Nutrient Management and Edge of Field Monitoring Conference December 1-3, 2015 Memphis, TN

1. Moving the Needle on
Conservation Practice Adoption
Linda Stalker Prokopy, Ph.D.
Purdue University
benziecd.org

2. Natural Resource Social
Science Lab at Purdue
Surveys
Interviews
Literature reviews
Focus groups
Facilitated meetings

3. Overview
Problems:
– Picking a watershed
– Getting people engaged in watershed
management
– Reaching individual farmers
The Crux: Asking critical questions and
challenging assumptions

4. Problem 1: Picking a watershed
Assumption: Limited funds and can’t work
everywhere
Not all watersheds are created equal

5. 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

6. 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

7. Indian Creek, Illinois
Problem salience
Cohesive community
Minimal rented land
Small watershed
Dedicated staff
Photos: pantagraph.com; blogs.usda.gov

8. Problem 2: Getting People
Engaged
Assumption: Need to change status quo
Prokopy et al., 2014, Society and Natural Resources

9. Indian Creek, Illinois
Photo: ctic.org
Steering Committee
“everyone feels like they’re
part of it”

10. Indian Creek, Illinois
Steering Committee
Funding

11. 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. .”

12. 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

13. 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

14. Who do non-Extension ag advisors trust for climate information?
Distrust Trust
Prokopy,
Carlton, et al.,
2015, Climatic
Change

15. Problem 3: Reaching Individual
Farmers
Mark Tomer, ACPF image

16. social networks

17. 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.

18. 1982-2007: 55 U.S. Studies
Overall Finding:
– Very few generalizable trends
However 
Age

19. 1982-2007: 55 U.S. Studies
Overall Finding:
– Very few generalizable trends
However 
Farm size

20. 1982-2007: 55 U.S. Studies
Overall Finding:
– Very few generalizable trends
However 
Environmental
attitudes

21. 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

22. 1982-2007: 55 U.S. Studies
Overall Finding:
– Very few generalizable trends
However 

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. Diffusion of Innovations (Rogers)
Early
Majority
34%
Late
Majority
34%
Early
Adopters
13.5%
Innovators
2.5%
Laggards
16%
x - 2sd x - sd x x + sd
knowledge persuasion implementation confirmationdecision

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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?

31. Contact Information:
Linda Prokopy
lprokopy@purdue.edu
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~lprokopy/
@lprokopy
Photo credit: nasa.gov
Questions?