Ted L. Napier

Preferred sources and channels of soil and water conservation information among farmers in three midwestern US watersheds

Abstract This research examines farmers’ use of various sources and channels of conservation information in three midwestern US watersheds. A primary objective was to determine perceptual and farm structure factors influencing the use of particular information sources for farm-level decision-making. Data were collected from 1011 farm operators, the Maquoketa River watershed in east-central Iowa, the Lower Minnesota River watershed in southeast Minnesota, and the Darby Creek watershed in central Ohio. Respondents were asked to indicate frequency of use for 22 sources of conservation information identified from the literature and to rank the perceived importance of 11 of the most common communication channels for accessing agricultural information. Factor analysis was used to reduce the number of information sources to a smaller set of variables that explained much of the variance of the original data set. Selected elements of diffusion, risk communication, and farm structure theories were used to interpret the factor loadings and to identify predictors of information use. Regression analysis was used to test the communication source models developed for the overall data set and for each state. Descriptive findings revealed that farmers use multiple sources and channels when accessing soil and water conservation information. Substantial differences in information-use patterns were noted among the study watersheds. The results of the factor analysis showed that the 22 information sources could be categorized into six overarching groups based on their intercorrelation. The regression models were shown to vary widely in their predictive capacity, explaining from 1 to 29% of the total variance in source use. The variability noted among farmers’ information-use patterns and perceptions across the three study areas casts doubt on the value of broad-based or “shotgun” approaches for delivering agricultural information. The use of factor analysis has promise in future studies as a valuable tool for developing empirical measures of information use and improving measurement of key theoretical constructs in agricultural communication.

Factors affecting acceptance and continued use of soil conservation practices in developing societies: a diffusion perspective

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to examine social, economic and institutional factors which affect the adoption of soil conservation practices in developing societies. The traditional diffusion model is discussed in the context of its utility for facilitating adoption of soil conservation at the farm level. Factors discussed are as follows: awareness of soil conservation practices; potential impacts of adoption; attributes of the innovation; relevance of soil conservation practices; and institutional barriers to adoption. It is concluded that institutional barriers will be the most difficult barriers to remove in developing societies.

The social, economic and institutional factors affecting adoption of soil conservation practices: the Asian experience

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to discuss social, economic and institutional factors affecting adoption and continued use of soil conservation practices at the farm level in Asia. Macrosocial factors discussed are population pressure on land resources, poverty, land tenure and national development policies. Microsocial factors selected for examination are awareness of conservation practices, access to information systems, profitability of soil conservation practices, and value orientations of land operators. It is concluded that programs designed to facilitate adoption of soil conservation practices at the farm level in Asia must address macrosocial factors as well as microsocial factors or they will probably not be successful. Specific recommendations for the development of intervention strategies are presented.

Determinants of perceived agricultural chemical risk in three watersheds in the Midwestern United States

Abstract Recent epidemiologic research on the relationship between agricultural chemical use and human health has focused on possible risks to both farmers and nonfarm publics through such avenues as airborne chemical drift and contamination of drinking water. While agricultural chemical use has been defined as a public health issue, decisions about applying chemicals are made primarily by individual farmers who consider not only highly publicized health and environmental risks but also potentially severe economic risks of not using chemicals for production of food and fiber. The critical decision-making role played by farmers relative to agricultural chemical use creates a need for accurate information on their perceptions of various chemical-related hazards and the factors that may influence such judgments. Understanding farmers’ perceptions toward agricultural chemical risk is essential to formulate effective risk-mitigation programs and policies and to target educational and technical assistance programs that encourage sound chemical practices at the farm level. This paper reports findings from a study of 1011 farm operators in three Midwestern watersheds in Ohio, Iowa, and Minnesota to assess their perceptions of risk associated with use of agricultural chemicals. A theoretical model developed from components of social learning, risk perception, and farm structure theories is used to identify predictors of agricultural chemical risk. Findings show that farmers in the three watersheds do not view agricultural chemical use as a serious health or environmental hazard. Regression findings provide partial support for the theoretical model. The statistical models explained from 30 to 37% of the variance in farmers’ risk perceptions in the three study watersheds. Findings are discussed in the context of developing future education/information programs in the three watersheds.

Factors affecting use of conservation farming practices in east central Ohio

Abstract Data were collected from 371 farmers in east central Ohio to assess how attitudes, personal characteristics, and farm structure factors influence use of soil conservation practices at the farm level. A diffusion-farm structure model was used to guide the study. The findings revealed that the theoretical perspective had limited utility for predicting use of several farming practices evaluated in the study. The best predictors were farm structure variables, which suggests that structural conditions of the existing farming system in the US are significant considerations in the decision making process concerning the selection of specific farming practices. The implications of the study findings for future soil and water conservation efforts in the US are discussed.

