Abstract

Effects of Increased Ethanol Production on Conservation Land Protection.
Track: Conservation
Authors: David Kelley

Corn acreage in the Upper Midwest has increased significantly in the past decade due to a rush towards ethanol production for fuel. Much of this acreage increase has come at the expense of lands that were previously protected under the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). This study seeks to quantify these land changes in Minnesota, a northern state in the US Corn Belt. Layers used include 1997 and 2008 CRP acreages along with locations of current ethanol plants, private, state, and federally protected lands, and surface waters. A difference analysis was used to compare land cover type and extent pre-and post-ethanol boom. Results suggest that marginal lands better suited for wildlife conservation and surface water protection were plowed under in favor of industrial corn production. State ethanol mandates, high corn prices, and uncertainty regarding the federal Farm Bill conspire to keep these marginal lands under the plow for the foreseeable future.