Work

Cover crops, farm economics, and policy

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: Cover crops have many environmental benefits, including nutrient sequestering, soil health improvements, carbon dioxide removal, and biodiversity increases. Yet, farmers often do not receive enough benefits to warrant planting cover crops, particularly when they have no prior experience with managing cover crops. Therefore, public policies supporting cover crop use may be justified because of the positive externalities of cover crops are greater than the social cost of cover crop programs. Current Federal programs do not provide enough funding to elicit large cover crop use. We present a Federal program designed to increase cover crop use.

Source: Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy

DOI: 10.1002/aepp.13404

Authors: Gary D. Schnitkey, Sarah C. Sellars, Laura F. Gentry

Institutions: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, South Dakota State University, Illinois Corn Growers Association

Language: English

Topic: Socioeconomics of Resources and Conservation

Subfield: Economics and Econometrics

Field: Economics, Econometrics and Finance

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Zero hunger, Life on land, Climate action

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,400