Perceived Benefit and Cost Perception Gaps between Adopters and Non-Adopters of In-Field Conservation Practices of Agricultural Producers

Farmers’ willingness to adopt conservation practices is influenced by their perceptions of the practices. Differences in point toward potential educational and outreach strategies that may be employed promote adoption. The purpose this study was assess perception gaps between adopters non-adopters for continuous no-tillage, crop rotations, cover crops, variable-rate application inputs. Using primary survey data from Kansas agricultural producers, we evaluated differences regarding economic, agronomic, environmental, management outcomes through descriptive statistic mean separation tests. Practice adoption ranged 29% inputs 69% rotations. On average, perceived increases yields net returns each practice compared non-adopters. Perceptions about other factors varied practice, but benefits tended higher adopters. Similarly, disadvantages (e.g., cost, increased needs) lower among Overall, both environmental adopting Our findings adoption, such as extension share more relevant localized economic information build upon joint