Journal ofAgribusiness 17,2(Fall 1999): 149-160 0 1999 Agricultural Economics Association of Georgia Factors Affecting Conservation Practice Behavior of CRP Participants in Alabama

This study examines the factors that affect conservation practice choices of CRF’ farmers in Alabama. From over 9,000 contracts enrolled in the state between 1986 and 1995, 594 were randomly selected for the study. A multiple-regression analysis was employed to analyze the data. Results indicate that education, ratio ofcropland in CRP, farm size, gender, prior crop practice, and geographic location of contract had a significant influence:on the choice of conservation practice adopted. Key Words: conservation practices, Conservation Reserve Program, CRF ’ con-tracts, cost share, erodible cropland, grass practice, land retirement, tree practice Previous land retirement programs were designed to compensate farmers for taking cropland out of production in order to reduce excess food production. For example, the Soil Bank program was established in 1956 to turn cropland from production to a conserving use, while the Payment-In-Kind (PIK) program was established in 1983 to set aside 50 % ofcropland base. However, the voluntary nature and economic con-ditions surrounding these programs forced much of the land back into production. Nevertheless, the experience gained through such precursor land programs was help-ful in shaping the current Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). CRP was designed to accomplish the dual objectives of controlling soil erosion and reducing overproduction capacity (Knutson, Penn, and Boehm). Introduced as a component of the 1985 farm bill, the CRP targeted to remove from production highly erodible croplands and, at the same time, to reduce excessive soil loss for at least a lo-year period. Under CRP, landowners may retire cropland to trees, perma-nent wildlife habitat, permanent introduced grasses and legumes, permanent nativ