ABSTRACT
Taking the projections of Larson et al. (1983) as a point of departure, the analysis in the preceding chapter suggested that the productivity losses induced by continuation of 1977 rates of cropland erosion for 100 years would have a relatively small effect on crop production costs and output. In the scenario developed by Crosson and Brubaker (1982), erosion in 2010 rises substantially from 1977, and if it were sustained indefinitely the cost of lost productivity also would increase, probably more than proportionately. Even so, the effect of erosion on production costs likely would continue to be small relative to the effects of other factors.
