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Abstract
The uncertain future of the Conservation Reserve Program has created substantial interest
for agricultural producers, rural businesses, community leaders, sportsmen, and wildlife
organizations. Many regions of the upper Great Plains have participated heavily in the CRP as
evidenced by program acreage reaching land enrollment limits; however, current enrollment and
re-enrollment criterion are expected to substantially reduce CRP acreage in many parts of the
Great Plains. The divergence of interests between pursing post-CRP lands for agricultural
production versus retaining the wildlife habitat and wildlife populations supported on CRP lands
presents land owners and agricultural producers with important land management decisions over
the next several years. This research examines the regional economic implications of post-CRP
land use among traditional agricultural uses, wildlife production, and multiple-use practices. Of
particular interest is whether multiple-use management on post-CRP lands can produce similar
returns to landowners and producers as traditional land uses, and determine the effects of
multiple-use management on post-CRP lands on regional economic output. A multiple-use
system implemented on post-CRP lands based primarily on beef grazing while producing corn
and barley for forage and retaining a portion of acreage in dedicated wildlife habitat would not
compete economically with other conventional land uses. The net change in gross receipts
within the regional economy from agricultural uses of post-CRP lands exceeded lost recreational
expenditures in all scenarios evaluated.