How could payments for U.S. climate-smart farming practices change the regional adoption of conservation practices?

Abstract

Recent U.S. policies have promoted climate-smart farming practices. However, little is known about the costs of practice adoption or the regional allocation of support. The primary objective of this study is to identify cost-effective agricultural practices for climate mitigation and determine where practices might be targeted regionally. This study uses average regional abatement cost curves for six mitigation practices to analyze how conservation funding could incentivize adoption. Using a social benefit threshold of $51 per metric ton, we estimate that for all practices studied, except cover crops, there are regions where the average cost of reduction is less than the social benefit threshold, meaning that greenhouse gas could be cost-effectively mitigated or sequestered at regional levels given more adoption of these practices. For the purposes of conservation targeting, we outline the regions where the adoption of these practices is potentially the most cost-effective.

Keywords

• agriculture and climate change
• on-farm greenhouse gas mitigation
• regional effects of mitigation practices