Analysis of soil management and water conservation practices adoption among crop and pasture farmers in humid-south of the United States

Nutrient management, water quality protection, and irrigation efficiency top the list of on-farm resource concerns indicating a need to address them through conservation strategies. A suite of Best Management Practices (BMPs) has been identified and recommended, through several outlets, to farmers to ameliorate these concerns. This research examines the adoption of strategies that ameliorate the resource concerns as a joint decision, using a bivariate model. Data from the 2016 Nutrient Management Survey, conducted by the Louisiana Master Farmer Program, are used to examine the factors affecting adoption of these conservation practices. A bivariate probit regression found significant results for explanatory variables and emphasize the effect of perception regarding the role of on-farm practices, ownership of land, participation in conservation programs in the past, and producers educational attainment on the likelihood of adopting the conservation practices. Implications for policy development and educational programs are discussed.