Non-operator and farm operator landowner interest in agroforestry in Missouri

Abstract

Farmers are increasingly conflicted between maintaining the integrity of the land and trying to succeed in a competitive market place. Agroforestry may offer opportunities, but awareness of the various practices is very limited, and little is known of what motivates their interest. Five practices are modeled using Logit regressions pooling two data sets of non-operator landowners and farm operators from two regions in Missouri. Attitudinal, structural, and physical characteristics are modeled. Lifestyle attitude increases the likelihood of interest in all practices, excluding windbreaks. A conservative attitude lowers the likelihood of interest in all except windbreaks. Accumulator attitude was not significant. Own knowledge of the practice increases the likelihood of interest overall. Physical characteristics increased likelihood in alley cropping, windbreaks, silvopasture and forest farming. Age decreased it in alley cropping, windbreaks, and forest farming. Education was positive only in silvopasture. Advice was positive in all except riparian buffers and silvopasture.