Factors Influencing a Farmer's Decision to Invest in Long-Term Conservation Improvements

Abstract

This investigation considers factors affecting the investment in long-term conservation improvements during the 1980s. A sample of 541 Kansas farms was used to investigate the effects of various factors on the probability and expected level of conservation investment. The results suggest differences in farm sizes, incomes, and types and farming practices influence conservation investment decisions. Farmers whose farms are corporately organized make larger conservation investments. Farmers who are older invest less in conservation. Participation in government programs does not affect the investment in long-term conservation improvements. Conservation investment fell dramatically throughout the 1980s.