Monday, March 18, 2024

Members in the News: March 18, 2024

 

David Ortega, Michigan State University

  • Consumer Price Increases Inch Higher
    By: New York Times – March 12, 2024
  • Inflation Was Higher Than Expected in February
    By: npr – March 12, 2024

Maria Kalaitzandonakes, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Food Prices Continue to Go Up. Will Consumers See Relief Anytime Soon?

By: WFLD-TV – March 6, 2024

"The most common ways we have seen people adjusting is by buying cheaper brands, um, cooking more meals at home. You know, switching to less expensive items. So maybe switching away from things like red meat or seafood. When you can't make your food dollar stretch far enough, government support is there for that reason as well.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: WFLD-TV


Glynn Tonsor, Kansas State University

Cattle on Feed Report Shows Slight Increase in Feedlot Numbers

By: High Plains Journal – March 10, 2024

“I do think we are still getting signals that nationally the herd is still not expanding. Kansas took a little bit of a dip, but there are no specific insights into why. When looking at the annual size group estimates, the cattle and calves on feed for slaughtering market in the U.S. for feedlots with 1,000 or more capacity represented 82.7% of all cattle and calves on feed in the U.S. on Jan. 1, 2024, which was similar to a year’s ago percentage at 82.6%.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: High Plains Journal


Keri Jacobs, University of Missouri

NFU Kicks Off 122nd Anniversary Convention

By: Morning Ag Clips – March 10, 2024

“From March 10 through 12, attendees will hear from a host of speakers to prepare them for the year ahead, including The Honorable Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sarah Suggs, President and CEO, Sandra Day O’Connor Institute for American Democracy, as well as a discussion on the future of farmer-owned cooperatives featuring Chuck Conner, President and CEO, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, Keri Jacobs, Associate Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics and Partridge Chair in Cooperative Leadership, University of Missouri and Doug O’Brien, President and CEO, National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Morning Ag Clips


Matthew Holt, Virginia Tech

Purdue’s College of Agriculture Recognizes Six Alumni as ‘Distinguished Ag Alumn

By: Morning Ag Clips - March 11, 2024  

“Since 2017, Matthew Holt has led the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at Virginia Tech. He is working hand-in-hand with President Timothy Sands, a former Purdue acting president and provost, on a decade-long project called Virginia Tech Advantage. It seeks to dramatically increase need-based financial aid to students.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Morning Ag Clips


Bart Fischer, Texas A&M University

Texas A&M Experts Work To Explain the Impact of Agriculture in a Busy World

By: KBTX 3 – March 14, 2024

“I think we certainly take for granted in this country. We think... food magically shows up at the grocery store and we go and buy it, and we don’t ever have to worry about what all goes on behind the scenes. If you look at U.S. consumers, we spend less of our disposable income as a share of [our income] than any other place on the planet, and it’s not by accident.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: KBTX 3


Joseph Balagtas, Purdue University

Most Consumers Continue To Expect Rising Food Prices

By: Eurasia Review – March 14, 2024

“Over the same 26 months of the survey, the U.S. observed high food inflation that peaked at 11.3% in 2022. Even though food inflation has cooled significantly since then, dropping to 2.6% this month, inflation remains positive.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Eurasia Review or National Hog Farmer


Ryan Cardwell, University of Manitoba

Supply Management Of Meat, Eggs, Dairy Remains a Canadian Sacred Cow

By: Eagle Valley News – March 13, 2024

“On one hand, they talk about food affordability, and (on) the other hand, they have a government-sanctioned cartel in staple foods. So, it’s talk. I don’t give it much credence.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Eagle Valley News or National Observer


Alankrita Goswami, University of Manitoba

Winnipeg Chocolatiers Facing Bitter Taste of Increased Cocoa Costs

By: City News Everywhere – March 15, 2024

“Cocoa futures have been skyrocketing, and weather conditions slowing down the output of the commodity in West Africa, is to blame. The trend will continue, but the market will adjust. Sometimes temporary fluctuations can have a bit of a long-term impact.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: City News Everywhere

