Projects

Cornbelt-wide Qualitative Farmer Assessment of Adaptive Management

US Cornbelt agroecosystems are the aggregated result of thousands of individual land-use decisions, which influence and are influenced by economic policy.  In light of emerging and dynamic drivers of agroecosystem change (e.g., policy reform, environmental dilemmas, increased uncertainty and extreme weather), the resilience of these systems will be dependent upon how farmers respond to these changing conditions.

Farmer Perspectives on Ecosystem Service Management, Land-Use Targeting, and the Future of Cornbelt Agriculture

This project is investigating farmer’s perspective on targeted conservation.  Targeted conservation refers to the use of science-based techniques such as remote sensing and analysis of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to locate places on the land that are most vulnerable to soil erosion and water quality impairments. Because targeting focuses efforts on areas that are most in need of conservation, this approach is seen as a way to improve the environmental benefits of agricultural landscapes without taking large amounts of land out of production.

Great Plains Agroforestry: Evaluation of Bioenergy Feedstock and Carbon Sequestration as Potential Long-Term Revenue Streams to Diversify Landowner Income

This project will evaluate the potential of agroforestry plantings to provide bio-based feedstock, income, investment, and carbon sequestration opportunities in four Great Plains states.  Focus groups and surveys will provide practical feedback on relevance of data for adoption, practices, and education material content and focus.

Socio-economic-environmental willingness of producers and farmers to adopt new cropping systems in light of climate risk

This project's social and economic research is focused on economic assessment of corn-based cropping systems and gaining knowledge of farmer beliefs and concerns about climate change, their attitudes toward adaptative and mitigative strategies and practices, and what support farmers need to make decisions.

Socioeconomic Dynamics Associated with Integrating Perennial Vegetation into Midwestern Agricultural Landscapes

The demands on agricultural lands in the US Midwest are at an all time high and increasing – food, fiber, fuel and ecosystem services are sometimes complimentary yet often competitive components in the array of societal expectations regarding our farm landscapes.