Economic Impact of Discontinuing Farm Uses of Heptachlor

In 1971, U.S. farmers would have incurred additional costs of $2.1 million if farm uses of the insecticide heptachlor had been discontinued. Based on estimates of 1971 acreage treated with heptachlor, this aggregate loss would have included $1.2 million in additional costs for alternative insecticides and $0.9 million in yield losses. Added costs for alternative insecticides would have ranged from $1.55 to $1.73 an acre for corn, depending on whether corn rootworm or other soil insects were the problem. Tobacco producers would have had an added cost of $21,300 for alternative insecticides--$8,700 for field treatment and $12,600 for seedbed treatment. Seed treatment costs, primarily for corn, would have increased by $55,000. Total use of heptachlor would have decreased by 695,000 pounds if farm use had been discontinued. The increase in alternative insecticides would have ranged from 561,000 to 695,000 pounds, depending on which organophosphate or carbamate insecticide farmers had used in place of heptachlor.