There is increased interest in cover crops on farms; those planted during the fallow period or in place of a cash crop to improve soil and water quality. Despite extensive research suggesting that the practice can enhance on-farm resilience, cover crop use is not widespread, especially across the dryland wheat-growing region of the USA inland Pacific Northwest. Cover crops are being promoted across this region as a means to improve agronomic conditions and farmer livelihoods. Yet, there is limited producer-centered social science research to understand the regional and field-level challenges associated with the practice. To address this gap, we draw from the diffusion of innovations theory to examine the perceived relative advantage (the degree to which cover crops are compatible with the current agricultural system), and trialability of cover crops. Trialability encompasses the relative complexity and observability of the practice. Interviews (n = 28) were conducted with producers to better understand perceptions on relative advantage and how cover crop characteristics may contribute to barriers to adoption. Based on the results from interviews, focus groups (n = 48) were conducted to explore potential avenues for improving the integration of cover crops into existing cropping systems. Analysis of interviews with dryland crop and livestock producers suggested that perceptions of low relative advantage, including low compatibility with common regional management systems, perceived lack of profitability and increased cost of inputs act as deterrents to cover crop integration. Low trialability was associated with the complexity of experimentation, a lack of directly observable results and inflexible regional policies. These perceptions were compounded by a lack of region-specific agronomic and economic information on cover crops. Analysis of focus groups with crop and livestock producers and agricultural stakeholders suggested that there are several opportunities to improve potential adoption strategies and improve perceptions of relative advantage and trialability. Understanding the unique management goals of producers within the environmental, social and economic context in which they operate will better inform regional policies, outreach and future adoption strategies.

中文翻译：

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利用创新扩散理论了解美国西北太平洋内陆地区农业生产者对覆盖种植的看法

对农场覆盖作物的兴趣增加；在休耕期间或代替经济作物种植以改善土壤和水质的作物。尽管广泛的研究表明这种做法可以提高农场的恢复力，但覆盖作物的使用并不普遍，尤其是在美国内陆太平洋西北地区的旱地小麦种植区。作为改善农艺条件和农民生计的一种手段，该地区正在推广覆盖作物。然而，只有有限的以生产者为中心的社会科学研究来了解与实践相关的区域和领域层面的挑战。为了解决这一差距，我们从创新扩散理论中汲取知识来检验感知的相对优势（覆盖作物与当前农业系统兼容的程度），和覆盖作物的可试验性。可试用性包括实践的相对复杂性和可观察性。采访（n= 28）与生产者一起进行，以更好地了解对相对优势的看法以及覆盖作物特性如何导致采用障碍。根据访谈结果，焦点小组（n= 48) 旨在探索将覆盖作物纳入现有种植系统的潜在途径。对旱地作物和牲畜生产者的访谈分析表明，相对优势低的看法，包括与共同区域管理系统的兼容性低、缺乏盈利能力和投入成本增加，阻碍了作物整合。可试验性低与实验的复杂性、缺乏直接可观察的结果和不灵活的区域政策有关。由于缺乏有关覆盖作物的特定区域的农艺和经济信息，这些看法更加复杂。对作物和牲畜生产者以及农业利益相关者的焦点小组的分析表明，有几个机会可以改进潜在的采用策略并提高对相对优势和可试验性的认识。了解生产者在其经营所在的环境、社会和经济背景下的独特管理目标将更好地为区域政策、外展和未来采用战略提供信息。