Texas Beef Cattle Producers' Behavioral Intention to Adopt Recommended Stocking Rates: Implications for Water and Land Quality

Water has a significant role in society, whether through human consumption or agricultural use. The Lavaca River Watershed is an agricultural community affected by nonpoint source pollution, and water quality protection is of high concern. Often, beef cattle operations are linked to nonpoint source pollution which contaminates surrounding water sources. If proper grazing management practices are not used, wastes from the operation impair water quality in the area. Landowners must use proper stocking rates and implement practices to benefit land and water quality in addition to overall operation profit. In an effort to combat these water quality issues, this study measured the effect of knowledge of stocking rates and awareness of the Natural Resources Conservation Services and Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board on behavioral intention to adopt grazing management practices. A regression analysis found three items, based on county appraisal district recommendations, based on calculated grazeable acres, and household income from agriculture production , to have the most variance on Lavaca County landowner intention to adopt grazing management practices