Modeling likelihood of farmer participation in the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Technical Assistance program in West Virginia

Abstract

Food and fiber production on America’s farmlands have a major influence on the environment, rural economies, and healthy communities. Therefore, soil and water conservation practices are critical. Nonetheless, research has shown there are few, if any, universal factors that influence farmer conservation practice adoption. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has provided no-fee technical assistance for nearly 100 years through the Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) program, which encourages farmers to engage in voluntary conservation practices without financial incentives. However, in recent years, funding for CTA, which supports NRCS staffing levels and training, has remained relatively flat. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to determine the factors that influence farmer participation in the CTA program. Given the need for more comprehensive theoretical approaches in the literature, a holistic theory of change that contemplates individual and institutional factors was developed based on the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach and Community Capitals Framework (CCF). This theoretical model was used to develop and test hypotheses. Data from a mailed questionnaire were quantitatively analyzed to assess farmer motivations and barriers to participation. Results showed informal training, acreage, land use, viewing the farm as a monetary investment, cost-benefit analysis, income, and the role of NRCS staff as educators to be positive motivators, while culturally driven factors, such as the desire for tidy-looking landscapes, are potential barriers. Future research should continue to refine this theoretical model while also investigating the influence of social groups, farmer and nongovernmental organizational trust levels, peer lending circles, and institutional factors such as NRCS organizational capacity in greater detail.