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CROPLAND DIVERSION (SET‐ASIDE) IN THE US AND UK
Author(s) -
Ervin D. E.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of agricultural economics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.157
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1477-9552
pISSN - 0021-857X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1477-9552.1988.tb00576.x
Subject(s) - set aside , business , renting , payment , natural resource economics , welfare , government (linguistics) , agriculture , resource (disambiguation) , production (economics) , economics , agricultural productivity , public economics , agricultural land , finance , geography , market economy , computer network , linguistics , philosophy , macroeconomics , archaeology , political science , law , computer science , agronomy , biology
Lessons from a variety of past and present US cropland diversion programmes are important for evaluating UK set‐aside proposals. The structure and operation of current US programmes and the major UK proposals are described. A comparative economic welfare analysis of generic cropland diversion in the US and UK reveals the different types of potential impacts due principally to their different agricultural support programmes. Government cost savings and land rental payments can be misleading benefit and cost indicators for set‐aside. Major problems with US programmes include slippage of production control, lack of targeting, inadequate overall efficiency evaluations, and goal conflict. The most appropriate role for cropland diversion may be as a compensatory mechanism to aid the agricultural adjustment process in the face of price restraint, while securing the most valuable non‐market conservation and environmental services from idled farm land.