Monday, March 11, 2024

Members in the News: March 11, 2024

 

Laura Kalambokidis, University of Minnesota

  • Minnesota Has a $3.7 Billion Surplus, But Budget Officials Warn Against Spending It All
    By: Star Tribune – February 29, 2024 or AP News, MPR News, Pioneer Press
  • In Minnesota’s Latest Economic Forecast, 5 Pieces of Good News Explained
    By: MinnPost – March 3, 2024

Soumya Gupta, Cornell University
Prabhu Pingali, Cornell University

Pandemic Spurs 14% Rise in Underweight Children in India

By: Mirage – February 6, 2024

"Researchers long suspected that pandemic-related disruptions to India's food systems reduced access to healthy, nutritious diets, especially for marginalized populations dependent on government programs. Our study confirms these suspicions," he said, "and shows the real damage done to children's nutrition and development."

(Continued...)
Read more on: Mirage or Down To Earth, BNN, Medriva, etc.


Trey Malone, University of Arkansas

Addressing Food Security in Rural Oklahoma

By: High Plains Journal – March 1, 2024

“Food access affects our wellbeing by what is available, convenient and nutritional. When considering where food is consumed—at home or away from home—our rural areas face greater food access challenges due to limited food establishments as well as access to fresh produce and other healthy foods. COVID impacted this on an even greater level. As we know, convenient foods are not always the most nutritious.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: High Plains Journal


Amy Hagerman, Oklahoma State University

Dr. Amy Hagerman Discusses FSA Programs to Aid Producers Impacted by Wildfires

By: Oklahoma Farm Report – March 1, 2024

“There are still some flare-ups happening out there and we have got some conditions happening this weekend that we need to be very careful of. As producers make it back onto their properties, documentation should be of top priority for producers wanting to take advantage of some of these programs.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Oklahoma Farm Report


Gregory Ibendahl, Kansas State University

Oil Prices, Inflation Key Influences on Fertilizer Cost

By: Great Bend Tribune – March 4, 2024

“When we look at the variable expenses, fertilizer is the most important one. Farmers have got a lot of money tied up in growing a crop, especially with something like corn, or grain sorghum or wheat, where you’re putting a lot of nitrogen on your product. Those crops use a lot of fertilizer, and whenever those prices go up, we see a corresponding hit to the farmer’s bottom line.” 

(Continued...)
Read more on: Great Bend Tribune


Amitrajeet Batabyal, Rochester Institute of Technology

Another Voice: Some Digital Products Have Actually Benefited Their Physical Counterparts

By: Buffalo News - March 7, 2024,

“The arrival of the internet and digitization have affected off-line markets for a variety of information goods (books, movies, music) because the internet provides consumers with an alternative channel for consuming content at a low-to-zero cost. Is this low-cost or costless digitization good or bad for the sales of the physical versions of information goods?”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Buffalo News


David Ortega, Michigan State University

No, The President Does Not Control Grocery Prices

By: Verify – March 8, 2024

“The president doesn’t have control over food prices. Food prices are affected by shocks that are external. A lot of it comes down to market forces. A March 2023 report on food prices published by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that not just one but multiple market forces can affect retail food prices. Some of the most recent factors include the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, global trade issues, weather events and climate change, as well as animal and plant diseases, such as the recent outbreak of avian (bird) flu, which “was partly responsible for the significant increases that we saw in egg prices.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Verify


Robin Goldstein, University of California, Davis

Black Market, Hemp Products Biggest Challenges to Cannabis Industry

By: Las Vegas Review – March 7, 2024

“The difference between the legal price and illegal price is the main determinant of whether the legal market is able to have a substantial share. If it’s twice as much to buy legal weed as illegal weed, very few people are going to buy the legal weed.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Las Vegas Review


Brittney Goodrich, University of California, Davis

Good Trade Relations with China Critical for U.S. Pistachios

By: AgNet West – March 8, 2024

“I think that’s something that we’re going to be seeing as a growing market going forward for all tree nuts, not just pistachios. You have this growing middle class in India that has more disposable income. So, they’re now importing more tree nuts from the U.S. and from other countries. So that’s a particularly big, growing market.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: AgNet West


