A spatial analysis of high and low farmer participation in the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Technical Assistance program in West Virginia

Abstract

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is a federal agency that provides financial and technical assistance to farmers to aid them with soil and water conservation. NRCS offers no-fee technical assistance and conservation planning through the Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) program, which encourages farmers to engage in voluntary conservation practices without financial incentives. As part of a wider study evaluating farmer participation in the CTA program in West Virginia, and NRCS’s organizational capacity to deliver it, a spatial modeling process was adapted to identify the sample population. This CTA program participation spatial modeling process utilized applied CTA practice points to conduct hot spot analyses, exploratory regression, ordinary least squares regression, geographic weighted regression, and land use analysis in a progressive manner to identify high and low farmer participation in the CTA program at the county level. The purpose of this paper is to explain and discuss that process and how the results were used to acquire a more comprehensive empirical data set, consisting of local interviews and mail survey data, for investigating the many factors that influence participation. Results had the added benefit of finding possible areas for NRCS outreach to underserved farmers. We contend this spatial modeling process uses readily available data sets and easily replicable techniques that contribute a relevant and robust method for soil and water conservation research in general and is highly applicable to other government and nongovernmental conservation programs that seek to identify communities for outreach.