An exploration of preferences for soil health practices in potato production

Abstract

Given the renewed interest in promoting healthy soils in agricultural production via practices such as cover crops, decreased fumigations, or biological fertilizers, this article explores U.S. potato farmers' preferences for soil health-related production practices. We conduct a discrete choice experiment (DCE) under which hypothetical practices varied based on their effect on pests, fertilizer requirements, irrigation needs, additional soil testing/education, and expected net returns. Surveys were deployed to potato growers using convenience sampling online—through practitioner journals—and in person—at industry meetings. Standard descriptive statistics of the sample are presented and the DCE experiment was analyzed using a mixed multinomial logit model. Results suggest that when considering a new practice, farmers are highly sensitive to changes in net returns (p ​< ​0.001), and somewhat responsive to changes in fertilizer requirements, irrigation, and pests (p ​< ​0.01). However, potato growers appear indifferent to changes in workload, education, or soil testing requirements. While potato growers’ responses to the survey suggest they are highly concerned with soil health, conventional practices (e.g., 2–3 years rotations, standard tillage, fumigation) are still common. Additionally, we find that complexity in implementation, uncertainty in economic benefits, and capital constraints are the most common barriers to adopting novel soil health practices.