Measures of Economic Status - Combining Income and Wealth into a Single Measure of the Potential Command Over Goods and Services

The purpose of this paper is to stimulate discussion on the way that economists, statisticians and analysts treat the wealth of agricultural households and changes in that wealth not arising from production. The concept of "economic status" is revisited and the implications of using it when making comparisons of agricultural households with other groups in society is reviewed. A more explicit treatment of capital and wealth is proposed.Consumer/Household Economics,

Policies Affecting or Facilitating Resource Adjustment in Agriculture in the European Union

Structural policy in the EU is ambiguous in its aims and contains conflicting elements. Interventions to ease change are combined with defensive measures that support income and discourage some aspects of adjustment. Structural change is a complex process and the number of farms is an incomplete indicator. Most adjustment takes place without active public assistance. Structural measures at EU level are now mostly within the rural development pillar of the Common Agricultural Policy. Their performance is mixed. However, many countries also have national policies, especially on taxation and land transfer, whose influence on adjustment must not be overlooked.adjustment, farm, income, policy, rural development, taxation, Agricultural and Food Policy,

Structural Change in EU Agriculture and the Supply of Social Attributes

The social attributes that agriculture is assumed to provide in its multifunctional role are analysed. Links with structural characteristics are examined and questions raised on the extent to which these are dependent on sustaining the present structure of EU agriculture. The nature of an efficient policy to provide these attributes is explored, with pointers for the next round of rural development policy. Our conclusion is that non-agricultural policies may be far more significant to the supply of social attributes than those conventionally seen as agricultural and rural developmental, suggesting that general community regeneration policies and "rural proofing" of general policies will be important for the future.multifunctionality, social attributes, sustainability, rural development, CAP, Agricultural and Food Policy,

Structural Change and Public Policies in EU Agriculture: An Overview

Substantial structural change is taking place in EU agriculture. Average farm size is increasing and labour is continuing to move out of the sector. Slow growth in food demand and the effects of technological change on supply are likely to exert downward pressure on real agricultural prices. Within this context, policies at the EU and national levels will have mixed effects on economic adaptation and structural change. There is considerable uncertainty about the long-run viability of the so-called European model of agriculture, particularly given the intensification of pressures for change through economic globalisation.agriculture, structure, policy, EU, globalization, Agricultural and Food Policy,

Towards an Enhanced Evaluation of European Rural Development Policy Reflections on United Kingdom Experience

L’expérience du Royaume-Uni en matière d’évaluation et d’examen de rapports d’évaluation de la programmation 2000-2006 en faveur du développement rural a révélé des faiblesses en ce qui concerne les bénéfices attendus d’une évaluation de politique publique : problèmes de décalage temporel des réactions, de tensions entre la cohérence et l’à-propos de l’évaluation, défis méthodologiques non négligeables pour répondre aux questions clefs relatives à la performance et problèmes importants de disponibilité de données et de financements. La préparation de la dernière programmation (2007-2013) a tenté d’améliorer au moins quelques-unes de ces difficultés, malgré l’émergence de nouveaux enjeux. De toute façon, certains problèmes sont inhérents à la structure actuelle de la programmation et de l’évaluation du développement rural au niveau européen. Une analyse des solutions possibles pour pallier ces difficultés tend à mettre en évidence qu’une approche de plus long terme, plus qualitative et déconcentrée améliorerait l’efficacité de l’évaluation des politiques européennes de développement rural.UK experiences in carrying out evaluations and in reviewing reports relating to the 2000-06 programming period for rural development have exposed weaknesses in harnessing the benefits that policy assessment might be expected to bring. These include problems of timely feedback, tensions between consistency and appropriateness in evaluation, significant methodological challenges in addressing key issues in performance, and important data and resourcing issues. Preparations for the latest (2007-13) programming period have attempted to improve at least some of these difficulties, although new risks are also apparent. However, some problems are inherent in the current structure of rural development programming and evaluation, at EU level. Analysis of potential solutions to these problems suggests that ultimately, a more long-term, qualitative and subsidiary approach would enhance the effectiveness of European RD policy evaluation.