Willingness of land operators to participate in government-sponsored soil erosion control programs

Abstract Data were collected in 1986 from 552 landowners who were operating farms in erosion-prone areas of six Ohio counties. The purpose of the study was to identify predictive factors associated with willingness to participate in two types of soil conservation programs. Willingness to participate in an interest buy-down program was assessed using a three item index which evaluated support for the proposed conservation program. Willingness to sell private row-cropping rights to the federal government for permanent retirement of erosive land from agricultural production was also assessed. Multivariate regression analyses were used to examine the merits of a diffusion-farm structure perspective developed to guide the study. The findings revealed that 21.9% of the variance in the buy-down index and 21.5% of the variance in the purchase of the row-cropping rights factor were explained by the variables included in the model. The findings were basically consistent with theoretical expectations. Diffusion-type variables were shown to be the best predictors of willingness to participate in the government programs assessed.

Factors Associated with Illegal Drug Use in Rural Georgia.

Data assessing the extent of illegal drug use were collected in the spring of 1981 from 2,060 junior and senior high school students living in a rural county in southern Georgia. The sample consists of 83.2 percent of all students in grades 8 through 12 in the county. Only students absent from the public schools at the time the questionnaires were administered were excluded from the analyses. A private school in the county with less than 5 percent of all students refused to participate in the study. The study findings are basically consistent with research expectations. It was revealed that the respondents participated extensively in illegal drug use. Approximately 76.7 percent of the respondents indicated they had consumed alcohol at least once, 41.0 percent had tried marijuana at least once, 64.5 percent had tried cigarettes at least once, 16.0 percent had tried amphetamines at least once, and 12.2 percent had tried barbiturates at least once. The frequency of each illegal drug was regressed against selected independent variables and the findings revealed that ten variables explained 41.4 percent of the variance in alcohol use, eleven variables explained 57.3 percent of the variance in marijuana use, eight variables explained 28.7 percent of the variance in cigarette use, seven variables explained 30.4 percent of the variance in amphetamine use, and eight variables explained 35.7 percent of the variance in barbiturate use.

Adoption of nutrient management techniques to reduce hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract Data were collected from 1011 land owner-operators within three watersheds located in the North Central Region of the USA to examine use of selected water protection practices. A theoretical model developed from selected components of the traditional diffusion paradigm and the farm structure model was used to predict adoption and use of conservation practices at the farm level within the study watersheds. Study findings revealed that factors commonly purported to be highly correlated with adoption of conservation production systems were not useful for predicting use of conservation production practices assessed. The production practices examined in the study were percent of cultivated fields surrounded by grass filter strips, percent of waterways in cultivated fields protected by grass, use of banded fertilizer, use of side dressing of fertilizer, and use of nitrification inhibitor. Study findings revealed that the theoretical model developed to guide the study was relatively ineffective for predicting adoption of the conservation practices assessed in the study. None of the statistical models developed from analysis of study data explained more than nine percent of the variance in any of the conservation practices assessed. Research findings suggest that existing conservation programs are no longer useful policy instruments for motivating land owner-operators to adopt and use production systems designed to reduce agricultural pollution of waterways.

An Assessment of the Influence of Peer Association and Identification on Drug Use among Rural High School Students.

Data were collected in 1981 from 4,859 junior and senior high school students living in two counties in southern Georgia to examine the relationship of peer group influence and psychosocial identification with the frequency of drug use. Information regarding the type and extent of drug use was collected from the students as well as peer group relationships and psychosocial identification with various groups. These data provided the opportunity to examine the merits of a theoretical perspective developed from selected components of differential association and differential identification theories. The regression analyses revealed that eighteen variables explained 72.2 percent of the variance in soft drug use (4 variables explained 68.4 percent) while nine variables explained 62.6 percent of the variance in hard drug use (4 variables explained 61.4 percent). The findings basically support the theoretical perspective as stated.

Adoption of soil conservation practices by farmers in erosion‐prone areas of Ohio: The application of logit modeling

Abstract Data were collected from land operators in erosion‐prone areas of six counties in Ohio to examine the factors that affect adoption of soil erosion control practices. A theoretical perspective was developed from selected components of diffusion and farm structure models. The study findings revealed that the theoretical perspective created for the study was inadequate to predict adoption behaviors examined. Respondents indicated that conventional tillage practices were most frequently used while soil conservation practices were seldom used. It was concluded that existing voluntary soil conservation programs will probably be ineffective until the costs of pollution become significantly higher.