State policies for agroforestry in the United States

Existing state legislation and programs pertaining to agroforestry were det ermined in a 1995 nationwide survey of state- employed natural resource pro fessionals in the United States. At that time, only 20 of the 50 states had legislation that could be identified as pertaining to any of the five majo r agroforestry practices: windbreaks, riparian buffers, alley-cropping, sil vopasture, or forest farming. Nine states had direct legislation specifical ly referring to one or more of these agroforestry practices, while the rema ining 11 states had indirect legislation that could be construed as pertain ing to agroforestry. Cost-sharing was the most commonly employed incentive in the direct legislation states and windbreaks were the most common practi ce in those states. Tax incentives and cost-sharing were the most favored a pproaches in the 11 states with indirect legislation.