IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ags/uerscs/329202.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Natural Resource Capital in U.S. Agriculture: Irrigation, Drainage and Conservation Investments Since 1900

Author

Listed:
  • National Resource Economics Division, Economics, Statistics, and Cooperatives Service

Abstract

This paper gives some original time-series estimates (1900-1975) for the constant-dollar gross and net stocks of public and private fixed capital assets associated with agricultural irrigation, drainage and soil conservation activities (IDC) in the United States. In 1975 the IDC facilities and associated equipment had a real net or depreciated value of $27.5 billion (in constant 1972 dollars). They represent about one-fourth of all fixed nonland capital in agriculture. The $27.5 billion net IDC capital value in 1975 was made up of about $12.3 billion for irrigation (45 percent), $9.7 billion for all conservation (35 percent), and $5.5 billion for drainage (20 percent). The aggregate net value of all IDC capital in 1977 was about $28 billion, weighted 46 percent to irrigation, 20 percent to drainage, and 34 percent to conservation.

Suggested Citation

  • National Resource Economics Division, Economics, Statistics, and Cooperatives Service, 1979. "Natural Resource Capital in U.S. Agriculture: Irrigation, Drainage and Conservation Investments Since 1900," Economics Statistics and Cooperative Services (ESCS) Reports 329202, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:uerscs:329202
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.329202
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/329202/files/NaturalResourceCapitalAgUS.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.22004/ag.econ.329202?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. D. Gale Johnson, 1963. "Efficiency and Welfare Implications of United States Agricultural Policy," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 45(2), pages 331-342.
    2. Allen G. Smith, 1972. "Is There Disinvestment in the Farming Sector?," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 54(2), pages 275-278.
    3. Schluter, Gerald E. & Niles, Thomas A., 1975. "Farmers' Capital Expenditures, Who Benefits?," 1975 Annual Meeting, August 10-13, Columbus, Ohio 284153, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    4. Harold F. Breimyer, 1978. "Agriculture's Three Economies in a Changing Resource Environment," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 60(1), pages 37-47.
    5. Burton L. French, 1956. "Functional Relationships for Irrigated Corn Response to Nitrogen," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 38(3), pages 736-747.
    6. Robert L. Tontz, 1958. "Future of Irrigation in the Humid Area," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 40(3), pages 636-652.
    7. Thomas A. Carlin & Charles R. Handy, 1974. "Concepts of the Agricultural Economy and Economic Accounting," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 56(5), pages 964-975.
    8. Howe, Eric C. & Handy, Charles R., 1975. "Inventory and Critique of Productivity Estimates In The U.S. Food and Fiber Sector," 1975 Annual Meeting, August 10-13, Columbus, Ohio 284149, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    9. Melvin L. Cotner, 1963. "Optimum Timing of Long-Term Resource Improvements," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 45(4), pages 731-748.
    10. Heinz Spielmann & Eldon E. Weeks, 1975. "Inventory and Critique of Estimates of U.S. Agricultural Capacity," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 57(5), pages 922-928.
    11. Anderson, Terry L. & Hill, P.J., 1976. "The Role Of Private Property In The History Of American Agriculture, 1776 - 1976," 1976 Annual Meeting, August 15-18, State College, Pennsylvania 283915, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    12. John B. Penson & Dean W. Hughes & Glenn L. Nelson, 1977. "Measurement of Capacity Depreciation Based on Engineering Data," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 59(2), pages 321-329.
    13. Frey, H. Thomas & Otte, Robert C., 1975. "Cropland for Today and Tomorrow," Agricultural Economic Reports 307536, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    14. Burton A. Weisbrod, 1962. "Education and Investment in Human Capital," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 70(5), pages 106-106.
    15. Schluter, Gerald E. & Niles, Thomas A., 1975. "Farmers' Capital Expenditures, Who Benefits?," Northeastern Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association, vol. 0(Number 2), pages 1-12, October.
