Abstract:
In this paper we exploit a discrete choice modeling framework to estimate the potential non-market welfare impacts of alternative hypothetical rural Irish landscapes that could become real by the year 2030 depending both on future agricultural policy reform and changing land use demands. These hypothetical rural Irish landscapes were developed, based on a study by Flanagan et al. (2007) entitled 2030 Foresight Report for Irish Agriculture where 5 different possible 'Irish farming futures' that may arise in 2030 were described. The results of a Random Parameters Logit model demonstrate significant preference heterogeneity amongst the Irish population for the attributes of agricultural landscapes. The largest welfare gain for the population is found to be from the 'agri-environmental landscape' that protects traditional farm landscape features and enhances biodiversity.
