Economic Analysis of Climate Change Best Management Practices in Vermont Agriculture
Climate change impacts local agricultural systems in detectable and distinguishable ways from large-scale shifts in water, land, and weather patterns to regionally specific distributions of weeds, pests, and diseases. Best management practices for adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate ch...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2015-09-01
|
| Series: | Agriculture |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/5/3/879 |
| _version_ | 1829482811271151616 |
|---|---|
| author | Alexander P. Helling David S. Conner Sarah N. Heiss Linda S. Berlin |
| author_facet | Alexander P. Helling David S. Conner Sarah N. Heiss Linda S. Berlin |
| author_sort | Alexander P. Helling |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Climate change impacts local agricultural systems in detectable and distinguishable ways from large-scale shifts in water, land, and weather patterns to regionally specific distributions of weeds, pests, and diseases. Best management practices for adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change include modifications to farm production through adjusted intensity and product types and changing land use through crop siting and tillage practices. Farmer perceptions of risk and profitability of best management practices are key determinants of adoption, which traditional incentive programs like the Environmental Quality Incentive Program attempt to address by providing financial and technical support. To ensure that payments offered through these programs that maximize adoption, regional incentive payments must be based upon locally established costs. This paper focuses on the cost of implementing and maintaining climate change specific best management practices (CCBMPs) for twelve diverse farms in Vermont. Specifically, three CCBMPs for Vermont are examined: cover cropping, management intensive rotational grazing (MIRG), and riparian buffer strips. Results show the average cost for cover cropping is $129.24/acre, MIRG is $79.82/acre, and a tree based riparian buffer strip cost $807.33/acre. We conclude that existing incentive payments for cover cropping and MIRG are below costs, likely resulting in under-adoption. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T21:56:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f7c58091789c43c7af94f14985d5b2a3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T21:56:20Z |
| publishDate | 2015-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-f7c58091789c43c7af94f14985d5b2a32022-12-21T22:46:08ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722015-09-015387990010.3390/agriculture5030879agriculture5030879Economic Analysis of Climate Change Best Management Practices in Vermont AgricultureAlexander P. Helling0David S. Conner1Sarah N. Heiss2Linda S. Berlin3Department of Community Development and Applied Economics, University of Vermont, 146 University Place, Burlington, VT 05405, USADepartment of Community Development and Applied Economics, University of Vermont, 146 University Place, Burlington, VT 05405, USADepartment of Community Development and Applied Economics, University of Vermont, 146 University Place, Burlington, VT 05405, USADepartment of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Vermont, 105 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, VT 05405, USAClimate change impacts local agricultural systems in detectable and distinguishable ways from large-scale shifts in water, land, and weather patterns to regionally specific distributions of weeds, pests, and diseases. Best management practices for adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change include modifications to farm production through adjusted intensity and product types and changing land use through crop siting and tillage practices. Farmer perceptions of risk and profitability of best management practices are key determinants of adoption, which traditional incentive programs like the Environmental Quality Incentive Program attempt to address by providing financial and technical support. To ensure that payments offered through these programs that maximize adoption, regional incentive payments must be based upon locally established costs. This paper focuses on the cost of implementing and maintaining climate change specific best management practices (CCBMPs) for twelve diverse farms in Vermont. Specifically, three CCBMPs for Vermont are examined: cover cropping, management intensive rotational grazing (MIRG), and riparian buffer strips. Results show the average cost for cover cropping is $129.24/acre, MIRG is $79.82/acre, and a tree based riparian buffer strip cost $807.33/acre. We conclude that existing incentive payments for cover cropping and MIRG are below costs, likely resulting in under-adoption.http://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/5/3/879agricultureclimate changebest management practicesadaptationmitigationeconomic analysis |
| spellingShingle | Alexander P. Helling David S. Conner Sarah N. Heiss Linda S. Berlin Economic Analysis of Climate Change Best Management Practices in Vermont Agriculture Agriculture agriculture climate change best management practices adaptation mitigation economic analysis |
| title | Economic Analysis of Climate Change Best Management Practices in Vermont Agriculture |
| title_full | Economic Analysis of Climate Change Best Management Practices in Vermont Agriculture |
| title_fullStr | Economic Analysis of Climate Change Best Management Practices in Vermont Agriculture |
| title_full_unstemmed | Economic Analysis of Climate Change Best Management Practices in Vermont Agriculture |
| title_short | Economic Analysis of Climate Change Best Management Practices in Vermont Agriculture |
| title_sort | economic analysis of climate change best management practices in vermont agriculture |
| topic | agriculture climate change best management practices adaptation mitigation economic analysis |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/5/3/879 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alexanderphelling economicanalysisofclimatechangebestmanagementpracticesinvermontagriculture AT davidsconner economicanalysisofclimatechangebestmanagementpracticesinvermontagriculture AT sarahnheiss economicanalysisofclimatechangebestmanagementpracticesinvermontagriculture AT lindasberlin economicanalysisofclimatechangebestmanagementpracticesinvermontagriculture |