Adoption of Sustainable Farming Practices in the United States: A Study on Farmer Behavior
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47604/ija.2533Keywords:
Adoption, Sustainable Farming Practices, Farmer BehaviorAbstract
Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the adoption of sustainable farming practices in the United States: a study on farmer behavior.
Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries.
Findings: The study on the adoption of sustainable farming practices in the United States revealed that a significant number of farmers are increasingly adopting methods such as crop rotation, organic farming, and reduced use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, motivated by environmental concerns and economic incentives. However, barriers to adoption include the high initial costs and perceived risk of lower yields, which deter some farmers from fully committing to sustainable practices. Despite these challenges, there is a growing trend towards sustainability, supported by governmental incentives and an increasing market demand for organically produced goods.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Diffusion of innovations theory, theory of planned behavior (TPB) & social cognitive theory (SCT) may be used to anchor future studies on analyze adoption of sustainable farming practices in the United States: a study on farmer behavior. Agricultural extension services should develop specialized programs that focus on the practical benefits of sustainable practices, tailored to specific farming contexts and crops. Governments should consider offering financial incentives, such as subsidies or tax breaks, for farmers who adopt and maintain sustainable practices.
Downloads
References
Ajzen, I. (1985). From Intentions to Actions: A Theory of Planned Behavior. In J. Kuhl & J. Beckmann (Eds.), Action Control: From Cognition to Behavior (pp. 11-39). Springer.
Bandura, A. (1986). Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. Prentice-Hall.
Chang, S., Patel, D., & Gomez, M. (2021). Integrating GIS and Remote Sensing for Enhanced Resource Management in Sustainable Agriculture. Journal of Precision Agriculture, 22(3), 554-575.
Davies, R. (2022). "The rise of precision agriculture: Technology's role in sustainable farming." Journal of Agricultural Innovation, 34(2), 45-59.
Davis, F., & Thompson, L. (2022). The Role of Social Networks in the Adoption of Sustainable Agricultural Practices. Rural Sociology, 87(4), 645-668.
Dutch Ministry of Agriculture (2021). "Innovations in Sustainable Agriculture in the Netherlands." Retrieved from Government.nl
European Environmental Agency (2021). "Sustainability Practices in European Agriculture." Retrieved from eea.europa.eu
Evans, P., Rodriguez, H., & Martin, G. (2023). Market Demands and the Adoption of Sustainable Practices by Farmers. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 47(2), 213-238.
Italian Ministry of Agricultural, Food, and Forestry Policies (2021). "Organic Farming Statistics in Italy." Retrieved from ItalianAgriculture.it
Japan Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (2021). "Innovations in Sustainable Agriculture." Retrieved from maff.go.jp/en/
Johnson, A., Thompson, B., & Liu, C. (2019). Economic Outcomes of Sustainable Farming Practices: A Longitudinal Study. Journal of Agricultural Economics, 70(2), 402-420.
Jones, P., & others. (2022). "Effects of conservation tillage on soil health and crop productivity." Agricultural Practices and Research, 28(1), 112-130.
Lee, A., & Kumar, S. (2023). "Benefits of agroforestry in sustainable agricultural systems." Agroforestry Journal, 29(3), 234-248.
Martin, T., & George, D. (2021). "Economic impacts of organic farming in rural communities." Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 45(4), 310-326.
Rogers, E. M. (1962). Diffusion of Innovations. Free Press.
Scandinavian Agriculture Report (2021). "Sustainability in Scandinavian Agriculture: Trends and Policies." Retrieved from ScandinavianAgriTrends.org
Smith, J. R., & Lee, K. (2020). Psychological Barriers to Sustainable Farming: An Empirical Study of California Farmers. Agricultural Psychology Journal, 15(1), 34-56.
Smith, L., & Barbour, E. (2021). "Organic farming adoption: Factors influencing farmer decision-making." Environmental and Agricultural Insights, 22(6), 701-715.
Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (2021). "Water Management and Organic Farming Trends in Spain." Retrieved from MAFF.es
Sustainable Agriculture, France (2021). "France's Organic Farming Push." Retrieved from FrenchAgriCulture.gouv.fr
Thompson, R., & Jackson, M. (2021). "Community influence on sustainable agricultural practices." Rural Sociology, 66(2), 253-271.
Turner, J., & Patel, S. (2025). Environmental Impacts of Sustainable Practices in Arid Regions. Environmental Science & Technology, 59(5), 1101-1123.
UK Department of Agriculture (2021). "Future Farming: Agricultural Bill and Sustainability." Retrieved from UKgov.agriculture
Williams, R., & Zhao, Y. (2024). Assessing the Effectiveness of Federal Subsidies in Promoting Sustainable Agriculture. American Journal of Agricultural Policy, 39(1), 89-110.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 James Christopher
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
