The short-term effect of pesticide bans generally is less efficient production, with higher consumer prices. The higher commodity prices provide windfall profits to producers of affected crops who did not need the banned pesticide, while those producers who were previous users of the banned...

A sample selection model is estimated using data from a 1989 survey of cotton farmers in the 14 major producing states to assess the effects of the farmer's participation in a professional scouting program on pesticide use in cotton production. Our results, based on 1989 conditions, indicate...