SOUTHERN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS DECEMBER 1990 EFFECT OF THE 1985 FARM BILL PROVISIONS ON FARMERS ' SOIL CONSERVATION DECISIONS

affected farmers ' decisions regarding soil conserva- reduction requirements of the commodity programs tion. A farmer survey was conducted and a multi- render these programs unattractive, and what effect period mixed-integer programming model was decreasing target prices will have on future com-developed to determine an optimal farm plan with modity program participation and resulting crop choices of crop-tillage combinations and land retire- mix. ment. Results indicate that farmers ' incentives to To accomplish the objectives of the study, a farmer reduce soil loss in the Sand Mountain region in survey was conducted in the Sand Mountain region Alabama are not substantially affected by provisions of Alabama to identify crops grown, tillage practices of the 1985 Farm Bill. The bid price for the Conser- used, and associated costs. Survey results were used vation Reserve Program will have to be considerably to develop a multi-period mixed-integer program-higher than 1988 levels to provide an incentive to ming model to determine an optimal farm plan for a remove land from production. representative row crop farm. Key words: soil conservation, conservation REVIEW OF LITERATURE reserve program, agricultural Agricultural policies are believed to have had commodity programs mixed effects on soil erosion. Programs that ar