This study identified the factors that influenced whether farmers in the
Southeastern United States perceived an improvement in environmental quality
from adopting precision farming technologies (PFTs). Farmers with larger
farms or higher yields were more likely to believe that they observed
positive externalities associated with PFTs. Farmers who found PFTs
profitable or who believed input reduction was important had higher
probabilities whereas those with higher incomes or who were more dependent
on farm income were less likely to perceive such benefits. Interestingly,
the importance of environmental quality and length of time using PFTs were
not found to affect the probability of perceiving an improvement in
environmental quality.