We investigate what farmland preservation programs reveal about the importance of protecting different rural amenities. An extensive content analysis of the enabling legislation of various farmland protection programs suggests wide variation exists in the protection of amenities. An analysis of...

By improving wildlife habitat and air and water quality, CRP has significantly increased the number and variety of wildlife, attracting bird watchers, hunters, anglers, and other outdoor recreation enthusiasts, who then spend money in rural areas. In 2004, ERS research confirmed that the CRP’s...

The analyses reported on in this chapter provide a broader and different perspective in exploring the relationship of farmland protection programs and rural amenities than previously published research. They supplement existing studies in the literature that use survey data from a limited...