Government Purchase of Crop Limiting Easements as a Means of Reducing Production

Abstract

This paper presents findings of an inquiry concerning the feasibility of using crop limiting easements as a control of crop production. In the hypothetical program, the federal government would purchase perpetual authority to restrict the use of specific agricultural lands from the production of tilled crops. The participants would enter voluntarily and would retain the right to produce and harvest permanent vegetation or convert the tract to nonagricultural use. The easement approach was compared with hypothetical programs similar to the conservation reserve. The results indicate that production control could be achieved at lower cost with the easement alternative. Another apparent advantage of the easement approach would be economy and ease of administration. Also, the easement rights, because of their permanence, give flexibility by avoiding fixed termination dates.