Researching the Effectiveness of Agricultural Programs: An Analysis of Conservation Engagement in Four Great Lakes Watersheds

Abstract

Agricultural producers in the Great Lakes Basin have received over $100 million from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for agricultural conservation practices intended to influence on-farm decision making and improve water quality. The data presented in this report is one component of a GLRI-funded project using socio-economic analytics to evaluate the effectiveness of those federal incentives. The project uses multiple indicators of success to better understand obstacles and opportunities for enhancing on-farm decision-making to improve water quality. The results summarized here identify ways to improve future conservation program investments that better account for the needs of the local farming populations, and their unique motivations and constraints.