Cattle producers were surveyed to determine their adoption rates and reasons for non-adoption of 16 best management practices. Potential reasons for non-adoption included unfamiliarity, non-applicability, high cost, still considering adoption, and preference not to adopt. The two most commonly cited reasons for non-adoption were unfamiliarity and non-applicability of the practice. Results highlight the importance of educational efforts in encouraging adoption, as well as farm type and financial situation of the farmer. Copyright 2007 International Association of Agricultural Economists.

The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) on water pollution was investigated with both semiparametric and parametric models using watershed level data for the state of Louisiana, USA. The parametric model indicated the turning points within the range $10241–$12993, $6636–$13877, and $6467–$12758 for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and dissolved oxygen (DO), respectively. However, only the parameters associated with N EKC were found to be significant. Model specification tests rejected parametric models in favor of semiparametric specification for P but not for N and DO. Copyright Springer 2005environmental Kuznets curve, fixed and random effects, parametric and semiparametric models, water pollution, watershed, turning points, C14, C33, O13, Q2, Q25,

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A logistic regression procedure was used to assess the impact of socioeconomic attributes on the best management practices (BMPs) adoption decision by Louisiana dairy farmers relative to cost-share and fixed incentive payments. Analysis of the steps in the BMP adoption decision process indicated visits between producers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resource Conservation Service significantly increase likelihood of BMP adoption. Producer willingness-to-pay results indicate that marginal increases in dairy BMP adoption and associated improvement in environmental quality require increased technical and financial assistance.

This study utilized a semiparametric panel model to estimate environmental Kuznets curves (EKC) for carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in 15 Latin American countries, using hitherto unused data on forestry acreage in each country. Results showed an N-shaped curve for the region; however, the shape of the curve is sensitive to the removal of some groups of countries. Specification tests support a semiparametric panel model over a parametric quadratic specification.