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Article
Impacts of Ethanol on Planted Acreage in Market Equilibrium
American Journal of Agricultural Economics
  • Hongli Feng, Iowa State University
  • Bruce Babcock, Iowa State University
Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Submitted Manuscript
Publication Date
4-7-2010
DOI
10.1093/ajae/aaq023
Abstract

The magnitude of land conversion caused by biofuels expansion largely determines whether biofuels reduce net greenhouse gas emissions. To examine this issue, we model how equilibrium changes in input use and land allocation decisions respond to market- and policy-induced increases in corn ethanol demand. We demonstrate why total cropland area unambiguously increases with increased ethanol demand. The impact of ethanol price subsidies and consumption mandates are examined in the context of technical change. If ethanol demand is elastic enough, an exogenous increase in corn yields leads to cropland expansion with price subsidies. Yield increases under consumption mandates reduce land use.

Comments

This working paper was published as Feng, Hongli and Bruce A. Babcock, "Impacts of Ethanol on Planted Acreage in Market Equilibrium," American Journal of Agricultural Economics 92 (2010): 789–802, doi:10.1093/ajae/aaq023.

Citation Information
Hongli Feng and Bruce Babcock. "Impacts of Ethanol on Planted Acreage in Market Equilibrium" American Journal of Agricultural Economics Vol. 92 Iss. 3 (2010) p. 789 - 802
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/hongli-hennessy/32/