RIDGE Project Summaries, 2007: Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Innovation and Development Grants in Economics Program

This report summarizes research findings from the Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Innovation and Development Grants in Economics Program (RIDGE), formerly known as the Small Grants Program. The Economic Research Service created the program in 1998 to stimulate new and innovative research on food and nutrition assistance issues and to broaden the network of social scientists that collaborate in investigating the food and nutrition challenges that exist across communities, regions, and States. The report includes summaries of the research findings of projects that were awarded 1-year grants in summer and fall 2006. The results of these research projects were presented at the RIDGE conference in October 2007. The projects include analyses of the influence of WIC on children’s health at birth, impacts of Food Stamp Program participation on weight gained by expectant mothers, community influence on food assistance and dietary choices, and economic effects of a policy to provide government-subsidized price discounts for the purchase of fruits and vegetables by food stamp recipients. Several of the projects focus on specific populations such as immigrants, Native Americans, or people living in the rural South

Employment Trends in Farm and Farm-Related Industries, 1975-87

Employment changes in farm and farm-related industries reveal the restructuring of agriculture's linkages to the U.S. economy. Agricultural production jobs have declined in reaction to laborsaving technological advancements and periods of unfavorable economic conditions. Some farm-related industries have also declined or remained stable, but other industries that process, market, and sell agricultural products have experienced employment growth. These employment changes vary by direction and intensity between metro and nonmetro areas and among farm production regions

COMPARING DISTRIBUTIONS OF FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN U.S. AGRICULTURAL LAND

The geographic distribution of U.S. agricultural land acquired by foreign investors between 1980 and 1982 differed significantly from the distribution of land purchased prior to 1980. Examination by county and district of the number of parcels expected, based upon the distribution of land purchased prior to 1980, and the observed number of parcels acquired during 1980-82 indicate locations where foreign investment deviated from expectations under the hypothesis that foreign investment follows a stable geographic pattern. Analysis of the variation in distributions suggests that factors such as the activities of real estate agents and monetary exchange rates influence the location and timing of foreign investment

SALES DATA IN THE PROPERTY TAX SYSTEM: THEIR ADEQUACY TO ESTIMATE MARKET VALUE

Tax officials rely upon sale price of real property to estimate the property's market value. Assessment-ratio studies, which compare the assessed value to market value of property, are a major use of sales data in the tax assessment system. In many States, however, limited verification of sales information collected for ratio studies may compromise the accuracy of data and results of studies conducted. The questionable quality of sales data found in the tax assessment system, plus concerns regarding the adequacy of sales prices of transferred properties to estimate market value of all other properties, most likely restrict uses of these data in research analyses that require a high level of statistical confidence

INFORMATION CONTAINED IN LOCAL ASSESSMENT RECORDS, 1972 to 1982.

Data from the Bureau of the Census' 1982 Survey of Local C Assessment Records indicate that there are 103.8 million taxable real property parcels in the United States. Approximately 14 percent of these parcels are classified as farm, timber, recreation, idle, or waste land. Although a large quantity of information is contained in local assessment records, particularly public assessment rolls, existing Bureau of the Census assessment data surveys are limited in their usefulness for developing estimates of rural land values

RIDGE Project Summaries, 2006: Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Innovation and Development Grants in Economics Program

This report summarizes research findings from the Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Innovation and Development Grants in Economics Program (RIDGE), formerly known as the Small Grants Program. The Economic Research Service created the program in 1998 to stimulate new and innovative research on food and nutrition assistance issues and to broaden the network of social scientists that collaborate in investigating the food and nutrition challenges that exist across communities, regions, and States. The report includes summaries of the research findings of projects that were awarded 1-year grants in summer and fall 2005. The results of these research projects were presented at the RIDGE conference in October 2006. The projects examine issues of obesity in children and immigrants, food assistance program participation and household well-being, food security, community influence on food assistance and dietary choices, food prices and quality, and child nutrition. Several of the projects focus on specific populations, such as Native Americans or people living in the rural South

RIDGE Project Summaries, 2008: Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Innovation and Development Grants in Economics Program

This report summarizes research findings from the Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Innovation and Development Grants in Economics Program (RIDGE), formerly known as the Small Grants Program. The Economic Research Service created the program in 1998 to stimulate new and innovative research on food and nutrition assistance issues and to broaden the network of social scientists who collaborate in investigating the food and nutrition challenges that exist across communities, regions, and States. The report includes summaries of the research findings of projects that were awarded 1-year grants in summer and fall 2007. The results of these research projects were presented at the RIDGE conference in October 2008. The projects include analyses of vendor access and fruit and vegetable availability in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children; effects of food insecurity on the development of infants and toddlers; administrative data to evaluate the Child and Adult Care Food Program in family child care homes; the economics of the Thrifty Food Plan; and food stamp use among the elderly. Several of the projects focus on specific populations, such as immigrants, Native Americans, or people living in the rural South

Patterns of Change in the Rural Economy, 1969-86

Rural employment and earnings have grown unevenly since 1969, following the general ups and downs of the U.S. economy. Nonmetro employment and earnings growth was strongest in the early 1970’s, increasing at faster rates than in metro counties. But more recently, nonmetro counties have underperformed metro counties, declining more in the two recessions during 1979-82 and expanding less in the recovery that followed. Nonmetro growth was strongest in the West and weakest in the Midwest. Nonmetro counties that have attracted retirees have had more employment and earnings growth, both in service- and goods-producing industries, than those counties dependent on other economic bases

INFORMATION CONTAINED IN REAL PROPERTY TRANSFER RECORDS

Based on data from the Bureau of the Census' 1982 Survey of Real Property Transfer Records, there were an estimated 10.6 million deeds recorded in 1979. Real property transfer records are a potential source of data on land ownership, value, and size. These data are important to professionalgtoups concerned with the development, distribution, and use of land resources. The present limitations of transfer data for studies of land values and ownership could be reduced by standardizing forms and improving coordination among data users

Analyzing Levels of Foreign Investment in U.S. Agricultural Land

Geographic clustering of foreign investment in U.S. agricultural land is observed in maps when investment data are distributed by county. Multiple regression techniques performed to test for relationships between foreign investment and readily available agricultural and economic variables do not adequately explain the variation in levels of foreign ownership among counties. The low explanatory power of the variables suggests that 1) foreign investors appear not to represent a unique subset of owners of agricultural real estate or 2) factors other than those tested may better explain the variation in foreign investment levels among counties