Trouble in the Air: Farmers' Perception of Risk, Self-Efficacy, and Response Efficacy Regarding Herbicide Drif

Glyphosate-tolerant crops were introduced for farmers in 1996, making weed management easier and more economical. However, some weeds have become resistant to glyphosate and a soybean farmer could lose about $22 per acre in yields because of reduced glyphosate effectiveness in their fields (Fernandez-Carnego & Osteen, 2015). New soybean varieties with tolerance to either 2,4-D or dicamba herbicides became available for farmers to control glyphosate-resistant weeds; however, these herbicides volatilize more easily than glyphosate, creating more drift potential during certain weather conditions. Research on herbicide drift has focused on risk mitigation for applicators to reduce or avoid drifting to non-target crops or areas (Wolf & Frohberg, 2002, Ozkan, et al., 1993), literature on the human element of drift, such as crop damage from herbicide drift, was limited.;This study was a sequential exploratory, mixed-method research design (Creswell & Plano-Clark, 2010) that explored farmers' perception of risk, self-efficacy, and response efficacy toward possible crop damage from herbicide drift. To provide descriptive data, focus groups were conducted with a randomized sample of grain and specialty crop farmers in four Ohio counties. This qualitative data was used to create questions for a survey as the quantitative data collection. The surveys were sent to a randomized sample of grain and specialty crop farmers in 20 Ohio counties. Protection motivation theory (PMT) was the framework used to describe farmers' perceptions of risk, self-efficacy, and response efficacy.;The study began comparing farmers raising grain or specialty crops; however, mixed crop farmers emerged as a well-identified group who raised both types of crops and had different descriptions of interacting with neighbors. Their diversity of cropping systems affected the perspectives of farmers in this study and warrant further research.;The grain crop farmers had the lowest perception of risk, and the highest and response efficacy. With a low threat appraisal and a high coping appraisal, grain crop farmers may not be motivated to mitigate risk; they are confident in their ability to handle the new technology. Conversely, mixed and specialty crop farmers had higher perceptions of risk, with lower self-efficacy and response efficacy. They had a lower coping appraisal, which indicated more apprehension in handling risks associated with the new technology. Because of their coping appraisal, these farmers may be resigned to having no control of the outcome when the new technology is used and are not motivated to engage in protective behaviors. The Ohio Sensitive Crop Registry (OSCR) emerged as a communication tool for the farmer groups to encourage risk mitigation and crop protection. Risk communication strategies can utilize the descriptions of the farmers' perceptions to motivate usage of OSCR and other risk mitigation techniques to reduce crop damage.;The baseline information about farmers' perceptions about herbicide drift provided in this study will be used to promote further research in this often conflict-laden phenomenon. The study also showed how PMT could provide an effective framework for agricultural communicators to create communication strategies and conduct research in perceptions toward agricultural practices.