This document discusses a survey of landowners in northern Michigan and Wisconsin that found 58% were familiar with corn residues for bioenergy production, 27% were familiar with switchgrass, and 47% were familiar with poplar trees. The survey also found that less than 30% of landowners would be willing to rent land for bioenergy crops currently, but familiarity affects willingness. Landowners familiar with switchgrass were more likely to rent land for it. Increasing familiarity with bioenergy crops, especially switchgrass, through education programs could significantly increase land available for bioenergy crop production.

1. 58%
Corn residues
Familiar Unfamiliar
27%
Switchgrass
47%
Poplar trees
Can Knowledge Become Power?
Opportunities to Increase Land Supply for Bioenergy Crops
Braeden Van Deynze1 and Scott M. Swinton1,2
1Dept of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Michigan State University; 2Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center
Introduction
 Less than 30% of landowners in Northern Michigan and
Wisconsin would be willing to rent land for bioenergy crop
production under current conditions (Swinton et al. 2016).
 Information drives economic decision making and shapes
preferences.
 Does increased familiarity with bioenergy crops affect
willingness to supply land to grow them?
Results and Discussion
 Landowners are least familiar with switchgrass and more
likely to rent when they are familiar.
 Analysis of probit results (not presented) show landowners
familiar with bioenergy crops are more likely to rent if…
‒ They are pro-bioenergy.
‒ They have concerns over disruptions from crop production.
 Increasing familiarity with bioenergy crops, specifically
switchgrass, through extension or marketing programs, can
increase supply of land for producing bioenergy crops.
Survey and Empirical Methods
 Survey randomly sampled landowners from randomly
selected counties in Northern Michigan and Wisconsin
 Questions asked about…
‒ Current land use.
‒ Familiarity with bioenergy crops.
‒ Willingness to rent different land types for bioenergy crops.
‒ Attitudes towards and concerns about bioenergy.
 Probit regression models with interaction effects were
estimated to identify what drives willingness to rent land for
bioenergy crops.
 Resulting coefficient estimates were used to predict how
increased familiarity would affect the average landowner’s
willingness to supply land for different bioenergy crops.
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
Corn Switchgrass Poplar
Participation Rate
Familiar Unfamiliar
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
Corn Switchgrass Poplar
Participation Rate
Familiar Unfamiliar
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
Corn Switchgrass Poplar
Participation Rate
Familiar Unfamiliar
When landowners are familiar with switchgrass,
they are more likely to grow it on cropland…
....farmable non-cropland…
…and forested land
0
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.1
0.12
0.14
0.16
Corn Switchgrass Poplar
Increase in Participation Rate
Cropland Farmable Non‐cropland Forest
If all pro-bioenergy landowners were familiar with
each crop, their willingness to rent land for
bioenergy crops would increased markedly
(especially in switchgrass)
A targeted extension or marketing program could
significantly increase willingness to grow switchgrass
The lowest share of landowners
are familiar with switchgrass
Percent of landowners familiar with each bioenergy feedstock
Predicted change in
participation after familiarity
increases