Brandon McFadden, University of Arkansas
Kelly Davidson, University of Delaware
Leah Palm-Forster, University of Delaware

Exchange Program Research Provides Critical Nutrition Recommendations in Tanzania

By: Delicious Food – March 10, 2024

“A key recommendation of the study is that policymakers Politicians and public health officials in Tanzania are focusing on education about zinc deficiency. Zinc deficiency is a major health problem worldwide, particularly in developing countries, and a major health consequence is stunted growth in children.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Delicious Food

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Nominations Call: HES Best Publication of 2023 Award

Nominations are now open for our Health Economics Section Best Publication of 2023 Award

We invite you to nominate a paper for this award. Self-nominations and nominations of others’ papers will be accepted.

Please submit the nomination to Bhagyashree Katare, bkatare@purdue.edu, by March 31, 2024.

Eligibility for the Health Economics Section Best Publication Award

Any article related to health policy published in an academic peer-reviewed journal in the 2023 calendar year. Submissions may include papers related to animal, human, and/or environmental health. Theoretical or empirical research papers will be accepted. The submission of high-impact research that demonstrates innovative and original contributions is highly encouraged. 

 

Preference will be given to research led by an emerging scholar. 

Submission deadline: March 31, 2024

Submission process: Email your nomination with a PDF of the publication attached to Bhagyashree Katare, bkatare@purdue.edu.

Monday, March 4, 2024

Members in The News: March 4, 2024

 Amitrajeet Batabyal, Rochester Institute of Technology

The Usefulness of Mandatory Retirement in Reforming the Supreme Court of the United States

By: Medium – February 24, 2024

“As the highest judicial body in the country, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) plays a pivotal role in interpreting the Constitution and in shaping the legal landscape. In recent years, concerns have been raised about the court’s structure, lifetime appointments, and the political polarization of its justices. While the current system has served the nation well for many years, exploring alternate ways of reforming the SCOTUS is essential to ensure its continued efficacy and legitimacy.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Medium


Mehdi Nemati, University of California, Riverside

The Good News, Bad News on California’s Water Supplies, Drought After Record Rainfall

By: East Bay Times – February 7, 2024

“Agency efforts to capture more stormwater in storage and groundwater recharge basins have improved in recent years. But when parts of Los Angeles get 75% of their annual rainfall in just two days. There’s only so much water agencies can do to keep up. Also, while California mountains have certainly been getting solid snow, the storm just wasn’t cold enough to build up the massive snowpack the region needs to be insulated against dry months and years to come.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: East Bay Times


Colin Andre Carter, University of California, Davis
Sandro Steinbach,
North Dakota State University

Column: Trumponomics? He Would Impose The Equivalent Of A Huge Tax Hike

By: Los Angeles Times – February 26, 2024

“California almond sales plummeted, and Australian growers rushed in to fill the gap. In a report for the Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics at UC Davis, economists Sandro Steinbach and Colin A. Carter calculated that the episode cost the state’s almond growers about $875 million in lost income.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Los Angeles Times


Wendong Zhang, Cornell University
Chad Hart,
Iowa State University

2022 Ag Census: Five Things To Know About Iowa

By: The Gazette – February 14, 2024

“There's a dichotomy regarding which metric you look at. There's a very significant presence of young and new and beginning producers across the nation. However, if you're looking at the land access and landholding that they have, I don't think that you see a whole lot of action there.”

