Exploratory Spatial Analysis of Conservation Reserve Program Participation in the U.S. Midwest

Since the start of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in 1985, the US farmers has participated in the program with offering a portion of their environmentally sensitive lands to the program in exchange of annual rental payments. However, recent declining enrollments in the programs have raised concerns regarding its spatial relevance to environmental needs and economic status and incentives in participating regions. Therefore, this study explores the CRP participation and its drivers across regions to understand any spatial patterns that may exist. To do so, this research employs a combination of spatial analyses, named as exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA). Incorporating CRP participation rates and three contributing factors to the program, including CRP rental rate, soil erosion on cultivated farmlands, and farm income per acre, the approach applies Global Moran’s I, Univariate Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA), and Bivariate LISA (BiLISA) to answer the research questions. To validate the methodological framework, the study applies it to the Midwestern US counties which are one of the main contributors to the program. The results revealed significant spatial clustering for the variables and regional heterogeneity in CRP participation, implying that a uniform, nationwide policy design may not adequately address local environmental and economic conditions. Additionally, spatial mismatches for counties with high soil erosion risk and offered with strong rental incentives may not consistently achieve higher participation, implying inefficiencies in current CRP targeting and offer-selection mechanisms. Overall, the results support a shift toward a more data-driven, spatially informed decision-making process when it comes to strategizing CRP implementation.