"Recent research shows that the dramatic rise in obesity in the United States is due more to the overconsumption of unhealthy foods than underactivity. This study tests for an addiction to food nutrients as a potential explanation for the apparent excessive consumption. A random coefficients...

Controversy surrounds the introduction of genetically modified foods. One key issue relates to tolerance levels-the impurity rate tolerated before a commodity must be labeled. Currently, the United States has not defined a tolerance level for genetically modified foods. This paper uses data from...

In this article the economic impacts of Virginia State University's Small Farm Outreach, Training, and Technical Assistance Program are assessed. Impacts are measured in terms of program effect on incomes of limited-resource participant farmers compared with their net farm incomes had they not...

This paper investigates consumers' likely response to a proposed tax on snack foods that addresses public health issues generated by rising U.S. obesity rates. We estimate demands for particular snack foods and show they are price inelastic after accounting for quality variation. We calculate...

Qualitative evidence suggests that 1890 institutions play a significant role in delivering extension information to limited-resource, particularly minority, farmers. However, there is little empirical evidence of economic impacts of public investments in 1890 extension programs. This paper...

This study tests for a rational addiction to food nutrients as a potential explanation for the obesity epidemic. A random coefficients (mixed) logit model applied to household scanner data finds evidence of a strong, forward-looking addiction to carbohydrates. Consequently, price-based policies...

Consumers' willingness to pay for food products decreases when the food label indicates that a food product is produced with the aid of modern biotechnology. This bulletin presents empirical evidence on consumers' willingness to pay for biotech foods based on the presence or absence of labels...

With the controversy over genetically modified (GM) foods continuing to grow, there has been a major push for mandatory labeling of GM foods by consumer advocacy and environmental groups in the United States. These groups maintain that consumers would benefit from labels. Other groups think that...

Controversy surrounds the introduction of genetically modified foods. One key issue relates to tolerance levelsï¾—the impurity rate tolerated before a commodity must be labeled. Currently, the United States has not defined a tolerance level for genetically modified foods. This paper uses...