Simulation methods are used to measure the expected differentials between the Mean Square Errors of the forecasts from models based on temporally disaggregated versus aggregated data. This allows for novel comparisons including long-order ARMA models, such as those expected with weekly data,...

Obtaining reliable estimates of insurance premiums is a critical step in risk sharing and risk transfer necessary to ensure solvency and continuity in crop insurance programs. Challenges encountered in the estimation include dealing with aggregation bias from using county level yield averages as...

Previous research established that the expanded Johnson system can accommodate any theoretically possible mean-variance-skewness-kurtosis combination. Therefore, it has been hypothesized that this system can provide for a reasonably accurate modeling approximation of any probability distribution...

This paper explores the economic feasibility secondary forest regeneration and conservation as an alternative to help address global warming. Detailed measurements of tropical secondary forests through time, in different ecological zones of Costa Rica, are used for estimating carbon storage...

The objective of this paper is to compare the accuracy of crop insurance rating methods based on historical liability and indemnity data (similar to the procedure currently used by the Risk Management Agency) and “yield distribution” approaches. Estimated rates are compared to “true”...

This paper explores the impact of error-term non-normality on the performance of the normal-error Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedastic (GARCH) model under small and moderate sample sizes. A non-normal-, asymmetric-error GARCH model is proposed, and its finite-sample performance...

This paper proposes and explores the use of a partially adaptive estimation technique to improve the reliability of the inferences made from multiple regression models when the dependent variable is not normally distributed. The relevance of this technique for agricultural economics research is...

This study presents a technique that can jointly model and simulate the expected values, variances, and covariances of sets of correlated time-series dependent variables that are autocorrelated and non-normal (right or left skewed and/or kurtotic). It illustrates the method by applying it to...

This paper revisits the issue of crop yield distributions using improved model specifications, estimation and testing procedures that address the methodological concerns raised in recent literature that could have invalidated previous conclusions of yield non-normality. It shows beyond...