RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Enduring Impacts of Land Retirement Policies: Evidence from the Conservation Reserve Program
JF Land Economics
JO Land Econ
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 516
OP 538
DO 10.3368/le.83.4.516
VO 83
IS 4
A1 Roberts, Michael J.
A1 Lubowski, Ruben N.
YR 2007
UL http://le.uwpress.org/content/83/4/516.abstract
AB We examine the persistence of cropland retirements induced by the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the largest U.S. conservation program. We analyze micro data on observed land-use choices following CRP contract expiration over 1995–1997 and predict that 42% of CRP acres would not have been returned to crops within a year if the program had expired in 1997. These results indicate that temporary cropland retirement payments under CRP generate land-use changes that often extend beyond contract periods. The analysis suggests that targeted signing bonuses for first-time enrollees would increase the longer-term impacts of CRP and perhaps other incentive-based land-use programs. (JEL Q24)