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Farmer selection of sources of information for nitrogen management in the US Midwest: Implications for environmental programs

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  • Stuart, D.
  • Denny, R.C.H.
  • Houser, M.
  • Reimer, A.P.
  • Marquart-Pyatt, S.

Abstract

Nitrogen fertilizer has increased crop yields, but in many regions inefficient use has also resulted in water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Attempts to address these environmental issues focus on education and the adoption of more efficient practices. To understand why inefficient use of nitrogen fertilizer persists, scholars have examined factors influencing management decisions including sources of information. Drawing from personal interviews and a mail survey of corn farmers in the Midwest region of the United States, this study goes beyond research that identifies what sources of information are important and examines how different sources are weighed and combined, why some sources are more influential than others, and what organizations and individuals farmers trust given the many private and public sources of information available. We find that most farmers combine several different sources of information to guide their nitrogen fertilizer decisions, private sector sources are highly influential, and that seed and fertilizer suppliers have successfully established trust with farmers through individual relationships with salespeople and crop consultants. These findings suggest that education programs to address environmental degradation associated with nitrogen fertilizer may be more successful if they involve input suppliers.

Suggested Citation

  • Stuart, D. & Denny, R.C.H. & Houser, M. & Reimer, A.P. & Marquart-Pyatt, S., 2018. "Farmer selection of sources of information for nitrogen management in the US Midwest: Implications for environmental programs," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 289-297.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:70:y:2018:i:c:p:289-297
    DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2017.10.047
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Johansson, Robert & Effland, Anne & Coble, Keith, 2017. "Falling Response Rates to USDA Crop Surveys: Why It Matters," farmdoc daily, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, vol. 7, January.
    2. Ribaudo, Marc & Delgado, Jorge & Hansen, LeRoy T. & Livingston, Michael J. & Mosheim, Roberto & Williamson, James M., 2011. "Nitrogen in Agricultural Systems: Implications for Conservation Policy," Economic Research Report 118022, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    3. McBride, William D. & Daberkow, Stan G., 2003. "Information And The Adoption Of Precision Farming Technologies," Journal of Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics Association of Georgia, vol. 21(1), pages 1-18.
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    Cited by:

    1. Matthew Houser & Ryan Gunderson & Diana Stuart & Riva C. H. Denny, 2020. "How farmers “repair” the industrial agricultural system," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 37(4), pages 983-997, December.
    2. Nathan J. Shipley & William P. Stewart & Carena J. Riper, 2022. "Negotiating agricultural change in the Midwestern US: seeking compatibility between farmer narratives of efficiency and legacy," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(4), pages 1465-1476, December.
    3. Doll JE & Ulbrich TC & Reimer AP, 2020. "Biologicals The New Green Revolution or Snake Oil for Ag Reflections from Agricultural Stakeholders," Agricultural Research & Technology: Open Access Journal, Juniper Publishers Inc., vol. 25(1), pages 40-43, September.
    4. Matthew Houser, 2022. "Does adopting a nitrogen best management practice reduce nitrogen fertilizer rates?," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(1), pages 79-94, March.
    5. Kristina Beethem & Sandra T. Marquart-Pyatt & Jennifer Lai & Tian Guo, 2023. "Navigating the information landscape: public and private information source access by midwest farmers," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 40(3), pages 1117-1135, September.
    6. Yoder, Landon & Houser, Matthew & Bruce, Analena & Sullivan, Abigail & Farmer, James, 2021. "Are climate risks encouraging cover crop adoption among farmers in the southern Wabash River Basin?," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    7. Pan, Dan & Zhang, Ning & Kong, Fanbin, 2021. "Does it matter who gives information? The impact of information sources on farmers’ pesticide use in China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).

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