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Understanding barriers and opportunities for adoption of conservation practices on rented farmland in the US

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  • Ranjan, Pranay
  • Wardropper, Chloe B.
  • Eanes, Francis R.
  • Reddy, Sheila M.W.
  • Harden, Seth C.
  • Masuda, Yuta J.
  • Prokopy, Linda S.

Abstract

Agricultural conservation programs often focus on farm operators when promoting conservation practices. However, much of U.S. farmland is owned by landowners not directly involved in farm operations. Rental arrangements on these lands can dis-incentivize the adoption of conservation practices that could improve soil health, water quality, and land values. To date, agricultural conservation policy has largely ignored the role of non-operating landowners (NOLs) and rental arrangements. We help improve the evidence-base for policy by identifying barriers to adoption of conservation practices on rented farmlands. Analysis of forty interviews with NOLs, operators, farm managers and university extension personnel in Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana revealed five categories of barriers: cash rent lease terms, rental market dynamics, information deficits/asymmetries, cognitive/interpersonal, and financial motivations. Some barriers, such as risk aversion and farm aesthetics were expressed by both NOLs and operators, while other barriers, such as status quo bias and annual renewal of leases were only expressed by NOLs and operators, respectively. To overcome barriers to conservation, interviewees recommended improving communication between NOLs and operators and modifying cash rent lease terms in order to build in flexibility for equitable sharing of risks and rewards. Agricultural conservation programs could readily apply these results—possibly working with intermediaries (e.g., farm managers, lawyers)—to offer communication and lease tools and assistance to NOLS and operators. Future research should evaluate the efficacy of these conservation interventions and how intermediaries affect the balance of power between NOLs and operators.

Suggested Citation

  • Ranjan, Pranay & Wardropper, Chloe B. & Eanes, Francis R. & Reddy, Sheila M.W. & Harden, Seth C. & Masuda, Yuta J. & Prokopy, Linda S., 2019. "Understanding barriers and opportunities for adoption of conservation practices on rented farmland in the US," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 214-223.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:80:y:2019:i:c:p:214-223
    DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2018.09.039
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Peggy Petrzelka & Sandra Marquart-Pyatt, 2011. "Land tenure in the U.S.: power, gender, and consequences for conservation decision making," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 28(4), pages 549-560, December.
    2. Meredith J. Soule & Abebayehu Tegene & Keith D. Wiebe, 2000. "Land Tenure and the Adoption of Conservation Practices," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 82(4), pages 993-1005.
    3. Bigelow, Daniel & Borchers, Allison & Hubbs, Todd, 2016. "U.S. Farmland Ownership, Tenure, and Transfer," Economic Information Bulletin 262138, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
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    11. Bruce, Analena B. & Farmer, James R. & Giroux, Stacey & Dickinson, Stephanie & Chen, Xiwei & Donnell, Michael O. & Benjamin, Tamara J., 2022. "Opportunities and barriers to certified organic grain production on rented farmland in the U.S. Midwest state of Indiana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    12. Yushi Chen & Xinhong Fu & Yuying Liu, 2022. "Effect of Farmland Scale on Farmers’ Application Behavior with Organic Fertilizer," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-16, April.
    13. Burnett, J. Wesley & Szmurlo, Daniel & Callahan, Scott, 2024. "Farmland Rental and Conservation Practice Adoption," Economic Information Bulletin 341821, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    14. Lili Chen & Hongsheng Chen & Chaohui Zou & Ye Liu, 2021. "The Impact of Farmland Transfer on Rural Households’ Income Structure in the Context of Household Differentiation: A Case Study of Heilongjiang Province, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-20, April.
    15. Tong, Jingyi & Bartalotti, Otavio C. & Zhang, Wendong, 2024. "Institutional Land Ownership and Conservation Practice Adoption in the US Midwest," 2024 Annual Meeting, July 28-30, New Orleans, LA 343808, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    16. Raelin Kronenberg & Sarah Lovell & Bhuwan Thapa & Christine Spinka & Corinne Valdivia & Michael Gold & Sougata Bardhan, 2023. "Survey of Missouri Landowners to Explore the Potential of Woody Perennials to Integrate Conservation and Production," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-17, October.
    17. Kelemen, Eszter & Megyesi, Boldizsár & Matzdorf, Bettina & Andersen, Erling & van Bussel, Lenny G.J. & Dumortier, Myriam & Dutilly, Céline & García-Llorente, Marina & Hamon, Christine & LePage, Annabe, 2023. "The prospects of innovative agri-environmental contracts in the European policy context: Results from a Delphi study," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    18. Ennea Fairchild & Peggy Petrzelka, 2022. "Landownership and power: reorienting land tenure theory," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(3), pages 997-1006, September.
    19. Matthew M. Smith & Gary Bentrup & Todd Kellerman & Katherine MacFarland & Richard Straight & Lord Ameyaw, 2022. "Agroforestry Extent in the United States: A Review of National Datasets and Inventory Efforts," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-17, May.
    20. Tianshu Quan & Weiguo Jia & Tianli Quan & Yuyun Xu, 2024. "Impact of Farmers’ Participation in the Transformation of the Farmland Transfer Market on the Adoption of Agricultural Green Production Technologies," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-23, September.

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