Adoption of Cotton Precision Farming Technologies in Tennessee

This paper summarizes Tennessee cotton farmers’ responses to the 2013 Southern Cotton Precision Farming Survey. A mail survey of 13,162 cotton producers across 14 southern U.S. states was conducted in January and February of 2013. Of the 568 cotton farmers surveyed from Tennessee, 117 responded for a response rate of 21%. Initial analyses suggest that 96 respondents (82%) adopted at least one component of precision farming. The majority of respondents, who used precision farming technologies, combined the use of one or more information gathering, variable rate management, GPS guidance, and automatic section control technologies. About half of the respondents using variable rate management technology indicated that this technology increased yield. About 18% of respondents, who used at least one component of precision farming, indicated an increase in environmental quality from using precision farming technologies. Profit was considered a very-to-extremely important reason for adopting precision farming. On average, cotton farmers using at least one component of precision farming in Tennessee grow more cotton acres, rely more on farm income, are younger and have attained a higher level of education than those not using precision farming technologies (i.e., non-adopters). They also are more likely to use computers for farm management, and farm dealers and University/Extension services as sources of precision farming information than do non-adopters. Approximately 20% of those using precision farming technologies have received cost-share payments for implementing nutrient management plans.