Research Seminars @ Illinois

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Tailored for undergraduate researchers, this calendar is a curated list of research seminars at the University of Illinois. Explore the diverse world of research and expand your knowledge through engaging sessions designed to inspire and enlighten.

To have your events added or removed from this calendar, please contact OUR at ugresearch@illinois.edu

Speaker Jeff Hadachek - Can Farmer-Led Initiatives Reduce Nonpoint Source Pollution?

Event Type: Seminar/Symposium
Sponsor: ACE (Dept. Agricultural and Consumer Economics)
Location: 428 Mumford Hall
Date: Apr 11, 2025 12:00 - 1:00 pm
Speaker: Jeff Hadachek, Professor, University of Wisconsin
Views: 7
Originating Calendar: ACE Seminars; Abstract
Nonpoint source pollution from agriculture is the leading cause of nutrient pollution in the U.S. This paper addresses whether localized, farmer-led programs can cost-effectively reduce nonpoint source pollution by increasing the adoption of agricultural conservation practices. We study this in the context of an innovative program in Wisconsin that incentivizes farmers to take collective leadership of improving water quality in their local watersheds. Using a shift-share instrumental variables design, we find that a 10 percentage point increase in farmer participation in these programs leads to a 0.03 mg/L reduction in ambient phosphorus concentrations in local streams and rivers. We also show that this change causes an increase in the adoption of cover crops, conservation tillage, and more diverse crop rotations. Importantly, this localized approach achieves water quality and conservation improvements at a substantially lower cost than existing federal subsidy programs, demonstrating the potential for farmer-led initiatives as one solution for nonpoint source pollution in other contexts.

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