Factors affecting nutrient application rates within three Midwestern watersheds

ABSTRACT:

Data were collected in the winter of 1998 and spring of 1999 from 1,011 agriculturalists who were operating farms within watershed in three Midwestern states to examine the merits of a social learning theory-farm structure model for explaining variability in fertilizer applications rates. Study findings revealed that the theoretical perspective used to guide the investigation bad limited utility for predicting nutrient application rates at the farm level. Variables commonly purported to predict fertilizer use were shown not to be useful for explaining fertilizer application rates when nutrient rates were measured as bushels of grain produced per pound of nutrient applied per acre. Study findings are discussed in the context of existing intervention programs designed to reduce fertilizer application rates at the farm level.