A Computerized System for Estimating and Displaying Shortrun Costs of Soil Conservation Practices

A computerized system is presented for estimating and displaying shortrun costs of alternative combinations of soil conservation practices for specific soils. Erosion rates, costs per acre, and costs per ton reduction of erosion are displayed in a schematic diagram that permits one to observe the cumulative effects of adding practices to an initial practice. Combinations of practices are ranked by the cost per ton reduction and cost per acre. The reduction in erosion versus cost per acre or per ton reduction can also be displayed. The model also computes the effects of incremental changes in underlying conservation input costs on per acre practice costs.