Ranjan, PranayChurch, SarahArbuckle, J. GordonArbuckle, J. G.Gramig, BenjaminReeling, CarsonProkopy, Linda2021-02-262021-02-262020-03-01https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/handle/20.500.12876/98879<p>The following report documents the results and implications for the study, “Conversations with non-choir farmers: Implications for conservation adoption”. We conducted 10 in-person focus groups with farmers (IN=5; IA=3; IL=2) and three online focus groups with non-operating landowners (NOLs) who own land in Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa. This research sought to answer the following research questions:</p> <p>1) What are viable strategies beyond what WFF is currently investing in to promote agricultural practices that that reduce nutrient runoff?</p> <p>2) How and under what conditions can policies help to change farmer and landowner behavior? What are potential barriers, particularly resistance from the agricultural sector?</p> <p>3) What do Corn Belt farmers think about the limits to voluntary conservation? Do they see a need to think beyond voluntary conservation?</p> <p>4) What suggestions do Corn Belt farmers have for how to motivate wide-spread adoption of conservation practices to improve water quality?</p> <p>5) How could new policies and incentives be tied to existing funding streams (e.g., Farm Bill) or other financial incentives?</p> <p>The focus group questions were designed to foster participants’ discussions of their perceptions on seven topics related to the research questions: 1) regulation; 2) conservation barriers; 3) market-based policies; 4) conservation targeting; 5) motivations for widespread conservation adoption; 6) communication networks; and 7) certification programs and private sector funding for conservation. The following pages include data from the 13 focus groups – 10 with farmers and 3 with NOLs. We conclude with implications of our findings.</p>articleisulib-bepress-aws-west101618884310soc_las_reports/16https://doi.org/10.31274/soc_las_reports-20200813-0Agricultural and Resource EconomicsDemography, Population, and EcologyRural SociologyUniversity Extension