri-environment schemes affect the environmental benefits? A case study in the North-Eastern Italy," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    15. Uehleke, Reinhard & Petrick, Martin & Hüttel, Silke, 2022. "Evaluations of agri-environmental schemes based on observational farm data: The importance of covariate selection," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    16. Czajkowski, Mikołaj & Zagórska, Katarzyna & Letki, Natalia & Tryjanowski, Piotr & Wąs, Adam, 2021. "Drivers of farmers’ willingness to adopt extensive farming practices in a globally important bird area," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    17. Laure Kuhfuss & Raphaële Préget & Sophie Thoyer & Nick Hanley & Philippe Le Coent & Mathieu Désolé, 2016. "Nudges, Social Norms, and Permanence in Agri-environmental Schemes," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 92(4), pages 641-655.
    18. Mingyue Li & Jingjing Wang & Kai Chen & Lianbei Wu, 2020. "Willingness and Behaviors of Farmers’ Green Disposal of Pesticide Packaging Waste in Henan, China: A Perceived Value Formation Mechanism Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-18, May.
    19. Kumse, Kaittisak & Suzuki, Nobuhiro & Sato, Takeshi & Demont, Matty, 2021. "The spillover effect of direct competition between marketing cooperatives and private intermediaries: Evidence from the Thai rice value chain," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    20. Jean-Marc Blazy & Julie Subervie & Jacky Paul & François Causeret & Loic Guinde & Sarah Moulla & Alban Thomas & Jorge Sierra, 2020. "Ex ante assessment of the cost-effectiveness of Agri-Environmental Schemes promoting compost use to sequester carbon in soils in Guadeloupe," CEE-M Working Papers hal-02748634, CEE-M, Universtiy of Montpellier, CNRS, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:116:y:2022:i:c:s0264837722000436. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Joice Jiang (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/land-use-policy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.