Preferences for Sustainable Production Practices in Extensive Livestock Systems in Uruguay

ABSTRACT We use a discrete choice experiment along with behavioral measures of risk and time preferences to analyze the preferences of Uruguayan cattle producers for three types of sustainable livestock practices: improved grazing systems, sustainable livestock management, and silvopastoral approaches. The results indicate that, on average, producers favor sustainable intensification, are indifferent to improved grazing practices, and require monetary compensation to adopt silvopastoral systems. A latent class model reveals significant preference heterogeneity, identifying two distinct producer profiles: one inclined to adopt the proposed practices and another that requires stronger incentives. These findings underscore the importance of designing differentiated policy instruments tailored to the characteristics and motivations of diverse producer types.