Farmland Protection: The Role of Public Preferences for Rural Amenities

Economic Research Service ERR 183, 2002

74 Pages Posted: 20 Feb 2016

See all articles by Daniel Hellerstein

Daniel Hellerstein

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Economic Research Service (ERS), Resource and Rural Economics Division

Cynthia Nickerson

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Economic Research Service (ERS)

Joseph C. Cooper

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Economic Research Service (ERS)

Peter Feather

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Economic Research Service (ERS)

Dwight Gadsby

Independent

Daniel Mullarkey

USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service

Abebayehu Tegene

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Economic Research Service (ERS)

Date Written: October 19, 2002

Abstract

Public amenities provided by a rural agricultural landscape, arising from open space and farm activity, are important to many citizens and policymakers. Widespread development of farmland in some parts of the country has spawned an expanding array of farmland protection programs by county, State, and Federal governments, as well as by nonprofit organizations. To investigate the relative importance of preserving different amenities, this report examines the enabling legislation of these programs across the 48 contiguous States, and the implementation of these programs in five Northeastern States (Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Vermont). The report also assesses how farmland protection programs fit into the broader array of rural land conservation programs.

Keywords: rural amenities, farmland preservation, enabling legistlation, agricultural landscapes

JEL Classification: Q28, Q24

Suggested Citation

Hellerstein, Daniel and Nickerson, Cynthia and Cooper, Joseph C. and Feather, Peter and Gadsby, Dwight and Mullarkey, Daniel and Tegene, Abebayehu, Farmland Protection: The Role of Public Preferences for Rural Amenities (October 19, 2002). Economic Research Service ERR 183, 2002, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2735074

Daniel Hellerstein (Contact Author)

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Economic Research Service (ERS), Resource and Rural Economics Division ( email )

Washington, DC 20024-3221
United States

Cynthia Nickerson

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Economic Research Service (ERS) ( email )

355 E Street, SW
Washington, DC 20024-3221
United States
202-694-5626 (Phone)

Joseph C. Cooper

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Economic Research Service (ERS) ( email )

355 E Street, SW
Washington, DC 20024-3221
United States
202-694-5470 (Phone)
202-694-5776 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.reeusda.gov/ree/reedir/de000190.htm#190

Peter Feather

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Economic Research Service (ERS) ( email )

1800 M Street, NW
Room 4077
Washington, DC 20036-5831
United States
202-694-5608 (Phone)
202-694-5756 (Fax)

Dwight Gadsby

Independent ( email )

Daniel Mullarkey

USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service ( email )

5601 Sunnyside Ave
George Washington Carver Center
Beltsville, MD 20705
United States
301-504-2344 (Phone)

Abebayehu Tegene

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Economic Research Service (ERS) ( email )

355 E Street, SW
Washington, DC 20024-3221
United States

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