Factors influencing Tennessee farmers’ adoption of technology: A survey of Tennessee agricultural enhancement program participants

Farmers adopt new technologies to be competitive and farm efficiently. This study explored what factors influence technology adoption among row crop and livestock farmers in Tennessee. Utilizing Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations Theory, this study investigated the impact of economic benefits, cost, peer influence, compatibility, and demographic characteristics on the adoption decisions of farmers. This study employed a mixed-methods approach by combining the Delphi technique and survey research. Thirty experts participated in the Delphi and 675 farmers completed the quantitative instrument. The results of the Delphi study provided a list of technologies that farmers are currently looking to adopt along with what promotes and hinders adoption. Survey research revealed that economic benefits are the most influential factor in adoption, while cost and compatibility can serve as barriers. Demographic characteristics such as education level, farm size, farm income, and years of experience significantly influence adoption decisions. Binary logistic regression and Bayesian regression analyses indicated that adopter categories, innovativeness, economic factors, demographics, and socioeconomic factors significantly influence adoption decisions. The conceptual model developed from this study suggests the inclusion of various influential factors to improve the predictability of adoption decisions.