Soil Erosion Implications of Selected Agricultural Programs

The tasks involved n this study have included understanding and describing programs, and designing and using evaluative approaches. These have required a variety of skills, the input from and consultatiom with numerous individuals both within and beyond the study team. Among members of the study team, Harvey Clark undertook many of the tasks concerning obtaining and reporting questionnaire results. He also gathered informationr egarding all programs, and performed a range of reserach and writing functions. J.H. Copeland was the link to successful operation of long-period simulations with the EPIC model, and esnured that the computing needs of the study were met. P. Barlott prepared first drafts describing the farm fuel rebate program and the farm tax assessment program. Among the major authors, J.A. Robertson contributed a knowledge of soil fertility issues raised by the study. M.S. Anderson was primarily responsible for sections dealing with Canada-Alberta crop insurance, Special Canadian Grains program, drought assistance, Crown lands dispositions, and water management programs. In addition, he contributed to all sections of the report (including in particular the method for analyzing farmers' perceptions of the degree of soil loss by program). M.L. Lerohl, the princiapl author, was responsible for several chapters of the report, and for the methods used to arrive at estimates of soil loss and the portion attributable to several programs, in particular the Western Grain Transportation Act, CWB quotes, Western Grain Stabilization and farm fuel rebates. Others, many outside the University of Alberta, also contributed in important ways to the project. Dr. V. Benson, of the Agricultural Reserach Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was instrumental in providing access to the EPIC mdoel. In company with several of his colleagues, he was gracious enough to field questions raised by neophyte EPIC users. Cesar Izaurraulde, University of Alberta, was helpful in several ways, particularly concerning operation of EPIC and in assisting access to relevant published material. E.W. Tyrchnieqicz counselled on issues related to the study, and read and reacted to several sections of the report. G. Coen and J. Tajek, Agriculture Canada Soil Survey Unit, provided basic soils data and professional advice concerning land forms and soil characteristics. Colleagues in the Department of Rural Economic were sounding boards for issues as the developed, particularly W.L. Adamowicz, J.J. Richter, T.S. Veeman and W.E. Phillps. Members of the Steering Committee, R.Ada,, M. Boyle, B. Colgan, S. Henderson, L. Fullen, L. Lyster, C. Ross and R Wettlaufer provided useful comments both through formal meetings as well as directly to the study team, and also helped with data acess. By no means least, Judy Boucher not only typed the document with customary skill and speed, but was also a useful critic of aspects of the report presentation. Only the most senior authors were responsible for the errors and omissions which inevitably remain. We ask only the indulgence of readers in what we believe is a somewhat innovative approach to measuring and apportioning, to various public programs, the erosion associated them.