@article{Wachenheim:284163,
      recid = {284163},
      author = {Wachenheim, Cheryl J.},
      title = {Landowner Conservation Attitudes and Behaviors: A Focus on  the Conservation Reserve Program},
      address = {2019-02-26},
      number = {1186-2019-847},
      series = {Agribusiness and Applied Economics Report No. 786},
      month = {Feb},
      year = {2019},
      abstract = {Today, the most widely-implemented land retirement program  is the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), initiated with  the passage of the Food Security Act of 1985 and  reauthorized in all subsequent farm bills. It is a  voluntary, long-term cropland diversion program under  management of the United States Department of Agriculture  (USDA). Under contract, environmentally-sensitive land is  voluntarily set aside in exchange for financial and  technical assistance for ten or fifteen years. This paper  investigates attitudes among Prairie Pothole Region  landowners regarding conservation programs including the  Conservation Reserve Program, factors important in  conservation practice adoption and program participation  decision making, and awareness of and participation in  conservation programs. A strong majority of respondents  supported landowner decision making on the use of private  lands and compensation for choices benefiting the  environment, and two-thirds agreed that current  conservation programs are effective. Program-specific  factors most important in the choice of conservation  program participation included payment level and income  guarantee. Maintenance requirements, ease of administration  process, contract length and cost of converting land use  were also considered important. Less important overall was  land use flexibility, although this was important to those  raising grazing livestock. Non-contract factors were also  reported to be important including program effect on soil  quality and erosion control, water quality, consistency  with landowner views on land use, wildlife population, air  quality, and weed pressure. Most respondents reported being  satisfied with the CRP as it is currently employed,  particularly the ease of administration, contract length,  how rules are enforced, cost share, and maintenance  requirements. Two-thirds reported being satisfied with  permitted land-use options and 57% with the payment rate.  Sixty-two percent of landowners agreed that practices  required under the terms of CRP are a good fit for their  land in the long run, although agreement was lower among  livestock owners. Approximately half agreed that technical  assistance provided by NRCS is adequate and that USDA  requirements to enhance CRP covers to maintain long-term  benefits to wildlife are reasonable. Only one-quarter of  respondents agree that CRP rules are consistently enforced  and that penalties for violations of CRP contract terms are  excessive. Factors influencing attitudes include ownership  of grazing livestock, participation in a conservation  organization, CRP history, previous rejection of CRP  contract bid, and working off farm. Thirteen percent of  respondents with current CRP contracts would not re-enroll  their land. Sixty-four percent would re-enroll all of their  land or more. Among those that would not reenroll all land,  the most common explanation for this was that they could  earn better profits by growing crops.  Thirty-eight percent  of respondents have hayed or grazed their CRP-enrolled land  during the last ten years. For the average respondent, the  appropriate percentage reduction in annual payment if  farmers were allowed to regularly graze or hay their CRP  acres was 21.1%. Forty-two percent indicated a zero payment  reduction was appropriate; 77% indicated a reduction of 25%  or less. },
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/284163},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.284163},
}