ATTITUDES AND ECONOMIC VARIABLES AFFECTING CONSERVATION RESPONSE IN NORTH FLORIDA (FARMING

A total of 145 farmers in North Florida were personally interviewed to (1) identify economic and noneconomic variables which could encourage and/or discourage use of conservation measures; (2) determine factors that influence efficiency of adoption decisions; (3) predict probabilities of adopting conservation measures and efficiency of adoption decisions; and (4) estimate the farmers' minimum threshold level of cost share for using conservation practices.;The major hypothesis tested was that conservation practices are also a consumption good affected not only by economic but also by noneconomic forces. A qualitative response model with a zero/one dependent variable, 1--for users and 0--for nonusers, was used to test the hypothesis.;The logit analysis showed that attitudes were indeed on a par with economic phenomenon in affecting adoption. Important attitudinal variables were stewardship (STWSP), attitudes toward farming (FWL); expectation of the economic future of farming (FUTUR); perception of the gravity of the erosion problem (GREP); attitudes on government's intervention in controlling erosion (GOVT); and attitudes on profit maximization (PRFIT). These were found to complement economic factors such as farm size (AC83), age (AGE), and area devoted to row crops (PCTOC), in governing adoption of conservation practices.;The size of cost share desired was also heavily influenced by attitudinal characteristics of farmers. In addition to economic variables such as PCTOC and NATI, the desired cost share was significantly affected by STWSP, FWL, attitudes toward risk (RISK), attitudes toward technology (TECH), and the conservation ethic (ETHIC).;Farming experience and consultation with the Soil Conservation Service were important in enhancing the efficiency of adoption decisions. Users of practices were willing to accept lower cost shares than what is currently provided, but nonusers wanted more to participate. As such, shifting cost shares from users to nonusers might prove to be more cost efficient. Cost sharing strategy would only be effective if it is carried out in consort with a program designed to influence values, ethics and attitudes towards conservation and the need to be a stronger steward of the land.