Impact of high crop prices on environmental quality: a case of Iowa and the Conservation Reserve Program.

摘要: Growing demand for corn due to the expansion of ethanol has increased concerns that environmentally sensitive lands retired from agricultural production into Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) will be cropped again. Iowa produces more than any other state in United States, and it also most corn. Thus, an examination impacts higher crop prices on CRP land can give insight what we might expect nationally years ahead if remain high. We construct supply curves various then estimate environmental cropping through Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) model. EPIC provides edge-of-field estimates soil erosion, nutrient loss, carbon sequestration. find incremental increase dramatically as bring fragile land. Maintaining current levels quality require substantially spending levels. Even allowing cost savings would accrue leaves program, a change targeting strategies likely required ensure does not leave program.