Cost-effectiveness of the variable cost-share option in the Agricultural Conservation Program

William M. Park; Steven E. Monteith

ABSTRACT:

Counties employing the variable cost-share option within the Agricultural Conservation Program were compared with those employing uniform-rate cost-sharing in West Tennessee for fiscal years 1985 and 1986. Public cost per ton of erosion reduction was higher in counties employing the variable cost-share option wen though the average preparative erosion rate and average erosion reduction per acre treated were greater. The reason was that the total cost and the average cost-sharing rate per acre treated were much higher in counties employing the variable cost-share option. Recommendations for adjustments in the formula for computing variable cost-sharing rates are provided.

Footnotes

William M. Park is an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 37901-1071. Steven E. Monteith is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Soil Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, 27695-7619. Partial funding for this research was provided by the Tennessee Water Resources Research Center.
Copyright 1989 by the Soil and Water Conservation Society

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.