Returns to Taxpayers' Research Expenditures: A Case in Point

Authors

Richard K. Perrin, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

1-19-2000

Citation

Cornhusker Economics, January 19, 2000, agecon.unl.edu/cornhuskereconomics

Comments

Copyright 2000 University of Nebraska.

Abstract

For more than a century, taxpayers in Nebraska and across the nation have invested in agricultural research through the University of Nebraska's Agricultural Research Division (ARD). In the past two fiscal years, the ARD received an average of $27 million from state taxpayers and $13 million from federal taxpayers - a total of $40 million per year. In the study described below, we found that the annual net benefit from just one ARD research effort is about equal to this entire public expenditure.