    16. Terry L. Anderson & Peter J. Hill, 1976. "The Role of Private Property in the History of American Agriculture, 1776–1976," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 58(5), pages 937-945.
    17. Nabil Khaldi, 1975. "Education and Allocative Efficiency in U.S. Agriculture," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 57(4), pages 650-657.
    18. Harry W. Ayer & G. Edward Schuh, 1972. "Social Rates of Return and Other Aspects of Agricultural Research: The Case of Cotton Research in São Paulo, Brazil," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 54(4_Part_1), pages 557-569.
    19. Richard W. Simunek, 1976. "National Farm Capital Accounts," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 58(3), pages 532-542.
    20. Wooten, H. H. & Purcell, Margaret R., 1949. "Farm Land Development: Present and Future, by Clearing, Drainage, and Irrigation," Miscellaneous Publications 319716, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    21. Arthur Maass, 1966. "Benefit-Cost Analysis: Its Relevance to Public Investment Decisions," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 80(2), pages 208-226.
    22. Burton A. Weisbrod, 1962. "Education and Investment in Human Capital," NBER Chapters, in: Investment in Human Beings, pages 106-123, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    23. Eric C. Howe & Charles R. Handy, 1975. "Inventory and Critique of Productivity Estimates in the U.S. Food and Fiber Sector," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 57(5), pages 916-921.
    24. Lu, Yao-chi, 1974. "A PRoduction Function Approach to Measuring Productivity Growth," 1974 Annual Meeting, August 18-21, College Station, Texas 284525, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    25. C. Robert Taylor, 1975. "A Production Function Model for Aggregate Time-Series Data," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 57(1), pages 122-123.
    26. Emery N. Castle, 1965. "The Market Mechanism, Externalities, and Land Economics," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 47(3), pages 542-556.
    27. Robert Evenson, 1967. "The Contribution of Agricultural Research to Production," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 49(5), pages 1415-1425.
    28. Carlin, Thomas A. & Handy, Charles R., 1974. "Concepts Of The Agricultural Economy And Economic Accounting," 1974 Annual Meeting, August 18-21, College Station, Texas 284557, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    29. Laurits R. Christensen, 1975. "Concepts and Measurement of Agricultural Productivity," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 57(5), pages 910-915.
    30. Robert M. Solow, 1956. "A Contribution to the Theory of Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 70(1), pages 65-94.
    31. Pavelis, George A., 1972. "Planning Natural Resource Development: An Introductory Guide," Miscellaneous Publications 321887, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    32. Kasal, James & Back, W. B., 1970. "An Economic Evaluation of the Great Plains Conservation Program," Miscellaneous Publications 322785, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    33. USDA Committee on Land Use (sponsor), 1975. "Perspectives on Prime Lands: Background Papers for Seminar on the Retention of Prime Lands, July 16-17, 1975," USDA Miscellaneous 329523, United States Department of Agriculture.
    34. Gertel, Karl, 1976. "Anticipated Effects of the Bureau of Reclamation Program on Agricultural Production and Prices," Miscellaneous Publications 329572, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    35. Carter, H.O. & Youde, J.G., 1974. "Some Impacts Of The Changing Energy Situation On U.S. Agriculture," 1974 Annual Meeting, August 18-21, College Station, Texas 284571, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    36. Stippler, Henry H., 1956. "Sprinkler Irrigation in the Pacific Northwest," Agricultural Information Bulletins 308790, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    37. Hutchins, Wells A., 1931. "Irrigation Districts, Their Organization, Operation and Financing," Technical Bulletins 163085, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    38. Solomon Fabricant, 1959. "Basic Facts on Productivity Change," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number fabr59-1, July.
    39. Schluter, Gerald E. & Niles, Thomas A., 1975. "Farmers' Capital Expenditures, Who Benefits?," Journal of the Northeastern Agricultural Economics Council, Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association, vol. 4(2), pages 1-12, October.
