Farmers' Participation in Conservation Programs and Practices

FARMERS’ PARTICIPATION IN CONSERVATION PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES

A range of conservation programs support farmers’ use of more environmentally sustainable farming practices, yet the impact of these programs is limited because only a small percentage of farmers participate. Our interdisciplinary team studied the interplay between structural social and economic barriers, ecological system dynamics, household level decision-making and institutional networks to identify the factors that support and constrain Midwest crop farmers’ use of conservation practices.