Key Factors Affecting Farmers' Choice of Corn Reduction under the China's New Agriculture Policy in the ‘Liandaowan’ Areas, Northeast China

Farmers are the main land managers, and their production decisions crucially affect crop outputs and farmland preservation. Understanding the motivations and factors underlying farmers’ decision making is a fundamental to implementation polices of government. This study analyzed factors that influence farmers’ choice of corn reduction under the China’s new agriculture policy in the ‘Liandaowan’ areas of Northeast China. This study collected data from 106 randomly selected households in 34 villages in ‘Liandaowan’ areas of Northeast China using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results showed that the Chinese corn structural adjustment plan confronted with many constraints, and most of farmers insist on planting corn. Drought and low accumulated temperature, no suitable substitution crop, farmers’ preferences, farmers’ education and age, relatively high comparative benefit of corn, the availability of machinery and technical assistance, subsidies and low family incomes all influence farmers’ choice of corn substitution. Based on our experimental results, we derived important policy implications for promoting corn structural adjustment incorporate increase crop diversity, promote soybean and corn rotation, provide adequate agricultural extension services, and increase the corn substitution subsidies and improve farmers’ income.