    40. Derek Byerlee & A. N. Halter, 1974. "A Macro-Economic Model for Agricultural Sector Analysis," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 56(3), pages 520-533.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Themba G Chirwa & NM Odhiambo, 2019. "An Empirical Test Of Exogenous Growth Models: Evidence From Three Southern African Countries," Economic Annals, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Belgrade, vol. 64(220), pages 7-38, January –.
    2. Patrik Hultberg & David Santandreu Calonge & Seong-Hee Kim, 2017. "Education policy in South Korea: A contemporary model of human capital accumulation?," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(1), pages 1389804-138, January.
    3. Krzysztof Cichy, 2009. "Human Capital and Technological Progress as the Determinants of Economic Growth," NBP Working Papers 60, Narodowy Bank Polski.
    4. Daren, Conrad, 2007. "Education and Economic Growth: Is There a Link?," MPRA Paper 18176, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2009.
    5. Conrad, Daren, 2017. "Education's Contribution to Economic Growth," MPRA Paper 77365, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Economics, Statistics, and Cooperatives Service, 1978. "Proceedings of Workshop on Farm Sector Financial Accounts, April 14-15, 1977," Agricultural Economic Reports 307690, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    7. Riemenschneider, Charles H. & Brinkman, George L. & Nicol, Kenneth J. & Hoffman, George & Beelen, George W., 1983. "Proceedings of the Seminar on Revisions to Farm Income and Financial Statistics for Canada," Occasional Papers 124290, University of Manitoba, Department of Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics.
    8. William Shobe & John L. Knapp, 2007. "The Economic Impact of the University of Virginia: How a Major Research University Affects the Local and State Economies," Reports 2007-01, Center for Economic and Policy Studies.
    9. Unknown, 1994. "Evaluating Agricultural Research And Productivity In An Era Of Resource Scarcity," Staff Papers 14039, University of Minnesota, Department of Applied Economics.
    10. Andri Chassamboulli & Pedro Gomes, 2018. "Meritocracy, Public-Sector Pay and Human Capital Accumulation," University of Cyprus Working Papers in Economics 08-2018, University of Cyprus Department of Economics.
    11. James G. Strathman, 1994. "Migration, Benefit Spillovers and State Support of Higher Education," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 31(6), pages 913-920, June.
    12. John Bound & Michael F. Lovenheim & Sarah Turner, 2010. "Why Have College Completion Rates Declined? An Analysis of Changing Student Preparation and Collegiate Resources," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 2(3), pages 129-157, July.
    13. Bonnen, James T., 1987. "The Status of Agriculture Data Systems As the Basis For Policy," 1987 Annual Meeting, August 2-5, East Lansing, Michigan 269908, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    14. Manudeep Bhuller & Philipp Eisenhauer & Moritz Mendel, 2022. "Sequential Choices, Option Values, and the Returns to Education," Papers 2205.05444, arXiv.org, revised Jul 2024.
    15. Bilkic, N. & Gries, T. & Pilichowski, M., 2012. "Stay in school or start working? — The human capital investment decision under uncertainty and irreversibility," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(5), pages 706-717.
    16. James J. Heckman & Lance J. Lochner & Petra E. Todd, 2003. "Fifty Years of Mincer Earnings Regressions," NBER Working Papers 9732, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    17. Sergio Urzua, 2019. "Redistribution Through Education: The Value of Public Education Spending," Commitment to Equity (CEQ) Working Paper Series 88, Tulane University, Department of Economics.
    18. James J. Heckman & Chase O. Corbin, 2016. "Capabilities and Skills," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(3), pages 342-359, July.
    19. Annette Alstadsæter & Hans Henrik Sievertsen, 2009. "The Consumption Value of Higher Education," CESifo Working Paper Series 2871, CESifo.
    20. Pamela Giustinelli, 2022. "Expectations in Education: Framework, Elicitation, and Evidence," Working Papers 2022-026, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ags:uerscs:329202. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: AgEcon Search (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ersgvus.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.