The Conference will focus on the roles of information policies on behavior and performance in the food system. Policies can include the public collection and provision of information, such as nutrition guidelines or mandatory commodity price reporting, but they can also include government rules for private information provision, such as health claims, labeling rules, or traceability guidelines.

Government has long played a role in providing information, and in setting policies for the private provision of information, for the food system. Many of those traditional functions are undergoing important changes, while new challenges are appearing. This conference will focus on analyses of developments in information provision and information policies. It features papers on the costs and benefits of proposals to establish national animal identification systems; the market impacts of government and private sector outlook reports; the implementation of pathogen control programs in meat processing plants; and symposia on the effects of expanded mandatory livestock price reporting and consumer responses to food product labeling.

The primary focus of the conference will be on empirical research, including experiments. We aim to 1) Learn about the effects of policies; 2) Allow researchers to learn about issues, data, and methods; and 3) Encourage fruitful interactions between researchers and those charged with developing and applying information policies.

The Conference is co-sponsored by the Economic Research Service and the Agricultural Marketing Service of USDA, and by AAEA’s Food and Agricultural Marketing and Policy Section and Food Safety and Nutrition Section

Featured Presentations

“Outlook vs. Futures: Three Decades of Evidence in Hog and Cattle Markets.” Evelyn Colino and Scott Irwin (University of Illinois).

“Costs and Benefits of a National Animal Identification System.” Ted Schroeder (Kansas State).

“Public Policy and Endogenous Beliefs: The Case of Genetically Modified Food.” Jayson Lusk (Oklahoma State).

“The Market Effects of Mandatory Livestock Price Reporting.” Steve Koontz (Colorado State) and Clem Ward (Oklahoma State).

“How Informa Uses Mandatory Livestock Price Reporting Data.” Rob Murphy (Informa).

“New Developments in Price Reporting.” Warren Preston (USDA/AMS).

“Analysis of Pathogen Control Performance in U.S. Young Chicken Slaughter and Pork Slaughter Establishments.” Mary Muth, Mansour Fahimi, and Shawn Karns (RTI).

“The Demand for Nutrition Information.” Joshua Berning, Hayley Chouinard, and Jill McCluskey (Washington State).

“Information Effects on Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Pasture-Fed Beef.” Hong Xue (Virginia Tech).

“What is it About Organic Milk? An Experimental Analysis.” by John Bernard and Daria Bernard (Delaware).

Hotel Accomodations

A block of rooms has been reserved at The Quincy, at 1823 L St, NW, Washington—less than two blocks from ERS. The rate is $159 per night. All reservations must be made with The Quincy no later than 4:00 pm, Wednesday, February 13, 2008. Contact the reservations office at The Quincy at 202-833-8639, ext. 7050 or reservations@quincysuites.com and request a reservation as part of the following block: “FAMPS, arriving on March 9, 2008”

At this time of year, lower rates in Washington are hard to find. Depending on timing, you may have luck at the Hampton Inn National Airport (near the Metro Blue and Yellow Lines, in Crystal City), the Holiday Inn Washington-Capitol (550 C street, near the Metro Blue and Orange Lines), the Days Inn in Arlington (2201 Arlington Boulevard, about six blocks from the Orange and Blue Lines).

Directions to ERS:

We are at 1800 M St, NW, in Washington, at the corner of 18th and M. If you’re driving, there are garages along 18th between L and M.

From The Quincy: turn left on L street and walk one block to 18th, then turn left and walk one block to M.

From the Metro Blue/Orange Line: Exit at the 18th St. exit of the Farragut West Station. Turn left on 18th and walk three blocks to 18th and M.

From the Metro Red Line: Exit onto the corner of Connecticut and L Streets from the Farragut North Station. Turn left on L, and walk one block to 18th. Turn right and walk one block to 18th and M.

Entry to ERS: Go to the South Lobby (there are two, and the South Lobby is furthest from the corner of 18th and M. Take the elevator to the 3rd floor, go to the ERS guard desk, and tell them that you are there for the FAMPS conference.

HOME