Factors influencing farmers' expectations to sell agricultural land for non-agricultural uses

摘要

We identify factors that influence farmers' expectations to sell some or all of their farming operation in areas where the increase in the conversion of agricultural land has been relatively rapid. Data are based on interviews conducted with 23 malefarmers from Utah, USA, between January and June 1997. Findings indicate that the following factors increase farmers' propensity to sell some or all of the agricultural operation for non-agricultural land use: perceived negative change (particularly difficulty in obtaining and retaining rental land and in purchasing land) increases the likelihood that farmers will expect the operation to become nonviable, which in turn increases the expectation to sell some or all agricultural land; lack of a child whowill take over the operation; and declining profits from the operation. Factors that apparently exert little influence on the expectation to sell some or all of the farming operation include: level of intrinsic rewards that a farmer experiences from hisfarming operation; the farmer's satisfaction with his community; and the farmer's closeness to retirement age.