The supply of land for conservation uses: evidence from the conservation reserve program

From 1987 to 1990, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) operated similarl y to a competitive market for conservation lands. Using CRP data on countie s from this period, we estimate supply functions for conservation lands for nine US regions. The results allow regions to be grouped according to low (Mountain, North Plains), moderate (Cornbelt, Lake States, South Plains), a nd high (Appalachian, Delta States, Northeast. Southeast) costs based on ac reage enrolled. In addition, they identify farmers' perceived opportunity c osts of enrolling cropland in a conservation program. The results provide p otentially useful information to CRP administrators following the recent re authorization of the program and also yield insights into the costs of othe r land conservation efforts. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights rese rved.