Clayton W. Ogg

Evaluation of soil-erosion and pesticide-exposure control strategies

Abstract A linear-programming model of agriculture in the Chowan-Pasquotank river basin of North Carolina is used to analyze soil-erosion reduction strategies while holding pesticide loadings constant. Two forms of pesticide-exposure indexes, reflecting terrestrial and aquatic exposure, are used to aggregate the effects of pesticide applications for no-till and conventional till systems. Reductions in pesticide exposure are compatible with high levels of erosion control. Greater reductions of pesticide exposure with comparable levels of erosion control are achievable at relatively low cost. Such reductions imply shifts in cropping patterns and resource use, however.

The 1995 Farm Bill and Natural Resource Conservation: Major New Opportunities

The major environmental proposals for the conservation title of the 1996 Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act (FAIR) appeared months before any legislation concerning commodity programs. Although ambitious and innovative new environmental programs were ultimately enacted into law, budgetary and regulatory reform pressures placed the outcome in serious doubt for months. The conservation title

Transfer of Development Rights: An Analysis of a New Land Use Policy Tool: Comment

In view of the large number of innovative land preservation measures that have recently been proposed, Barrows and Prengubers attempt to identify possible economic problems of a transferable development rights (TDR) program is both interesting and timely. Their discussion, however, enumerates a number of problems that appear to make such a program virtually unworkable. The TDR program as conceived by the authors hardly compares favorably to other preservation measures being considered by planners and policy makers across the country (Bryant, Sargent). Many of the problems specified by Barrows and Prenguber (B&P) are not necessarily inherent in the TDR program per se but rather result from the assumptions and restrictions they employ. Following some specific criticisms of the B&P arguments, a static model is offered in an attempt to suggest more realistic problems and research needs concerning implementation of TDR programs. The major criticism that B&P offer is that fair or full compensation would not be guaranteed to restricted land owners under a TDR program. Other criticisms center upon potential monopoly problems, forecasting locational demands, timing problems, and discontinuous supply curves. B&Ps discussion of these problems is somewhat incorrect. They base most of their objections to a TDR program upon a rather limited analysis of a highway interchange system and then generalize from that analysis to criticize any TDR program. The weakness of some of their arguments results from this extrapolation. B&P mention two problems on the supply side: the monopoly potential and the possibility of a noncontinuous supply curve. Both of these problems are moot. For a monopoly to form, an individual entity would have to gain nearly total control of the TDR supply. But it is difficult to believe that a potential monopolist could convince all holders of TDR to sell to him. Besides, market regulation could be designed to preclude such an occurrence. It is therefore unclear why the potential for monopoly in aT DR program is greater than it would be in the normal land market. Why is a noncontinuous supply curve a special problem? The authors suggest that market uncertainties would result in a noncontinuous supply curve because some DR owners would hold their

Implementation of new Conservation Programs and the Need to Respond to Changing Market Conditions

Under new federal programs, soil and water within their plans to respond to price incenconservation practices are relied upon to make tives. a major contribution to the control of nonpoint RATIONALE FOR SELECTING AND sources of water pollution. Economic efficiency COMPARING CONSERVATION PLANS is to be considered in selecting these practices. Although only an experimental program fundT seto e eine these prices and the research ing of

Western irrigation response to pumping costs: A water demand analysis using climatic regions

50 million has been appropriated,

POTENTIAL FOR REDUCING NITROGEN POLLUTION THROUGH IMPROVED AGRONOMIC PRACTICES

400 actual pla designed to represent closely an million of Rural Clean Water Program funds in actual plnning situation with options that 1980 were authorized. The program is to be adc implemented under the Rural Clean ministered by the Secretary of Agriculture Water Program. The Chowan-Pasquotank inistered by the Secretary of griculture river basin in eastern Virginia and North Carowith the concurrence of the Administrator of ier bain in eassrn Virginia and North Carothe Environmental Protection Agency. Belna encompassing most of 26 counties, is cause its implementation may eventually selected for study. A linear programming cause its i ple entation ay eventually model allocates land uses to soil groups with necessitate major land use changes and capital mode allocates land uses to soil groups with investments as part of 5to 10-year contracts simir eroont and yiel characteristics, under with farmers, we examine how soil conservamag contrasting market situations Profittion plans can incorporate potential changes in maximizing conservation strategies are thus market prices of crops, developed and compared with each other, and mart p s of c . they are considered in the larger context of The analysis focuses on two sets of prices, how they affect food production needs. both of which are important in agricultural programs. First, the Official Water Resource MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES IN Council Prices, which were based on relatively THE LINEAR PROGRAMMING MODEL high commodity prices for 1972-1976, are being used for short-term water resource planThe basins resource base is divided into ning up to 1990 and farther into the future. eight Piedmont soil groups, with soils ranging Second, support prices form the basis of a from highly erosive to moderately erosive, and larger agricultural program which prevents 15 Coastal Plain soil groups that are generally prices from falling below these much lower less erosive but also more productive than levels. Piedmont soils, and used more intensively. We consider the consequences of basing conErosion control practices used in the model servation plans on Water Resource Council are based on those appropriate for the areas prices in the event that prices fall to support that have been built into 322 rotations and levels. One question addressed is whether conpractice combinations by the Soil Conservaservation plans based on the higher prices are tion Service in North Carolina. Average basinvery different from those that would be optiwide yield increases were projected for 1990, mal during years when prices are at support using Spillman regressions with past yields as levels. Another question is whether conservaindependent variables. Budgets were then tion programs could be deliberately designed combined into composite yearly costs and to complement the objectives of price support yields for crop rotations on appropriate soil programs by allowing farmers flexibility groups.2 Soil losses for LP model activities