ESTABLISHING PEANUT PURCHASING CONTRACT TERMS WITH UNCERTAIN MARKET PRICES AND INPUT SUPPLIES

Demand and Price Analysis,

THE STRUCTURE, PERFORMANCE, AND SUSTAINABILITY OF AGRICULTURE IN THE MOUNTAIN REGION

Farmers in the Mountain Region-in both metro and nonmetro areas-face growth in population and nonfarm employment that affects land use and how farmers operate their businesses. Even in remote locations, people moving to amenity areas may result in farmers changing their operations. Sustainable agriculture, already practiced by Mountain Region farmers to some extent, may help farming to continue. Nonfarm people also have an interest in the continuation of agriculture and the adaptation of sustainable practices, in order to help preserve the amenities that make the region attractive to migrants. Growth in the region does provide some benefits to farmers, however. Growth can help keep the value of farmland up through nonfarm demand for land. In addition, the greater availability of jobs means that off-farm work is available to households operating farms. Off-farm work is particularly important, given the concentrated distribution of farm income.Production Economics,

Recent Changes in Farm Structure: A Canada-U.S. Comparison

Following a series of bilateral and multilateral agreements, the past two decades have seen increased trade and investment liberalization between Canada and the United States in the agri-food sector. Changes in trade policy are one of several paths by which farm structure can change. This increased liberalization, together with the largest drop in Canadian farm numbers recorded by the Census of Agriculture in thirty years, has provided the impetus to review some aspects of farm structure. In particular, this article presents the latest Canadian and U.S. data on the number of farms by sales class, the concentration of sales and other production-related variables, and the distribution of income and receipts. We explore whether significant changes in the latter two elements of farm structure have occurred during this period of trade and investment liberalization.Crop Production/Industries, Farm Management, International Relations/Trade,

Variance Estimation With USDA's Farm Costs and Returns Surveys and Agricultural Resource Management Study Surveys.

USDA's annual Farm Costs and Returns Surveys and Agricultural Resource Management Study surveys apply complex stratified, multiple-frame, probability-weighted, and sometimes multiple-phase sampling methods to provide financial measures of the agricultural sector. This paper is an overview of survey estimators, sample design, hypothesis testing, disclosure rules, and reliability measures for the two surveys followed by statistical program documentation. Sums, ratios, means, multiple regression, binomial logit analysis, and order statistics are covered

Financial Performance of Specialized Hog Farms, 1987

Specialized hog farms--those with at least 50 percent of their production value from hogs and with at least $40,000 in total crop and livestock production—had more favorable financial conditions in 1987 than most other types of commodity specialty farms. Since 1985, net returns have increased 87 percent and the number of financially stressed farms has decreased 61 percent. Small farms with sales of$40,000 to $100,000 had the least favorable costs and returns. Production was concentrated In four adjoining areas: the Northern Plains, the western Corn Belt, the eastern Corn Belt, and the Southeast. Specialized hog farms in the eastern Corn Belt had the highest net returns and lowest costs

Financial Performance of Specialized Corn-Soybean Farms, 1987

Specialized corn-soybean farms—those with at least 50 percent of their production value from corn and soybeans and with at least $40,000 in gross revenue—fared better financially In 1987 than farms specializing in most other types of commodities. Specialized corn-soybean farms accounted for 56 percent of all corn sales and 59 percent of all soybean sales in the United States. Small specialized farms with gross revenue between$40,000 and $100,000 had the least favorable costs and returns structure. Production was concentrated in five adjoining areas: the western Corn Belt, the eastern Corn Belt, the Northern Plains, the Lake States, and the South. Specialized corn-soybean farms in the Northern Plains showed the highest net returns and lowest costs

Agriculture and New Agricultural Policies in the Great Plains

The Great Plains will be affected by the 1996 farm legislation in important ways. The transition to the new law could increase demands for farm inputs and services in the Great Plains by $1.2 to$1.4 billion per year (3.8 to 4.6 percent)—enough to make the difference between decline and growth for many farm-related sectors. The residual returns to the farm sector may decline under the 1996 law if demands for agricultural products continue to grow at their historical rates. But residual returns to the sector could increase if demands grow at slightly more than their historical rates, as is likely with the progressive implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement and World Trade Organization pacts liberalizing trade in agricultural products. Increasing the rate of growth of farm product demands by an average of 1.4 percent per year over less than 4 years would restore longrun net returns to the favorable levels of the 1995 base year