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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
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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

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