Abstract:
Cover cropping is an agricultural practice that produces on-farm benefits while
contributing to broader public sustainability goals. However, cover crops have not been
widely adopted in the United States, while the barriers to farmer adoption of cover crops
have received little research attention. This study considers the relative importance of the
barriers that farmers overcome to adopt cover crops in North Carolina and identifies the
resources that enable successful adoption. We used an email survey of NC farmers to
gather quantitative data about cover crop use and preferences, supplemented by
qualitative interviews with experts on cover crop adoption. Our data show that farmers in
NC overcame three broad categories of challenges to adopt cover crops: agronomic, input
costs, and knowledge transfer. The level of these challenges varies depending on farm
size and income, age of farmer, farming experience, and whether information to plant
cover crops was obtained through extension, farmer networks, or private industry. Timing
for planting, in particular, challenges farmers regardless of their demographic
characteristics. We recommend a holistic policy approach that strengthens diverse
knowledge transfer networks, bolsters farmer incentives through existing cost-share
programs, and invests in applied research to develop varieties that better complement
common cash crop rotations.
