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Conservation Discussion Papers

Recent Conservation Discussion Papers

Conservation Discussion Papers by NRCS Economists

The Value of Papers Abstract Excel Worksheet
Agricultural Flood Damages Flood Control on Cropland AgFloodDamages110820
Agricultural Water Estimating the $/Acre-foot of irrigation water.  
Benefit Cost Analysis Estimating the $/Unit benefits & costs of conservation activities.  
Building Rental Renting Buildings - How to Calculate Options  
Changing Land Use Estimating the $/Unit of changing land use. CrpVsHayVsGrazeHG071320
Conserving Marginal Land Conserving Less Productive Land RetireLandHG10020
Cost Effectiveness Analysis Calculating the Cost Effectiveness of Conservation Practices CostEffectivenessCurvesHG051815
Cost Sharing Estimating the appropriate $/Unit cost-share payment.  
Crop Rotations Estimating the change in $/Acre income from changing crop rotations. CropRotationEconomicHG050520
Environmental Evaluations How economics applies to environmental evaluations and the NEPA process.  
Extending Grazing Period Estimating the $/Unit of additional early spring or late fall forage. LivestockForageBudgetHG072620
Extending Practice Life The $/Unit value of lengthen conservation practice lifespan. CostEffectivenessCurvesHG051820
Farm Finances Farm Financial Documents and Conservation Activities  
Farm Machinery Estimating the $/Unit and $/Acre cost of typical farm machinery and implements MachineryCostHG051820
Firewood Estimated the $/Cord of firewood. FireWoodCostHG051520
Flood Control Methods to estimate $ urban flood damages for watershed projects. FloodDamagesBasic040620
Food Price Inflation Does the increasing cost of crop inputs really raise my grocery bill?  
Grazed Forage Estimating $/AUM of grazed forage value.  
Gully Control The $/Acre value of preventing gully erosion. GullyEconomicsHG090320
Hydropower Method to estimate the $/KwHr value of electricity from a small hydropower plant. HydroPowerValueHG060820
Indexing Estimating current $ value using past year values. HowToIndexHG071620
Knowing the True Costs of Conservation Estimating the $/Unit total lifespan cost of conservation practices. ConsPractTrueCostHG121817
Manure Estimating the $/Ton fertilizer value of manure. ManureVAlueHG110508
Nutrient Management Estimating the change in $/Acre farm income from nutrient management. PastureFertHG060618
Pasture Rent Pasture Rent, What’s Fair?  How to Calculate Options  
Personal Financial Planning Demonstrating method to calculate loans, break-even costs and retirement planning.  
Preventing Future Damage Estimating the $ value of protecting property from damages using the EW Program.  
Recreation Estimating the $/Recreational-Day of various recreational activities.  
Reducing Soil Erosion The $/Acre value of preventing soil erosion. SoilErosionYieldHG081120
Regional Financial Assistance Estimating jobs and income created from financial assistance payments to a community. IMPLAN Technical Note
Social, Demographic & Agricultural Data Obtaining and using social data in conservation planning activities.  
Soil Quality Estimating the $/Acre crop income from improving soil quality. SpoilQulaityValueHG061020
Technical Information Estimating the $ value of Soil Surveys, Ecological Site Descriptions, Water Supply, etc.  
To Till or Not To Till, or Not To Till, “whether ‘tis nobler”….  
Timber Economics Estimating the $/Acre timber value of forestland. ForestEconHG080720
Topsoil Estimating the $/Ton value of top soil.