@article{Miller:125071,
      recid = {125071},
      author = {Miller, Steven R. and Abdulkadri, Abdullahi O. and Batie,  Sandra S. and Joshi, Satish V.},
      title = {Motivation, Barriers and Incentives for the Participation  of Livestock Operations in MAEAP},
      address = {2012-05},
      number = {1099-2016-89141},
      series = {Dept. of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics Staff  Paper Series},
      pages = {60},
      year = {2012},
      abstract = {The Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program  (MAEAP) is a voluntary environmental program (VEP)  initiated in 1999 by a coalition of state government  agencies and agricultural, environmental and conservation  groups in Michigan.  We survey Michigan livestock producers  and conduct discussion group sessions with state  environmental regulators to assess the incentives,  motivations, and barriers for participating in MAEAP.   Economic theory identifies two major motivations for firms’  participation in voluntary environmental programs:  ‘regulatory preemption’ and ‘signaling.’  Under a  ‘regulatory preemption’ scenario’, firms engage in  voluntary pollution reduction through VEPs to reduce the  risk of future regulations.  Under a ‘regulatory  preemption’ scenario’, theory posits that firm  participation will be greatest among those most likely to  be affected by anticipated future stringent regulations.   Survey findings suggested that producers anticipate future  expansion of stringent environmental regulation and  expected that MAEAP certified farms would be perceived and  treated as ‘environmentally’ more responsible.   Alternatively, DEQ officials appeared to view MAEAP using  the ‘regulatory pre-emption’ lens.  Regulators’ and  producers’ views were influenced by past political  maneuvering of the MAEAP program.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/125071},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.125071},
}