Modeling Farmers' Decision to Use Conservation Tillage and Genetically Modified Soybean Seed in a Joint Framework

Based on the structure of the theoretical model, econometric models are developed to empirically estimate factors that affect adoption of the two technologies and to derive the implications of these decisions on input usage. Results of these models did not support the hypothesis that the two technologies were affected by the same unobserved variables. They revealed that farmers with a graduate education were less likely to adopt Roundup ReadyRTM soybean compared to other farmers. Adoption of this technology also leads farmers to use herbicides mixtures that are less damaging to the environment. On the other hand, No-till adoption was not found to lead to the use of more environmentally damaging herbicides. Meanwhile, there was no conclusive evidence that any of the two technologies was labor-saving as hypothesized. There was also little evidence that the adoption of GR soybean affected the use of No-till.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Agricultural and Consumer Economics

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Epouhe, Onesime Faustin

Contributors dc:contributor

• Nelson, Charles H.

• Economics, Agricultural

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI3301131

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/82993