3-12: Estimating the benefits and costs of sustainable corn stover production

Corn stover represents the largest source of near-term agricultural feedstocks for new industrial uses. Harvested stover provides several benefits to producers, such as additional income and yield gains for the following crop year. However, its presence on the land after harvest represents an effective measure to prevent soil erosion and maintain soil carbon. Balancing the economic benefits and costs of effective sustainable removal remains an important policy goal for agricultural and energy policy makers. In this analysis we present a cost-benefit assessment of corn stover as a conservation measure and industrial feedstock. We utilize the POLYSYS modeling framework to access market development under sustainable harvesting scenarios and present projections for yield, cost, and returns for stover production.