Can soil conservation practices improve upland farm productivity?

Abstract

Upland corn production using inappropriate techniques often leads to a host of environmental problems which can be partly internalized by farmers whenever it affects their production. Among the most prominent environmental externalities associated with upland corn production is soil erosion. Evidence shows that cultivation techniques such as crop combinations and tillage practices indeed affect the rate of soil erosion. However, there is not much evidence of the inverse - does soil erosion affect agricultural productivity.