COMMODITY POLICY ISSUES FOR THE 1980S

Agricultural and Food Policy,

Cost Structures and Management Strategies for Beef Slaughter Plants

The cattle industry is undergoing dynamic changes that have indicated a need for new research. Research information is needed by decision-makers in all areas of the cattle industry from the cattle feeder to the consumer of meat. This study is a part of the North Central Livestock Research Committee effort under NCM-36 which has undertaken the task to provide the modern cattle industry with the needed research. This study as a contributing effort to the overall NCM-36 regional effort was limited to the study of the procurement stage and the in-plant operations stage of specialized on-the-rail beef slaughtering plants in the Upper Missouri Valley area. The objectives of the study were (1) to determine the basic cost structure of the procurement and in-plant operations stage with emphasis on short, medium-short, and long-run adjustments and (2) to relate the cost structure of these stages to management decisions with reference to a single plant and to the whole slaughtering industry. Advisor: James G. Kendric

Commodity Program Provisions Under the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977

Commodity program provisions of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977 are summarized. Price support, loan level, disaster payment, program acreage, and other provisions of the legislation are discussed for wheat and feed grains, cotton, rice, peanuts, soybeans, sugar, dairy products, and wool and mohair. Miscellaneous provisions and those applying to grain reserves and to the beekeeper indemnity program are also summarized

Effects of Livestock Enterprises, Farm Size, Crop Yields, and Prices on Optimal Organization and Net Returns on Farms, Western Central Kansas - Area III

Excerpts from the Summary: Our objectives were to: (1) estimate supply response for wheat and feed grains, resource use, and net returns for specified farm situations with various price relationships for wheat and feed grains; (2) aggregate the response for a representative farm to obtain an area supply response function; (3) compare and analyze the resource use, and net returns for the specified farm situations (including those with various combinations of livestock, three farm sizes, and three levels of crop yields.) Linear programming was used to determine the optimal organization of crop and livestock enterprises that would maximize net returns for each farm situation with no government acreage restrictions or price supports, but with specified constraints on livestock enterprises. Feed grain price levels (same as corn) were set at $.80,$.94, and $1.21 per bushel, with no support programs. Wheat prices, parametrically programmed, ranged from$.80 to $3.00 per bushel,--which recognized that the price of wheat can and often does move independently of feed grain and livestock prices. Prices of other crops and of livestock were held constant, except that for one farm situation beef cattle prices also were varied from$15.20 to $39.34 per cwt., with wheat and feed grain prices all parametrically programmed

A Simulation Analysis of Alternative Target Price and Loan Rate Combinations

During the first 4 months of 1975, Congress considered a number of amendments to the Agricultural and Consumer Protection Act of 1973. The amendments were principally directed toward raising loan rates and target prices for major U.S. crops and support rates for dairy. Pressure for raising target prices and loan rates was largely due to substantial increases in input prices occurring since the enactment of the August, 1973 Act. Between July of 1973 and December of 1974, the index of prices paid for production items, interest, taxes and wage rates increased by 22 percent. Farmers and farm leaders expressed fear that high yields, coupled with the full production stance of the Administration,, could throw the crop sector into a cost-price squeeze, depressing farm income. Given these circumstances, proponents of the amendments argued that target prices and loan rates under the Act of 1973 gave farmers inadequate protection from low prices.</jats:p

Rice: Analytical Base and Policy Issues

Current rice agricultural policy, evolving out of several programs, provides price and income support through the 1981 crop year. As the time approaches for consideration to renew, amend, or replace that legislation, several policy issues important to the rice industry arise. This report reviews the historical and current rice policy and discusses those issues that have arisen