Land tenure and adoption of conservation tillage

Excerpt

ONLY 25 percent of all U.S. cropland is currently owned by fullowner operators—those who both own and operate their land (12). Moreover, part-ownership and tenancy are increasing.

Land tenure arrangements are thought to affect adoption of conservation practices generally (4). But what relationships are there between land tenure and the adoption of conservation tillage specifically? If significant differences in conservation tillage adoption occur among tenure groups, public policies could be developed accordingly to encourage the use of conservation tillage.

Factors in conservation decisions

Although rainfall, soil type, and slope greatly influence soil loss rates, management decisions can alter the impact of physical conditions. Farmers are thought to make soil management decisions by calculating the income effect of a proposed conservation program over time, then comparing it to expected income over time without conservation measures. Within this framework, individuals having land with similar physical characteristics may reach different conservation decisions, depending upon the length of their planning horizon and choice of discount (interest) rate. A lower discount rate and a longer planning horizon tend to encourage conservation decisions by increasing the present value of expected net revenues and by allowing sufficient time to recoup conserva ti on …