Numerous methods for measuring multifactor productivity have been used by economists. This report uses a recently developed approach, data envlopment analysis, to measure productivity. This method can be used not only to calculate productivity but also to divide productivity measures into...

Brazil's agricultural sector underwent major changes in the past two decades. Though Brazil is abundant in labor, land, and animal power, government subsidies encouraged the use of fertilizer and machines. Since productivity growth arises from technical change, Brazil's drive to modernize its...

The decision to overwinter feeder cattle hinges directly on the forecast of spring cattle prices. An analysis of price forecasts from several alternative models is presented. The models are evaluated using both the traditional mean square criterion and alternative criteria. The alternative...

We extend the methodology of a two-step profit function to obtain area and yield elasticities. We then estimate the effects of price and technology on crop output of France, Germany, and the UK. Area elasticities were obtained by adding area shadow price equations to the standard dual model of...

An output distance function conditional on the expansion of a second output is presented. These distance functions are used to calculate distinct relative Total Factor Productivity (TFP) scores for two jointly produced products-livestock and crops for 27 countries. From these, TFP growth and...

In 2006 FDA announced that consumers should not eat fresh spinach in the wake of a large foodborne illness outbreak of E. coli O157:H7. This paper investigates response of consumers to the announcement. We use an AIDS demand model with 5 food safety shock variables and retail scanner data to...

To analyze U.S. consumers' brand choices for cheese purchases, we derive a set of discrete-choice models from dynamic utility maximization. ACNielsen Homescan Survey data on U.S. households is used to estimate a dynamic probit model for each of the top brands for cheddar, shredded, and sliced...

This paper test for asymmetric response of import unit values (IMUVs) of seven wheat importing countries to changes in the export price of U.S. wheat. While other studies have tested for asymmetry in price relations, we extend the literature by testing and identifying several sources of observed...

Health and safety officials are sometimes placed in an awkward position: knowing that a foodborne disease outbreak is occurring but not knowing which food is responsible. They have to advise consumers, but relying on ambiguous and evolving information raises the question, how do consumers...