Awareness and pro-active adoption of surface water BMPs

• Cost-share awareness was not found to influence the probability of adopting BMPs.
• Business plans and low farm debt levels increased nutrient management adoption.
• Experience and education level increased streambank fencing adoption.
• Pasture acres and spring grazing decreased filter strips adoption.
• Extension education increases the probability of BMP adoption.

Beef cow operators were surveyed to determine the effect of cost-share awareness and farm management characteristics on the adoption of surface water best management practices (BMPs) in a state without defined BMPs. Results demonstrated that farm management characteristics determined nutrient management adoption, farm characteristics determined filter strip adoption, and human capital and farm characteristics played the largest role with streambank fencing adoption. Cost-share awareness was not found to increase the probability of adopting any BMPs and Extension education was found to positively and significantly increase the adoption of all three BMPs.