U.S. Soybean Producer Perceptions and Management of Soybean Rust in the United States Under the USDA Pest Information Platform for Extension and Education

Abstract

Recent survey data are examined to improve current understanding of the factors that help to determine the value of information reported on a website that serves as the centerpiece of the USDA’s “Soybean Rust Integrated Pest Management — Pest Information Platform for Extension and Education.” Respondents’ initial beliefs about their chances of experiencing a rust outbreak are shown to affect the likelihood that soybean producers will visit the website and change their management of fungicide use as a result.

Keywords: Asian soybean rust, probability beliefs, PIPE website, ARMS data, USDA Rural Development Broadband Program