agricultural chemicals and production:
recommended readings

Risk, Government Programs, and the Environment—Financial risk permeates nearly all farm business ventures. In some instances, private and public tools used to manage financial risks in agriculture may influence farmers' production decisions. These decisions, in turn, can influence environmental quality. This bulletin synthesizes several research literatures and provides some perspective on private and public attempts to cope with financial risks and their unintended environmental consequences. (March 2004)

Managing Manure:New Clean Water Act Regulations Create Imperative for Livestock Producers —Nutrients from livestock and poultry manure are key sources of water pollution. Since regulations for livestock and poultry operations under the 1972 Clean Water Act were first developed, operations in general have become more concentrated and specialized. Ever-growing numbers of livestock and poultry per farm and per acre have increased the risk of water pollution, with manure being disposed of in ways not adequately addressed in the original regulations. In 2001, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed new regulations that would compel operations with the largest number of animals to manage their manure according to a nutrient management plan.

Does Off-Farm Work Hinder "Smart" Farming?—As off-farm income takes on greater importance to farm households, less time is available for farm management. Smart farming (e.g., soil testing, integrated pest management, and precision farming) typically substitutes management for capital. The value of management time and effort does not typically enter into calculations of economic returns to alternative production technologies or farming systems. The result could be misleading in understanding the benefits of technology adoption, particularly if farm households are willing to forego some financial return from farming to gain convenience.

Adoption of Bioengineered Crops—This report uses USDA survey data to examine the extent to which US farmers have adopted bioengineered crops, factors affecting adoption of these crops, and the impacts of bioengineered crops on input use and farm-level net returns.

Soil, Nutrient, and Water Management Systems Used in U.S. Corn Production—Corn production uses over 25 percent of the Nation's cropland and more than 40 percent of the commercial fertilizer applied to crops. Thus, corn farmers' choices of soil, nutrient, and water management systems can have a major impact not only on their own profitability, but also on the environment. In this report, Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) data on cropping practices used on U.S. corn farms are analyzed This is the first study to relate corn farm management choices to so broad a set of characteristics.

Adoption of Agricultural Production Practices: Lessons Learned from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Area Studies Project—Data for 12 U.S. watersheds were analyzed to study the constraints associated with the adoption of micronutrients, N-testing, split nitrogen applications, green manure, biological pest controls, pest-resistant varieties, crop rotations, pheromones, scouting, conservation tillage, contour farming, strip cropping, grassed waterways, and irrigation. The data also show how the adoption of specific management practices affects chemical use and crop yields.

Conservation Tillage Firmly Planted in U.S. Agriculture—U.S. farmers used conservation tillage (no-till, ridge-till, and mulch-till) on more than 109 million acres in 2000, amounting to over 36 percent of U.S. planted cropland and up from 26 percent in 1990. Use of no-till expanded threefold during the decade, due partly to conservation compliance requirements under farm programs. Conservation tillage helps reduce soil erosion, slow nutrient and pesticide runoff, and cut farmers' fuel costs.

Pest Management in U.S. Agriculture—Describes the use of pest management practices, including integrated pest management (IPM), for major field crops and selected fruits and vegetables. The data came chiefly from the 1996 Agricultural Resource Management Study (ARMS) developed by USDA. Because different pest classes may dominate among different crops and regions, requiring different pest management techniques to control them, the extent of adoption of pest management practices varies widely. For example, insects are a major pest class in cotton production, while minor for soybeans. As insect management has a wider variety of nonchemical techniques than weed control, cotton growers are expected to be further ahead on the IPM continuum than soybean producers.

Genetically Engineered Crops for Pest Management in U.S. Agriculture—Adoption of genetically engineered crops with traits for pest management has risen dramatically since their commercial introduction in the mid-1990's. The farm-level impacts of such crops on pesticide use, yields, and net returns vary with the crop and technology examined. Adoption of herbicide-tolerant cotton led to significant increases in yields and net returns, but was not associated with significant changes in herbicide use. On the other hand, increases in adoption of herbicide-tolerant soybeans led to small but significant increases in yields, no changes in net returns, and significant decreases in herbicide use. Adoption of Bt cotton in the Southeast significantly increased yields and net returns and significantly reduced insecticide use. April 2000

Green Technologies for a More Sustainable Agriculture—For U.S. agriculture to continue along a sustainable path of economic development, further production increases must be generated by technologies that are both profitable and more environmentally benign. In this context, we assess the role of these "green" or sustainable technologies in steering agriculture along a more sustainable path. However, the lack of markets for the environmental attributes associated with green technologies can limit their development. In addition, simply making a technology available does not mean it will be adopted. Experience with green technologies such as conservation tillage, integrated pest management, enhanced nutrient management, and precision agriculture demonstrates that even when technologies are profitable, barriers to adopting new practices can limit their effectiveness. July 1999

Proceedings of the Third National IPM Symposium/Workshop: Broadening Support for 21 Century IPM—More than 600 participants from around the country attended the symposium/workshop (Feb. 1996), reflecting a wide spectrum of professional interests including scientists (social, biological, and environmental), agricultural producers, and representatives of agribusiness and nonprofit organizations. Two dominant themes provided a unifying focus. "Putting Customers First" focused on reaching out to the diverse customer base of USDA programs to identify IPM research and implementation needs. "Assessing IPM Program Impacts" addressed how to incorporate economic, environmental, and public health assessment in IPM research and extension activities. Other topics covered included analytical and data needs for pest-management programs, policies for promoting biological and reduced risk alternatives, and overcoming barriers to increased adoption of IPM practices and technologies.

Agricultural Biotechnology: An Economic Perspective—Describes the economic, scientific, and social factors that will influence the future of biotechnology in agriculture. The supply of biotechnology innovations and products will be affected by public policies and by expected producer and consumer demand.

Agricultural Resources and Environmental Indicators—This ERS basebook contains a wealth of information covering a broad range of subjects in resource and environmental economics. Chapter 4 covers Agricultural Production Management, including soil management and conservation, pest management, nutrient management, and livestock/manure management.

for more information, contact: Lee Christensen
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page updated: April 27, 2004