Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

12-1-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Agricultural, Environmental, and Sustainability Sciences

First Advisor

Alexis Racelis

Second Advisor

Anna Erwin

Third Advisor

Xiangping Liu

Abstract

Reducing agriculture’s negative environmental impacts is crucial for mitigating climate change (White, 2021). Cover crops– non-cash crops grown to benefit subsequent cash crops– can slow erosion, improve soil health, enhance water availability, control pests, and increase biodiversity. Despite these benefits, adoption rates remain low, prompting the USDA and other organizations to fund research on increasing their use. Most studies focus on the Midwest and Northeast, and emphasize individual factors over the relationship between structural factors and individual factors that impact farmers’ decisions to adopt cover crops. This USDA-funded study begins to fill this gap by exploring social-ecological factors and how they converge to affect cover crop adoption in water-limited farms in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) of Texas. The lead author conducted 24 initial semi-structured interviews with farmers, extension staff, landowners, and crop insurance agents, followed by 4 follow-up interviews with select farmers. The interviews were supplemented by observations at farming events and a shared meals with farmers. Preliminary findings indicate that RGV farmers feel the national research on cover cropping may not be relevant, particularly for those without irrigation, highlighting unique institutional and ecological, regional challenges.

Comments

Copyright 2024 Mackenzie Feldman.

https://proquest.com/docview/3154674982

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