payments in 2005 ($6,299 on average) than did other farm participants (averaging $2,428 per farm).
Participating farms had the highest USLE (soil loss) rates on corn acres (averaging between 4.8 to
5.4 tons/acre/year), but these farms accounted for only 18 percent of corn acres planted. The
percent of farms growing corn with gully erosion in corn fields ranged from about 9.0 percent for
non-participant higher-sales farms to nearly 14 percent for similar participant farms. Similarly, the
percent of corn farms with the corn field adjacent to a water source was highest for higher-sales
participant farms (at 44 percent) than for non-participant farms (ranging from 16 - 28 percent).
And finally, the percent of corn acres identified with Highly Erodible Lands (HEL acres) present in
the corn field was also highest for participating farms (ranging from 8 - 14 percent).
In general, farms not participating in conservation programs (on corn acres) adopted
conservation land-management practices much more intensively for 2005 corn than did program
participants. These non-participant farms accounted for 83 percent of planted corn acres across the
study area. Higher-sales non-participating farms (growing corn) were the dominant users of most
all land-management practices, accounting for between 40 - 52 percent of practice acres for each
practice. Since the higher-sales, non-participant farms accounted for nearly 73 percent of corn acres
planted in 2005, these farms likely made the largest contribution to environmental benefits
associated with the adoption of land-management practices on corn acres in 2005.
Applying a cost-function based technology adoption model provides some meaningful
insights into producer field-level acreage allocation decisions associated with the adoption of
conservation structural practices on corn fields in the 4-State study area. Econometric results
suggest that program non-participants will likely respond to a rising relative input-price
environment with adjustments in the adoption of both infield and perimeter-field conservation
structural practices. For higher relative nitrogen prices, the adjustment by program non-participants
appears to emphasize fewer corn field acres associated with infield structural practices. On the
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