Are Beginning and Small-Scale Farmers Drawn to Diversification? Ten Years\u27 Findings From Ohio

Diversifying a farm\u27s production operations or marketing channels can boost income and raise farm survival rates. But are beginning and small-scale farmers inclined toward a strategy of diversification? We analyzed 578 attendee surveys from 10 years of an Extension workshop for new and small-scale farmers in Ohio. We investigated the farming profile of beginning and small-scale farmers, the degree to which they are interested in pursuing diversified farming, and whether these interests vary by gender. We found evidence that new and small-scale farmers are interested in alternatives to commodity grain farming, that these alternatives are associated with diversified farming systems, and that some specific diversification interests vary by gender

Amish Economic Transformations: New Forms of Income and Wealth Distribution in a Traditionally “Flat” Community

The basic contours of the Amish economic transformation over the past few decades have been well documented, including the demographic squeeze that pushed many Amish out of farming, their embrace of cottage industries and, to a lesser extent, factory labor, and the social and cultural dilemmas created by successful entrepreneurship. Yet the effects of increasing market entanglement on the distribution of income and assets in Amish communities are still poorly understood. In this exploratory study, we draw on publicly available data from the U.S. Census, the Ohio Amish Directory, and records from real estate transactions to map out the distribution of income and land wealth in one predominantly Amish-populated Census Tract in Holmes County, OH. Our findings illustrate economic differentiation within the Amish community, as well as the ways in which affiliation and church leadership are associated with land holdings. Our case study raises important questions about growing economic inequalities that merit further exploration

Amish Economic Transformations: New Forms of Income and Wealth Distribution in a Traditionally “Flat” Community

The basic contours of the Amish economic transformation over the past few decades have been well documented, including the demographic squeeze that pushed many Amish out of farming, their embrace of cottage industries and, to a lesser extent, factory labor, and the social and cultural dilemmas created by successful entrepreneurship. Yet the effects of increasing market entanglement on the distribution of income and assets in Amish communities are still poorly understood. In this exploratory study, we draw on publicly available data from the U.S. Census, the Ohio Amish Directory, and records from real estate transactions to map out the distribution of income and land wealth in one predominantly Amish-populated Census Tract in Holmes County, OH. Our findings illustrate economic differentiation within the Amish community, as well as the ways in which affiliation and church leadership are associated with land holdings. Our case study raises important questions about growing economic inequalities that merit further exploration

Comparing Policy Instruments in a Dynamic Environment with Strategic Firms: The Case of Minnesota Phosphorus Emissions.

This paper examines the strategic behavior of firms under emissions taxes and tradable emissions permits designed to mitigate phosphorus emissions. The Nash payoff to the regulator of the strategic game is determined for a sub-basin of the Minnesota River using econometric estimates of cost and benefit functions representative of the region. These payoffs are compared to determine the preferred policy instrument. Results show that emission permits yield lower deadweight losses than emissions taxes.Environmental Economics and Policy,

Comparing Policy Instruments in a Dynamic Environment with Strategic Firms: The Case of Minnesota Phosphorus Emissions.

This paper examines the strategic behavior of firms under emissions taxes and tradable emissions permits designed to mitigate phosphorus emissions. The Nash payoff to the regulator of the strategic game is determined for a sub-basin of the Minnesota River using econometric estimates of cost and benefit functions representative of the region. These payoffs are compared to determine the preferred policy instrument. Results show that emission permits yield lower deadweight losses than emissions taxes

EXPLORING THE TRANSMISSION OF INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC ECONOMIC SHOCKS TO U.S. AGRICULTURE

As growth in world trade outpaces the growth in world Gross Domestic Product (GDP), economies are becoming ever more linked through world markets (Helpman, 1998). It is evident that U.S. agriculture is also becoming increasingly affected by changes or economic shocks in world markets and that this response is conditional on the response of other sectors with which it must compete for economy-wide resources. This paper links the U.S. agricultural sector with its bilateral trading partners by deriving "shock transmission functions". These functions link the direct effects of world economic shocks to the price of four U.S. (export) commodities namely meat, dairy, grains and crops. We derive a price equation that is a function of the product of income between the United States and it's trading partner among other explanatory variables. The coefficient estimates from these equations can be interpreted as price transmission elasticities. These elasticities are used to conduct policy experiments

EXPLORING THE TRANSMISSION OF INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC ECONOMIC SHOCKS TO U.S. AGRICULTURE

As growth in world trade outpaces the growth in world Gross Domestic Product (GDP), economies are becoming ever more linked through world markets (Helpman, 1998). It is evident that U.S. agriculture is also becoming increasingly affected by changes or economic shocks in world markets and that this response is conditional on the response of other sectors with which it must compete for economy-wide resources. This paper links the U.S. agricultural sector with its bilateral trading partners by deriving "shock transmission functions". These functions link the direct effects of world economic shocks to the price of four U.S. (export) commodities namely meat, dairy, grains and crops. We derive a price equation that is a function of the product of income between the United States and it's trading partner among other explanatory variables. The coefficient estimates from these equations can be interpreted as price transmission elasticities. These elasticities are used to conduct policy experiments.International Relations/Trade,

MEASURING COMMODITY PRICE VOLATILITY AND THE WELFARE CONSEQUENCES OF ELIMINATING VOLATILITY.

Commodity price volatility in international markets has been used to justify numerous policy interventions, including the need for buffer stocks and counter-cyclical payments. The common measure of volatility, the standard deviation or coefficient of variation, likely overstates the actual variation faced by economic agents. By making a distinction between its predictable and unpredictable components, volatility is found to be low, suggesting that significant welfare gains may be unattainable with policy interventions designed to stabilize prices. The use of the standard deviation implies price volatility as high as 30 per cent for certain grain markets. Removing the predictable components from this measure decreases volatility to between 0.1 per cent and 15.9%. We find little evidence to suggest that volatility is increasing over time for all commodities. The benefits of eliminating low levels of commodity price volatility are small, less than 1% of consumption for the majority of commodities studied