Reforming the EU Sugar Policy

This article presents and analyses the impacts of the EU sugar policy. Particular attention is given to the modelling of the quite complex policy and the calibration of the global general equilibrium model at the member state level. Two scenarios are analysed, namely a reduction in the intervention price of sugar and the sugar quota. It is found that the economic impacts of the two scenarios are quite different in terms of the effects on European production and trade in sugar as well in terms of efficiency. The impacts for developing countries also differ considerably across the two scenarios.EU sugar policy, general equilibrium modelling, reform scenarios, Agricultural and Food Policy, C68, D58, Q17, Q18,

Evolved Eclipsing Binaries and the Age of the Open Cluster NGC 752

We present analyses of improved photometric and spectroscopic observations for two detached eclipsing binaries at the turnoff of the open cluster NGC 752: the 1.01 day binary DS And and the 15.53 d BD $+$37 410. For DS And, we find $M_1 = 1.692\pm0.004\pm0.010 M_\odot$, $R_1 = 2.185\pm0.004\pm0.008 R_\odot$, $M_2 = 1.184\pm0.001\pm0.003 M_\odot$, and $R_2 = 1.200\pm0.003\pm0.005 R_\odot$. We either confirm or newly identify unusual characteristics of both stars in the binary: the primary star is found to be slightly hotter than the main sequence turn off and there is a more substantial discrepancy in its luminosity compared to models (model luminosities are too large by about 40%), while the secondary star is oversized and cooler compared to other main sequence stars in the same cluster. The evidence points to non-standard evolution for both stars, but most plausible paths cannot explain the low luminosity of the primary star. BD $+$37 410 only has one eclipse per cycle, but extensive spectroscopic observations and the TESS light curve constrain the stellar masses well: $M_1 = 1.717\pm0.011 M_\odot$ and $M_2 = 1.175\pm0.005 M_\odot$. The radius of the main sequence primary star near $2.9R_\odot$ definitively requires large convective core overshooting ($> 0.2$ pressure scale heights) in models for its mass, and multiple lines of evidence point toward an age of $1.61\pm0.03\pm0.05$ Gyr (statistical and systematic uncertainties). Because NGC 752 is currently undergoing the transition from non-degenerate to degenerate He ignition of its red clump stars, BD $+$37 410 A directly constrains the star mass where this transition occurs.Comment: 34 pages, 23 figures, accepted for Astronomical Journa

Solar-like oscillations in the G2 subgiant beta Hydri from dual-site observations

We have observed oscillations in the nearby G2 subgiant star beta Hyi using high-precision velocity observations obtained over more than a week with the HARPS and UCLES spectrographs. The oscillation frequencies show a regular comb structure, as expected for solar-like oscillations, but with several l=1 modes being strongly affected by avoided crossings. The data, combined with those we obtained five years earlier, allow us to identify 28 oscillation modes. By scaling the large frequency separation from the Sun, we measure the mean density of beta Hyi to an accuracy of 0.6%. The amplitudes of the oscillations are about 2.5 times solar and the mode lifetime is 2.3 d. A detailed comparison of the mixed l=1 modes with theoretical models should allow a precise estimate of the age of the star.Comment: 13 pages, 14 figures, accepted by ApJ. Fixed minor typo (ref to Fig 14

GTAP at Work in Denmark - Quantifying and Qualifying a Political Debate

In March 1999 the Danish Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries invited key policy makers from the food industry, farmers' organisations, consumer organisations and labour unions in Denmark to discuss the future perspectives for the Danish agricultural and fisheries sectors in a national and global context. In order to qualify and quantify the debate, the Danish Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Economics (SJFI) was called upon to participate in the discussions and to assess the future development of the Danish agricultural sectors with the aim of identifying challenges and opportunities. SJFI was also asked to analyse the economic consequences of specific policy scenarios, including the impact of higher national standards in relation to environmental protection, animal welfare and food security. This paper describes how the SJFI team has put GTAP to work in a specific policy context demonstrating the applicability of computable general equilibrium (CGE) models for practical policy advise purposes. It is concluded that such model-based analysis - in spite of its limitations - has influenced the political debate in Denmark and that the strength of the CGE approach lies not so much in the exact numerical results, but rather in the focus on important economic mechanisms and linkages, thereby providing a structured analytical framework. Moreover, the Danish experience illustrates that using more formal analytical approaches such as CGE modelling contributes to a more focused, disciplined and hence a more constructive policy debat

Reforming the EU Sugar Policy

This article presents and analyses the impacts of the EU sugar policy. Particular attention is given to the modelling of the quite complex policy and the calibration of the global general equilibrium model at the member state level. Two scenarios are analysed, namely a reduction in the intervention price of sugar and the sugar quota. It is found that the economic impacts of the two scenarios are quite different in terms of the effects on European production and trade in sugar as well in terms of efficiency. The impacts for developing countries also differ considerably across the two scenarios