Effect of Export, Environmental and Soil Conservancy Measures on Productivity, Land Use and Income of Iowa

A national model was constructed to evalute the Iowa conservancy law as it might affect environmental quality, land productivity, export potentials and income of the Iowa and national farm sectors. The mathematical model analyzed 12 land classes in each of 12 Iowa agroclimatic regions and in 105 natural agroclimatic regions. Alternatives analyzed included limiting annual soil loss per acre to 2.5 and 5 tons, reduction of chemical nitrogen and shift of pesticides to organophosphates and carbamates in Iowa while parallel adjustments are not made in the rest of the nation\u27s agriculture. Exports at various levels are evaluated. While full implementation of Iowa\u27s conservancy law apart from the nation would maintain land productivity in the state, farm income would decline in Iowa but increase elsewhere, with increased exports, Iowa would gain in farm income but by a smaller proportion than the rest of the nation