prokopy - moving the needle on conservation practices

Moving the Needle on

Conservation Practice Adoption

Linda Stalker Prokopy, Ph.D.

Purdue University

benziecd.org

Natural Resource Social

Science Lab at Purdue

Surveys

Interviews

Literature reviews

Focus groups

Facilitated meetings

Overview

Problems:

– Picking a watershed

– Getting people engaged in watershed

management

– Reaching individual farmers

The Crux: Asking critical questions and

challenging assumptions

Problem 1: Picking a watershed

Assumption: Limited funds and can’t work

everywhere

Not all watersheds are created equal

Where Programs Succeed

• Paid watershed staff

• Active conservation groups

• Inter-agency trust and collaboration

• Problem salience and awareness

• “Basic” BMPs already adopted

• Some farmers are conservation leaders

Babin et al., In Press, Land Use Policy

Indian Creek, Illinois

Since 2011, over 50% of land is now in

some form of conservation

Images: ctic.orgIndian Creek research funded by Illinois Soybean Association

Indian Creek, Illinois

Problem salience

Cohesive community

Minimal rented land

Small watershed

Dedicated staff

Photos: pantagraph.com; blogs.usda.gov

Problem 2: Getting People

Engaged

Assumption: Need to change status quo

Prokopy et al., 2014, Society and Natural Resources

Indian Creek, Illinois

Photo: ctic.org

Steering Committee

“everyone feels like they’re

part of it”

Indian Creek, Illinois

Steering Committee

Funding

Indian Creek, Illinois

Steering Committee

Funding

Engagement of retailers

“bringing industry into it. . Farmers listen to ag retailers. . It’s their own people they’ve been working with. .”

Partnerships in Indian Creek

“Back to the issue of what do I see as being the key

elements for success? Good working relationships

amongst all of the various entities that can be involved.

And that includes the fertilizer chemical dealers, the

fertilizer chemical association, the various AG groups

and organizations, the fertilizer supply companies…all

the way up and down through the food chain…for the

AG suppliers. And, locally here in the watershed, we’ve

had a very good buy-in amongst the various

organizations… Partnerships and buy-in” – Fertilizer

Dealer

Q: Please indicate how influential the following groups and individuals are when you make decisions about agricultural practices and strategies

Results from a 2012 survey of Midwestern corn producers conducted by Useful to Usable (U2U) and SustainableCorn.org

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Strong Influence

Moderate Influence

Slight Influence

No Influence

No contact

Prokopy et al. 2014. Purdue Extension Publication FNR-488-W; Davidson et al. 2015, Journal of Environmental Quality

Who do non-Extension ag advisors trust for climate information?

Distrust TrustProkopy,

Carlton, et al.,

2015, Climatic

Change

Problem 3: Reaching Individual

Farmers

Mark Tomer, ACPF image

social networks

1982-2007: 55 U.S. Studies

looked at BMP adoption

Meta-analysis results published in Prokopy et al., 2008, Journal of Soil and Water Conservation and Baumgart-Getz, Prokopy, Floress, 2012, Journal of Environmental Management.

1982-2007: 55 U.S. Studies

Overall Finding:

– Very few generalizable trends

However

Age

1982-2007: 55 U.S. Studies

Overall Finding:

– Very few generalizable trends

However

Farm size

1982-2007: 55 U.S. Studies

Overall Finding:

– Very few generalizable trends

However

Environmental

attitudes

Attitudes

Three types of farmers:

- motivated by farm as business

- motivated by stewardship concerns

- motivated by off-farm environmental benefits

Reimer, Thompson, Prokopy, 2012, Agriculture and Human Values

1982-2007: 55 U.S. Studies

Overall Finding:

– Very few generalizable trends

However

Q: Please indicate how influential the following groups and individuals are when you make decisions about agricultural practices and strategies

Results from a 2012 survey of Midwestern corn producers conducted by Useful to Usable (U2U) and SustainableCorn.org

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Strong Influence

Moderate Influence

Slight Influence

No Influence

No contact

Prokopy et al. 2014. Purdue Extension Publication FNR-488-W; Davidson et al. 2015, Journal of Environmental Quality

Do formal networks work?

Study of participants in Adapt-N and On

Farm Network in Indiana

Longer participation = more reports of

changing nitrogen rates and practices

BUT

– the participating farmers were already higher

performing than other farmers

– the participating farmers did not talk to others

about what they learned

Practice Characteristics also

Important

Focus on:• Raising awareness of on-

farm and financial benefits

• Environmental benefits• Compatibility with

current farm practices

Reimer, Weinkauf, Prokopy, 2012, Journal of Rural Studies

Indiana Prairie Farmer

Diffusion of Innovations (Rogers)

Early Majority

34%

Late Majority

34%

Early Adopters

13.5%

Innovators

2.5%

Laggards16%

x - 2sd x - sd x x + sd

knowledge persuasion implementation confirmationdecision

What motivates maintenance?

Local networks – being connected to

community groups

– Social norm towards BMP maintenance?

Sense of ownership is important

– Hesitancy to participate in government

programs leads to longer term maintenance

Adam Baumgart-Getz, Ph.D. Dissertation, 2010

Early Adopters of Cover Crops

Likely to keep using:

– Years of experience

– Believe trial and error effective means of

learning

– Supportive landlords

Likely to discontinue: self-funders

Dunn et al., In Press, Journal of Soil and Water Conservation

Takeaways

• Initially select watersheds with greater

chance of success

• Still need trusted innovators to adopt

• Partner with trusted advisors

• Think about maintenance

• How can practice be compatible with

ongoing practices?

• Explore formal networks

• Understand local context and issues

Additional Considerations

Information is necessary but not sufficient

– How disseminate?

Demonstration projects?

Internet?

Twitter?

Money is necessary but not sufficient

We must challenge assumptions, i.e.

– Does citizen science change behaviors?

– Do recognition programs for leading farmers

change behaviors?

Contact Information:

Linda Prokopy

lprokopy@purdue.edu

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~lprokopy/

@lprokopy

Photo credit: nasa.gov

Questions?