Site‐Specific Crop Management: Adoption Patterns and Incentives

Abstract

Abstract This article examines the current level and likely trends in adoption of a variety of technologies for site‐specific crop management in four north‐central states. It also explores the extent to which farmers are jointly adopting multiple components. Technology adoption theories are applied to rationalize the observed selectivity in adoption. Farmer responses reveal that uncertainty in returns due to adoption, high costs of adoption, and lack of demonstrated effects of the advanced site‐specific technologies on yields and input‐use are some of the major reasons for current low rates of adoption and for the piecemeal approach to site‐specific crop management.