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Nature versus Nurture: The Environment's Persistent Influence through the Modernization of American Agriculture

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  • Richard Hornbeck

Abstract

Technological innovation in agriculture was substantial during the 20th century. Is "modern" technological control of the environment replacing a "primitive" dependency on natural advantages and disadvantages, or has agricultural production remained persistently dependent on the environment? This paper estimates how the 20th century modernization of United States Plains' agriculture changed the impact of environmental characteristics on agricultural land values. Despite substantial technological innovation and rising land values from 1945 to 2002, counties' environmental characteristics largely maintained influence on land values. Environmental change has become no less costly, as technological innovation has not reduced the importance of natural advantages or disadvantages.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Hornbeck, 2012. "Nature versus Nurture: The Environment's Persistent Influence through the Modernization of American Agriculture," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(3), pages 245-249, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:102:y:2012:i:3:p:245-49
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Michael J. Roberts & Wolfram Schlenker, 2011. "The Evolution of Heat Tolerance of Corn: Implications for Climate Change," NBER Chapters, in: The Economics of Climate Change: Adaptations Past and Present, pages 225-251, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Richard Hornbeck & Pinar Keskin, 2011. "The Evolving Impact of the Ogallala Aquifer: Agricultural Adaptation to Groundwater and Climate," NBER Working Papers 17625, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    5. Richard Sutch, 2011. "The Impact of the 1936 Corn Belt Drought on American Farmers' Adoption of Hybrid Corn," NBER Chapters, in: The Economics of Climate Change: Adaptations Past and Present, pages 195-223, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Richard Hornbeck, 2010. "Barbed Wire: Property Rights and Agricultural Development," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 125(2), pages 767-810.
    7. Wolfram Schlenker & W. Michael Hanemann & Anthony C. Fisher, 2006. "The Impact of Global Warming on U.S. Agriculture: An Econometric Analysis of Optimal Growing Conditions," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 88(1), pages 113-125, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Breinlich, Holger & Ottaviano, Gianmarco I.P. & Temple, Jonathan R.W., 2014. "Regional Growth and Regional Decline," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 4, pages 683-779, Elsevier.
    2. Solomon M. Hsiang & Amir S. Jina, 2015. "Geography, Depreciation, and Growth," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 105(5), pages 252-256, May.
    3. Enrico Moretti, 2014. "Local Economic Development, Agglomeration Economies, and the Big Push: 100 Years of Evidence from the Tennessee Valley Authority," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 129(1), pages 275-331.
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    5. Fitzgerald, Jack, 2024. "The Problem with Poor Proxies: Does Innovation Mitigate Agricultural Damage from Climate Change?," I4R Discussion Paper Series 158, The Institute for Replication (I4R).
    6. Jonathan I. Dingel & Kyle C. Meng & Solomon M. Hsiang, 2019. "Spatial Correlation, Trade, and Inequality: Evidence from the Global Climate," NBER Working Papers 25447, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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