Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T13:09:09.558Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Conservation Tillage and Pesticide Use in the Cornbelt

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 April 2015

Keith O. Fuglie
Keith O. Fuglie*
Affiliation:
United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Adoption of conservation tillage can lead to substantial environmental benefits from reduced soil erosion. But benefits may be partially offset if adoption increases reliance on agricultural chemicals. Using area study data from the Cornbelt, this study examines factors affecting adoption of no-till and other conservation tillage systems and their effect on chemical use and corn yield. The results find no evidence that herbicide or fertilizer application rates are higher on fields with conservation tillage systems compared with conventional tillage. However, insecticide use may increase somewhat and yield may be lower. Current demographic trends in U.S. agriculture favor continued diffusion of conservation tillage.

Keywords

conservation tillagemultinomial logit modelpesticidestechnology adoption
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics , Volume 31 , Issue 1 , April 1999 , pp. 133 - 147
Copyright
Copyright © Southern Agricultural Economics Association 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alt, K.F.An Economic Analysis of Field and Crop Production, Insecticide Use, and Soil Erosion in a Subbasin of the Iowa River. PhD dissertation, Iowa State University, Ames, 1976.Google Scholar
Beach, E.D. and Carlson, G.A.. “A Hedonic Analysis of Herbicides: Do User Safety and Water Quality Matter?” Ameican Journal of Agricultural Economics 75(August 1993):612–623.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bills, N.L. and Heimlich, R.E.. Assessing Erosion on U.S. Cropland. Agricultural Economics Report 513. Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington DC, July 1984.Google Scholar
Bull, L., Delvo, H., Sandretto, C., and Lindamood, B.. “Analysis of Pesticide Use by Tillage System in 1990, 1992, and 1992 Corn and Soybeans.” Agricultural Resource Situation and Outlook Report 32. Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington DC, October 1993.Google Scholar
Crop Protection and Chemicals Reference, eighth edition. New York: Chemical and Pharmaceutical Press, 1992.Google Scholar
Crosson, P.Conservation Tillage and Conventional Tillage: A Comparative Assessment. Akeny IA: Soil Conservation Society of America, 1981.Google Scholar
Dillman, D. and Carlson, J.. “Influences of Absentee Landlords on Soil Erosion Control Practices.” Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 37(Jan–Feb 1982):37–41.Google Scholar
Farm Chemicals Handbook. Willoughby, OH: Meister Publishing Company, 1993.Google Scholar
Gebhardt, M.R., Daniel, T.C., Schweizer, E.E., and Allmaras, R.R.. “Conservation Tillage.” Science 230(Nov 1985):625–630.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hausman, J. and McFadden, D.. “Specification Tests for the Multinomial Logit Model.” Econometrica 52(Sep 1984): 1219–1240.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heimlich, R.E. “Landownership and the Adoption of Minimum Tillage: Comment.” American Journal of Agricultural Economics 67(Aug 1985):679–681.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heimlich, R. E. and Ogg, C. W.. “Evaluation of Soil Erosion and Pesticide Control Strategies.” Journal of Environment Economics and Management 9(1981):279–288.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hoppe, R.A.Who Are Retired Farm Operators? Agricultural Economics Report 730, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington DC, April 1996.Google Scholar
Greene, W.H.Limdep 6. Bellport, NY: Econometric Software, Inc., 1991.Google Scholar
Lee, L.K. and Stewart, W.H.. “Landownership and the Adoption of Minimum Tillage.” American Journal of Agricultural Economics 65(May 1983):256–264.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McFadden, D. “The Measurement of Urban Travel Demand.” Journal of Public Economics 3(1974):303–328.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pierce, F.J., Larson, W.E., Dowdy, R.H., and Graham, W.. “Productivity of Soils: Assessing Long-Term Changes Due to Soil Erosion.” Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 38(January–February 1983):39–44.Google Scholar
Rahm, M. and Huffman, W.. “The Adoption of Reduced Tillage: The Role of Human Capital and Other Variables.” American Journal of Agricultural Economics 66(November 1984):405–413.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sandretto, C. “Weed Control and Tillage.” Agricultural Resources and Environmental Indicators, 1996–97. Agricultural Handbook 712, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington DC, July 1997, p. 168.Google Scholar
Setia, P. and Piper, S.. “Effects of Soil and Agricultural Chemicals Management on Farm Returns and Ground Water Quality.” Review of Agricultural Economics 14(January 1992):65–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Resources Situation & Outlook Report 30. Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington DC, May 1993.Google Scholar
Weber, J.B. and Warren, R.L.. “Herbicide Behavior in Soils: A Pesticide/Soil Ranking System for Minimizing Ground Water Contamination.” Proceedings of the NE Weed Science Society 47(1993): 144–157.Google Scholar
Windmeijer, F.A.G. “Goodness-of-Fit Measures in Binary Choice Models.” Econometric Reviews 14(1995):101–116.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wischmeier, W.H. and Smith, D.D.. Predicting Rainfall Erosion Losses—A Guide to Conservation Planning. Agricultural Handbook 537. Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington DC, 1978.Google Scholar
Woodruff, N.P. and Siddoway, F.H.. “A Wind Erosion Equation.” Soil Science Society of America Proceedings 29(1965):602–608.CrossRefGoogle Scholar