Author
Schoengold, Karina
This study examines public values for ecosystem services (ES) associated with soil health in agricultural lands. We use a choice experiment of Nebraska residents to investigate the effect of descriptive norm nudging on willingness-to-pay (WTP) for ES. Empirical results show an overall positive WTP for ES-generating policies but significant differences across treatment groups. Results show a higher WTP for a social norm nudge that refers to a relatively large geographic area (state versus county). Results also show that total WTP for state households would pay for conservation practice incentives on less than 10% of cropland.
The paper combines panel data techniques with spatial analysis to measure the impact of extreme weather events on the adoption of conservation tillage. Zellner’s SUR technique is extended to spatial panel data to correct for cross-sectional heterogeneity, spatial autocorrelation, and contemporaneous correlation. Panel data allow the identification of differences in adoption rates. The adoption of no-till, other conservation tillage, and reduced-till are estimated relative to conventional tillage. Extremely dry conditions in recent years increase the adoption of other conservation tillage practices, while spring floods in the year of production reduce the use of no-till practices.