PSXII-15 Theory of planned behavior-based evaluation of technology adoption in dairy farms

Abstract

Abstract Studies on the adoption of farm innovations should include underlying psychological constructs that affect decisions and behavior of farmers such as intention, perceptions, and beliefs. Dairy farming technologies are continually evolving, making it necessary to review current farm practices frequently. Dairy farmers are actively exploring various alternative investment options to optimize production processes, minimize costs, and increase overall efficiency. However, careful evaluation is crucial to understanding the knowledge and attitude of farmers to these tools. We utilize psychological constructs from the theory of planned behavior approach to understand the technology adoption behavior of dairy farmers. The theory of planned behavior is a psychological model that explains how human behavior is influenced by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. We add product marketing as another essential component based on the industry relevance. The objective was to understand the adoption decisions and the perceived usefulness of precision technologies by dairy farmers in Texas. Dairy farmers were delivered printed copies of a pretested survey instrument to assess technology use, on-farm decisions, and producers’ planned behavior related to technology adoption on farms. Thirty-two completed surveys were returned and analyzed for descriptive and Structural Equation Modeling using Microsoft Excel and SAS (ver. 9.4). When choosing a technology, respondents ranked (on a scale of 1 to 5; unimportant to very important) the availability of local tech support as the most important factor (score 4.16; range 3 to 5), followed by proven performance through research (4.0; 3 to 5), simplicity of use (3.82; 3 to 5), benefit to cost ratio (3.66; 2 to 5), and total cost of investment (3.5; 1 to 5). Regarding barriers to investment decisions, 26% ranked lack of access to capital as a primary issue, followed by environmental regulations (12.5%), political environment (12.5%), and sitting regulations (12.5%). The intention of farmers to utilize the technology was influenced by farmers’ evaluation of the use of technology (attitude), their perceptions about the social pressure and marketing (subjective norm), and their perceptions about their utility on farmers (perceived behavioral control). The three most influential behavioral beliefs as the drivers of attitude were an increase in farm production and performance, monitoring cows, and labor savings. The three most influential normative beliefs were drivers of the subjective norm: family and friends, neighbors, and marketing. The three most influential control beliefs were drivers of perceived behavioral control: availability of local tech support, benefit-to-cost ratio, and simplicity and ease of use. Respondents indicate that having a standard price, reduced cost, and providing a detailed cost analysis when marketing the technology increases confidence in purchasing and integration. The findings suggest developing better products, ensuring reasonable pricing, and performing proper validations to enhance the farmer’s trust helps to increase technology adoption in dairy farms.