{"id":2023,"date":"2018-03-26T14:11:25","date_gmt":"2018-03-26T14:11:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iawatercenter.wordpress.com\/?p=2023"},"modified":"2018-03-26T14:11:25","modified_gmt":"2018-03-26T14:11:25","slug":"the-iowa-nutrient-reduction-strategy-farmer-survey-tracking-changes-in-knowledge-attitudes-and-behaviors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iowawatercenter.org\/the-iowa-nutrient-reduction-strategy-farmer-survey-tracking-changes-in-knowledge-attitudes-and-behaviors\/","title":{"rendered":"The Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy Farmer Survey: Tracking Changes in Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors"},"content":{"rendered":"
Post written by\u00a0Laurie Nowatzke and J. Arbuckle<\/p>\n
The Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy (NRS) aims to reduce Iowa agriculture\u2019s nitrogen loss and phosphorus loss by 42 and 29 percent, respectively. A major component of the NRS is to encourage the voluntary adoption of conservation practices on Iowa farms. Practices that can reduce nitrogen and phosphorus loss include cover crops, nitrogen management, and perennial vegetation, among others.<\/p>\n
Decision and behavioral theory generally view awareness of a problematic situation and attitudes toward potential solutions as important predictors of behavior change. In tracking progress toward achieving NRS goals, we ask the questions: \u201cWhat are farmers\u2019 knowledge of and attitudes toward the NRS?\u201d and, \u201cHow do these factors affect the use of conservation practices?\u201d<\/p>\n
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, with support from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, is conducting a five-year survey of farmers to help track the progress of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy by examining trends in farmers\u2019 knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to nutrient loss reduction. At the Iowa Water Conference on March 20, 2018, in Ames, we will present analysis and highlights from the first three years (2015-2017) of the survey.<\/p>\n
Following an innovative \u201csemi-longitudinal\u201d structure, the project surveys two HUC6 watershed each year; one that was surveyed during the previous year, and one new one. Thus, each HUC6 watersheds is surveyed two years in a row to allow measurement of changes in farmers\u2019 knowledge, attitudes, and conservation practice use. A sample of farmers in the Iowa HUC6 is surveyed every year. By the end of the five-year survey, the majority of the state will have been surveyed, and two years of data will be available for all major HUC6 watersheds in Iowa (Figure 1b).<\/p>\n