“That tells us that this worry about farm transition is already occurring and we are seeing some of this land transition from the older generation to the younger ones.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: The Gazette


Madhu Khanna, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Despite Uncertainties, Cellulosic Biofuels Still a Win for Ground Transportation

By: Farms.com – February 23, 2024

“There are a lot of advantages for perennial feedstocks to decarbonize transportation. We need long-term policy commitments with assured demand for cellulosic biofuels, as well as short-term policy support like tax credits, which could be based on the carbon intensity of biofuels.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Farms.com or Morning Ag Clips


Trey Malone, University of Arkansas
Jackie Yenerall,
University of Tennessee

Ag Economists Offer Food For Thought To Improve Baby Formula Supply

By: EurekAlert! – February 22, 2024

“The article proposes a strategic rethinking of policies to foster a more competitive and accessible market. The goal is ensuring infant nutrition security. Our collaborative effort has been an enlightening journey, shedding light on the delicate balance between regulation, market competition, and ensuring the availability of essential nutrition for infants.”

“Our article provides a discussion of the potential tradeoffs associated with making permanent changes to three policies and programs that currently influence the infant formula market: import tariffs, Food and Drug Administration regulation, and WIC.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: EurekAlert!


Mohammad Nahid Sattar, Michigan State University

Speed Up Adoption Of Low-Cost Farm Machinery: Study

By: Financial Express – February 25, 2024

“Bangladesh has been urged to accelerate the adoption of cost-effective and profitable agricultural machinery among farmers to revolutionise farming practices, according to a recent study. The study has also emphasised the importance of expanding the operations of the Department of Agricultural Extension services to maximise benefits for farmers, advocating for an increase in the allocated budget for this pivotal sector.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Financial Express


Jing Liu, Purdue University
Thomas Hertel,
Purdue University
Maksym Chepeliev,
Purdue University
David Johnson,
Purdue University

National Policy Could Benefit Twofold

By: Agri-View – February 25, 2024

“The greatest carbon price in the models reduced U.S. carbon emission by almost 50 percent. Coupled with an increase in nitrogen fertilizer prices, that reduced fertilizer applications by about 15 percent for corn production across the Mississippi River Basin. The team also considered a scenario that restored wetlands in the central U.S. Corn Belt without a climate policy. The farmers in the area grew less corn and applied less fertilizer. But that prompted increased fertilizer applications in the untreated regions, resulting in negative spillover.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Agri-View


Rabail Chandio, Iowa State University

Northwest Iowa Farmland Sells For $29,600 Per Acre

By: Successful Farming – February 27, 2024

“With more concentrated livestock operations and manure to manage in this part of the state, the economist notes location may also be a factor at play. This drives higher land prices in the northern parts of Iowa than the southern region.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Successful Farming


Margaret Jodlowski, The Ohio State University

CFAES Farm Bill Summit Focuses on “Unprecedented Times

By: Morning Ag Clips – February 28, 2024

“I don’t think the delay to the 2024 Farm Bill really surprised any of us. More often than not, Congress is late in the passage of Farm Bills. This is a landmark for a few different reasons. It’s a remarkable sum of money and our first trillion dollar Farm Bill. The number represents a very significant increase from the 2018 Farm Bill cost of $428 billion.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Morning Ag Clips


Andrew W. Stevens, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Fight Over Potential Grocery Store Merger

By: ABC 12 – March 1, 2024

“UW-Madison's Andrew Stevens provides some perspective on the ongoing battle for Albertson's and Kroger to merge.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: ABC 12


Maria Marshall, Purdue University

University Receives Grants For Sustainable Agriculture Projects

By: Agri-View – February 29, 2024

“This grant is about looking at sustained multiple shocks. You have climate change that is already affecting different parts of the supply chain, now you add COVID on top of that. And then you add, for example, a train derailment. It’s one thing on top of another on top of another.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Agri-View


Cory Walters, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Spring Insurance Prices Tumble

By: Progressive Farmer – February 29, 2024

“It's important for farmers to evaluate their insurance options using their farm's data and risk profile. Trade the market you're in, not the one you want. We don't have those prices from six, eight, 10, 12 months ago. We have to manage today's prices. No one can say for certain what prices will do in 2024, but he said price distribution charts show there's a 5% possibility of $3.40 corn. Do you want to be exposed to that? I'm not saying it will happen, but there's a chance. The most important thing to manage this year is the distribution of outcomes I'm exposed to. I want to get rid of rare, financially devastating events.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Progressive Farmer


