Factors affecting farmers' use and rejection of banded pesticide applications

• Published in: Journal of soil and water conservation Vol. 51; no. 4; pp. 322 - 329
• Main Authors: RIKOON, J. S, CONSTANCE, D. H, GELETTA, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ankeny, IA Soil and Water Conservation Society 01.07.1996; Soil & Water Conservation Society
• Subjects: adopcion de innovaciones; adoption de l' innovation; agriculteur; agricultores; Agricultural innovations; Agricultural policy; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Application; band placement; Biological and medical sciences; calidad del agua; coaccion; constraints; contrainte; decision making; encuestas; enquete; environmental protection; epandage en bande; esparcimiento en fajas; farm management; Farmers; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gestion de l' exploitation agricole; herbicidas; herbicide; herbicides; innovation adoption; manejo de fincas; methode; methods; metodos; Pesticide application; Pesticides; prise de decision; proteccion ambiental; protection de l' environnement; qualite de l' eau; recursos hidricos; ressource en eau; Social aspects; Soil erosion, conservation, land management and development; Soil science; surveys; toma de decisiones; Water conservation; water quality; water resources; United States; North America; America; Missouri; Agricultural chemical product; Farm surveys; Pesticides; Water conservation; Sociocultural environment; Herbicide; Rejection; Chemical treatment; Placement; Conservation tillage; Application method; Adoption; Chemical weed control; Field study
• ISSN: 0022-4561; 1941-3300

This article addresses farmers' decisions to try using banded herbicide applications as well as factors that affect whether or not trial attempts are then extended to regular usage. The data is drawn from a total of 722 person-to-person interviews held in 16 Missouri counties, including 75 longer semi-structured interviews within three watersheds. The group of farmers who have tried banding operate significantly larger corn and soybean acreages, and have statistically higher levels of gross sales, education, knowledge of pesticides, and ability to apply their own chemicals. Logistic regression analysis suggests college education, certification as a private applicator, and gross sales as the three variables most likely to predict experimentation. Maintenance of the practice following initial use, however, is negatively related to farm size, and positively related only to gross sales and certification. Logistic regression analysis suggests only gross sales as significantly increasing the odds of adoption. The qualitative research reveals that obstacles with adoption for trial users center largely around difficulties of locating custom applicators for banding, the time and labor required for cultivation, and the ripple effects of banding-related tasks on other aspects of operator farming systems. In essence, banding satisfies farmers' desires to reduce pesticide use and protect water quality, but as a practice it is very difficult to incorporate into individual farming systems.