Yes, small farmers will not invest in control, large farmers could (but didn't). However, reducing farm size is one of the most effective measures -- although much of that land should not have been plowed in the first place.
On Wed, Nov 05, 2003 at 08:44:15PM -0500, Doug Henwood wrote: > Is that really what they say? The abstract points to overcultivation > and underinvestment in erosion control as problems (a function of > small scale), and to government action as a solution. Haven't read > the paper, though. > > Doug > > michael wrote: > > >Brian gave us good news from Ann Arbor. Here is what economists say > >about land use: large, monocultural farms with no windbreaks are best > >suited to fight erosion. Huh??? > > > > > >"Small Farms, Externalities, and the Dust Bowl of the 1930's" > > > > BY: ZEYNEP KOCABIYIK HANSEN > > Washington University, St. Louis > > John M. Olin School of Business > > GARY D. LIBECAP > > University of Arizona - Karl Eller Center > > National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) > > > >Document: Available from the SSRN Electronic Paper Collection: > > http://papers.ssrn.com/paper.taf?abstract_id=463422 > > > >Paper ID: NBER Working Paper No. W10055 > > Date: November 2003 > > > > Contact: GARY D. LIBECAP > > Email: Mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Postal: University of Arizona - Karl Eller Center > > McClelland Hall > > Tucson, AZ 85721-0108 UNITED STATES > > Phone: 520-621-4821 > > Fax: 520-626-5269 > > Co-Auth: ZEYNEP KOCABIYIK HANSEN > > Email: Mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Postal: Washington University, St. Louis > > John M. Olin School of Business > > One Brookings Drive > > Campus Box 1133 > > St. Louis, MO 63130-4899 UNITED STATES > > > >ABSTRACT: > > We provide a new and more complete analysis of the origins of > > the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, one of the most severe environmental > > crises in North America in the 20th Century. Severe drought and > > wind erosion hit the Great Plains in 1930 and lasted through > > 1940. There were similar droughts in the 1950s and 1970s, but no > > comparable level of wind erosion. We explain why. The prevalence > > of small farms in the 1930s limited private solutions for > > controlling the downwind externalities associated with wind > > erosion. Drifting sand from unprotected fields damaged > > neighboring farms. Small farmers cultivated more of their land > > and were less likely to invest in erosion control than were > > larger farmers. Soil Conservation Districts, established by > > government after 1937, helped coordinate erosion control. This > > 'unitized' solution for collective action is similar to that > > used in other natural resource/environmental settings. -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 530-898-5321 E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
