This research investigates the strategic behavior of private crop insurance firms reinsured by the USDA through the Standard Reinsurance Agreement. This arrangement allows the private firm to strategically allocate individual policies into different risk sharing arrangements. Thus, firm earnings...

The term “cheap food policy” has frequently been used as a descriptor for U.S. commodity programs by those who contend these payments to farmers ultimately result in lower food costs for consumers. More recently, farm policy has been criticized for contributing to the obesity problem in the...

Location of product origin is an often-used marketing device by retailers. This approach is based on the assumption that location of origin signals something to consumers about the underlying quality (or other attributes) of the product. This can be an effective strategy if the signal matches...

A mail survey choice experiment and in-store controlled experiment were conducted concurrently in the same location to test for hypothetical bias in choice experiments using a new product—freshwater prawns. Findings suggest that hypothetical bias in the mail survey was not present for the new...

This analysis presents the results of a survey of agricultural producers in Mississippi regarding their use of contracting. The study focuses on cross-commodity differences in contracting and the variable underlying contracting. Logistic regression models are used to examine the impacts of...

A recent merger “wave” has occurred within the economy, including the agricultural sector. Some research has been conducted on publicly traded companies, but there is little information available on merger activity within agricultural cooperatives. This paper presents the results of a recent...

Much attention has been paid to alternative fuel sources of late. Ethanol has been a politically popular alternative fuel additive and has recently been pushed to the forefront as a leading replacement to MTBE as an oxygenate. This paper examines the potential markets for ethanol, including...