Antibiotics have been used by pig producers for several decades, and are now used routinely. This study documents the current productivity and economic impacts of the use of antibiotics for growth promotion (AGP) by pig grower/finishers at the farm level. We evaluate the impacts of an AGP ban,...

On December 23, 2003, Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman announced that the United States Department of Agriculture had diagnosed the first U.S. case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as “mad cow disease.†This study uses supermarket sales data to analyze the...

Increased promotion and awareness of healthy diets has contributed to growth in demand for fresh fruits and vegetables, for which the United States has become increasingly more dependent on imports. A modified LA/AIDS model captured seasonality and the effects of trade policy for select U.S....

The 1996 Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform (FAIR) Act dramatically affects the decision-making environment of farms by introducing provisions for reducing farm income support payments. These program changes are likely to affect not only farm incomes, but also farm capital asset markets....

The U.S. government has been extensively involved in providing income support and risk management policies for U.S. farmers over the last 65 years. Risk management policies have included crop insurance, disaster relief, and in recent years, revenue insurance. Recent policy changes signaled an...

According to estimates made by the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute in March of 1999, there are several macro factors that will significantly impact U.S. and global agriculture over the next decade. Factors leading to near-term price pressure are contrasted with likely...

This paper critically examines linkages between alternative farming practices and environmental quality. Environmental impacts of high-yield farming are contrasted to those of low-yield farming. Traditional low-yield farming systems, while being promoted by environmental groups, have resulted in...