This paper presents a model and framework for pricing degree‐day weather derivatives when the weather variable is a non‐traded asset. Using daily weather data from 1840S1996, it is shown that a degree‐day weather index exhibits stable volatility and satisfies the random walk hypothesis....

This paper reviews various optimization approaches used to address a variety of issues related to risk in agricultural finance and farm management. The central focus is in the Markowitz mean‐variance model, which represents the classical approach to balancing risk and returns in an...

The increasing demand for highly differentiated products in today’s enterprise economies has emphasized the small firms’ comparative advantage over larger firms. Business mortality rates, however, remained very high among more vulnerable start‐up businesses still in their earliest stage of...

Asymmetric information in the form of moral hazard and adverse selection can result in sizable program costs for government‐provided crop insurance plans. We present a methodology and illustrative simulations to show how these two types of information problems interact in a way to create...

This paper outlines approaches to valuating weather‐linked bonds, mortgages, and operating lines of credit. Using historical data from weather stations in Adrmore, Oklahoma, and Ithaca, New York, indemnities and insurance premiums are computed for specific‐event rainfall insurance. The main...

This paper illustrates how weather derivatives indexed to forecasts of famine can be designed and used by operational agencies and donors to facilitate timely and reliable financing, for effective emergency response to climate‐based, slow‐onset disasters such as drought. We provide a general...

One of the particular problems facing agribusiness firms is the relationship between commodity price risk (a source of business risk) and debt repayment ability (a source of financial risk). This study examines the use of commodity‐linked loans applied to agricultural credits. A...

We develop a theoretical model of input use by agricultural producers who purchase crop insurance, and thus may engage in moral hazard. Through simulations, our findings show a combination of partial insurance coverage and partial monitoring of inputs may reduce substantially the problems...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the life of the famous mathematician Kiyosi Itô and discuss his influence on the study of agricultural finance and agricultural economics. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is a qualitative historical review. Findings – The paper...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of major historical developments in agricultural finance, with particular emphasis on agricultural credit. It reviews the development of Raiffeisen and related banks that emerged in Germany and Europe throughout the nineteenth century and...