RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Potential Supply of Midwest Cropland for Conversion to In-Field Prairie Strips
JF Land Economics
JO Land Econ
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 082020-0129R1
DO 10.3368/le.98.2.082020-0129R1
A1 Zachary R. Luther
A1 Scott M. Swinton
A1 Braeden Van Deynze
YR 2021
UL http://le.uwpress.org/content/early/2021/12/15/le.98.2.082020-0129R1.abstract
AB Prairie strips planted into crop fields offer multiple environmental benefits. This study estimates the willingness of U.S. farmers to convert 5% of their largest corn-soybean field to prairie strips in exchange for payment. Using stated preference results to estimate land supply, we find that 20% of farmers are willing to adopt prairie strips at payments equivalent to average Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) rental rates, corresponding to potential conversion of 90,000 acres on 1.8m acres of cropland. Farmers are likelier to adopt in smaller fields and when they perceive that prairie strips will benefit environmental quality or agricultural productivity.