This paper presents findings on the use of HT corn and quality-adjusted herbicide use for 12 key corn producing states using a panel data set for 1986-2008. Our preliminary findings indicate an insignificant impact of HT corn on herbicide use, conditioning or accounting for HT corn with other...

Replaced with revised version of paper 07/15/08.

Replaced with revised version of paper 04/20/10.

Pesticide use has changed considerably over the past five decades. Rapid growth characterized the first 20 years, ending in 1981. The total quantity of pesticides applied to the 21 crops analyzed grew from 196 million pounds of pesticide active ingredients in 1960 to 632 million pounds in 1981....

This paper presents the first part of an ongoing project whose objective is to present a long term relationship between conservation tillage, adoption of GE crops and pesticide use for major crops in the United States. In addition, the project aims to provide some innovative tests on causality...

A cost-function-based production model is used to represent patterns of input use and output production in U.S. agriculture, and the implied costs of induced reductions in risk from agricultural chemicals (“bad outputs”). We estimate and evaluate shadow values for these harmful outputs, and...

A cost-function-based production model is used to represent patterns of input use and output production in U.S. agriculture, and the implied costs of induced reductions in risk from agricultural chemicals ("bad outputs"). We estimate and evaluate shadow values for these harmful outputs, and the...

The share of corn used in ethanol production has been growing rapidly. USDA predicts that more than 30 percent of the corn crop will be used for ethanol production in 2009/2010. Expanded corn acreage contributes to the application of more fertilizer and is likely to introduce a larger volume of...

More than 15 years after their first successful commercial introduction in the United States, genetically engineered (GE) seeds have been widely adopted by U.S. corn, soybean, and cotton farmers. Still, some questions persist regarding the potential benefits and risks of GE crops. The report...