Objective  The purpose of this study is to study the willingness of farmers to participate in the management of heavy metal pollution in the rural areas of China, and it will provide a reference for the long-term control of heavy metal pollution in China.

  Method  Based on the survey data of 343 households, a cumulative logistic regression model was established to explore the willingness of farmers to participate in crop rotation fallow management in heavy metal contaminated areas in China.

  Results  Women were more willing to participate in heavy metal pollution control (−0.1341). The participation of farmers were positively correlated with education (−0.098) and family income (0.2591) , but negatively correlated with age (0.2036). The participation willingness of farmers were positively correlated with the understanding degree of fallow management policy (0.3049) and the evaluation of management process (0.0985). The participation willingness of farmers were greatly influenced by relatives and friends (−0.1110) , while the policy propaganda of rural grass-roots organizations had little influence on the participation willingness of farmers. The willingness to participate was positively correlated with the change of household income (0.4851), negatively correlated with the degree of pollution (−0.3995) and environmental concern (−0.1953).

  Conclusion  The individual characteristics and basic situation of farmers, the changes of household income after participation, the pollution characteristics of cultivated land, the perception of the environment, the process of policy announcement and implementation have great influence on farmers ‘willingness. To improve the grass-roots village group trust in the policy and policy implementation process, we should improve the education level of agricultural workers, reduce the average age ofagricultural workers, increase the household income of farmers, broaden the income source channels of farmers, strengthen the expected effects of pollution control publicity so that gradually eliminate the contradictory mentality between the control of pollution and farmers’ income.