Measuring public preferences for the environmental amenities provided by farmland

As farmland amenities have become relatively more scarce than food and fibre in developed countries, public concern has shifted away from increasing agricultural production, towards protecting rural environmental quality. Choosing appropriate policies requires accurate information describing public preferences for different amenities. This paper uses qualitative information provided by focus groups and survey data from a sample of Rhode Island (USA) residents, to identify and compare socially valued environmental amenities associated with farmland and open space. Public preferences for preserving farmland compare favourably with preferences for preserving other types of open space. Lands that include endangered species habitats and important groundwater resources are preferred.