ABSTRACT
A common conclusion in much writing about difficult policy issues is that more information is needed. Soil survey and national resource inventory (NRI) data measure the quality of land in agricultural production. The Agricultural Economics and Land Ownership Survey (AELOS) provide information about the ownership of farmland. The answer to the question is that almost all of these data are organized in a one- or two-dimensional fashion. An institutional answer is the obvious one: Institutions could simply agree to cooperate in data collection efforts and in the design of public record documents. Most of these difficulties have technical solutions that bridge between the alternatives and are better left to more technical forums. Some progressive local governments have integrated public record systems cutting across all functions with the strategic or long-run planning function. The research establishment seems even less likely to push for data integration.
