Agricultural Producer Motivations for Adopting Conservation Practices for Wildilife and Water Quality in Iowa and Indiana

Adoption of conservation practices varies between landowners and between different states in the Midwestern U.S.. While conservation practices can address multiple environmental issues within the Mississippi River Basin, which practices and reasons why they are adopted may differ within the Basin. We investigate the likelihood of adoption of eight conservation practices in two Indiana and Iowa watersheds that address water quality and wildlife conservation and how adoption may change due to climate change. Preliminary findings suggest a difference in practice adoption between the two watersheds but the reasons why practices are adopted are similar. The purpose of our research is to couple data from human dimensions research with biological, chemical, and physical data to determine how land use may change nutrient loads in the watershed and how to accomplish future water quality standards.