tions, and the capacity of the remaining land to support and sustain the popu- 

 lation. 



The change of agricultural lands to other uses is the natural response of 

 any freely functioning market. So far, agricultural production is rising 

 faster than the land is disappearing. In 1954-78, the area of agricultural 

 lands in Florida declined 26%, whereas production increased 146%. 



When the market system is functioning normally, the price operates as a 

 signal. The rise in land values signals the farmers to lower their costs by 

 using less expensive capital and labor. This shift allows resources to be 

 utilized by those who value them the most and permit a more efficient alloca- 

 tion of resources. Efficiency increases because it forces the farmers to use 

 least-cost methods of production and become more productive with the resources 

 at hand. 



There is yet another viewpoint on the changing pattern of land use. Per- 

 haps it is not the demand of nonfarm land users that is responsible for the 

 loss of agricultural lands. Improved technology has increased productivity 

 per acre and decreased the agricultural sector's need for land. Fanners find 

 that they can produce more with less land, and cut expenses and raise revenue 

 by selling land. In short, the farmer is releasing land for other uses. 

 Generally, urban populations cannot increase without the use of additional 

 land. 



ENVIRONMENTAL CONFLICTS 



Florida is no longer a frontier land where the conflicts among industry, 

 agriculture, cities, and citizens were not major environmental issues. Only a 

 few decades ago pollution was at low levels and chemicals were natural, bio- 

 degradable, and deteriorated in a short time or turned to sediment. Land, 

 timber, water, and other resources were abundant. After intensive land devel- 

 opment, these land uses often are in serious conflict. Examples are the 

 emissions from a fossil-fueled power plant that may indirectly damage forests, 

 crops, lakes, and even buildings because of acid rain. Chemicals and pesti- 

 cides often are used without much restriction. These are often made of syn- 

 thetic compounds which take many years to break down and complicate nature's 

 capacity to assimilate them. Further conflicts are given in the following 

 sections. 



Pesticides and Chemical Fertilizers 



To quote Seneca and Tausig (1979): 



In the long-run perspective of history, the development 

 and extensive use of effective pesticides have made a major 

 contribution to human welfare. Pesticides are responsible 

 for enormous increases in agricultural yields and for the 

 control of once widespread and debilitating diseases. Pesti- 

 cide research findings again reveal the recurring theme of 

 environmental problems* a difficult, benefit-cost type of 

 decision whether, and to what degree, to continue pesticides 



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