Why are farmers in the US hesitant to switch to agroforestry?

There are certain types of plants that some livestock will need in order to survive. Trees will be needed by certain livestock to become comfortable and also to get certain types of food.

At the same time, this same livestock can be very useful in keeping certain pests away from the crops so that the crops can grow better. Livestock and agroforestry can go hand in hand as long as farmers know the right combinations of livestock, trees, and other plants that should go together.

It is always important for people to do enough research because if they do not research enough, it will cause the method to fail.

One of the main reasons why farmers in the US do not like to do agroforestry is they do not exactly know the benefits that agroforestry can give. For instance, they do not know that trees can actually help prevent crops from getting damaged.

Their lack of knowledge is making them stay away from this type of method that may actually help them. Some are also saying that agroforestry is not applicable to all types of land.

There are some areas in the US wherein this farming method will not be as ideal as compared to when it will be done in a place like Africa or certain parts of Asia. There are also more lands in the US that would still have a lot of space, which can be perfect for certain crops to grow.

The benefits of agroforestry are widely accepted but enthusiasm is for third world countries and those with plantation problems. In the US despite agroforestry's undoubted pros, government regulation of tree harvesting and insecurity of tenure are disincentives to adopting the practice.

This reluctance is against all indications of the very wide-spread benefits, which most in the country do not understand. There's a need to inform better about the cost for establishment and maintenance of an agroforestry practice and its economic return including considerations of financial risk and operational problems.