David Zilberman, University of California, Berkeley

International Symposium Scheduled for March 8"

By: Morning Ag Clips – February 29, 2024

“The conference is organized by Zhuang and Gretchen Neisler, vice provost for international affairs for UT Knoxville, with help from a 12-member committee. A scientific committee is chaired by David Zilberman professor in the Agricultural and Resource Economics Department at the University of California, Berkeley, and Brad Day, associate vice chancellor for research innovation initiatives at UT Knoxville.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Morning Ag Clips


Thursday, February 29, 2024

The White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans

 Join the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence, Equity, and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024 from 6 – 8 pm EST for an evening virtual session tailored to students, parents, and families. The event will provide an overview of the college preparation process, tips on how to search for scholarships and other financial aid resources, navigating college life to ensure student success, and more. It is held in collaboration with Temple University Lenfest North Philadelphia Workforce Initiative, Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, and the Pennsylvania Governor's Advisory Commission on African American Affairs. Register at bit.ly/WHBIcollegeplanningto view for free.


 

Monday, February 26, 2024

Members in the News: February 26, 2024


Steven Deller, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Economist Says State Headed For ‘Soft Landing’ Rather Than Recession

By: Wis Business – February 19, 2024

“The state have been reluctant to let workers go as they struggle to fill positions in the post-pandemic era. This reluctance is, many economists believe, a primary factor in lower expectations of a recession in favor of the now predicted ‘soft-landing’ of the economy.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Wis Business


Zachariah Rutledge, Michigan State University

  • Where’s USDA Help? Rep. Slotkin Pushes Ag Secretary on AEWR, Labor
    By: Michigan Farm News – February 16, 2024
  • We Don’t Have Years, We Have Months” — MFB Members Warn Lawmakers Of Labor Crisis
    By: Michigan Farm News – February 22, 2024

William Ridley, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Study Details Ukraine War’s Wheat Market Impact

By: World Grain – February 14, 2024

“In the weeks after the war began that prices would soar and remain relatively high for the foreseeable future. But the prices quickly retreated when it became apparent that other wheat exporters could fill the void. Since the war began 23 months ago, the price of wheat on the global market has only increased by 2%, after surging 27% higher in the opening weeks of the conflict mainly due to speculative buying.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: World Grain


Joana Colussi, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  • Large Supplies Keep Pressure on Crop Markets
    By: Farm Week Now – February 8, 2024
  • El Niño Boosts South American Crop After Delay
    By: Iowa Farmer Today – February 8, 2024

Benjamin Brown, University of Missouri

Midwest Farms and 2022 Ag Census

By: Progressive Farmer – February 19, 2024

“Consolidation -- big farms continued getting bigger in 2022, this means the state is losing mid-sized farms. We've been in this farm consolidation period for decades. Farmers are producing more and more goods … because fixed costs require farms to get big. Some farms are just looking to break even in 2024."

(Continued...)
Read more on: Progressive Farmer


Serkan Aglasan, University of Arizona

How Cover Crops Mitigate Weather-Induced Agricultural Losses

By: Morning Ag Clips -  February 20, 2024

“To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to empirically investigate whether cover crops reduce extreme-weather-related production losses using long-term data over a major agricultural region in the US. In addition, this study complements existing agronomic studies that argue that cover crops improve soil properties over time (e.g., biological, chemical, and physical properties), which in turn enhance resilience to extreme weather events.

(Continued...)
Read more on: Morning Ag Clips


Andrew Wright, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

Profitability spreadsheet workshops for producers set in South Plains

By: Agrilife Today – February 19, 2024

“The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will host three profitability spreadsheet workshops for producers to learn how to use the tool for crop budgets. The free workshops will be held from 9 a.m.-noon at different locations in the South Plains. Participants are encouraged to bring their own computers; they are optional as all materials will be demonstrated on screen.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Agrilife Today


Luis Ribera, Texas A&M University

Texas Citrus Overcomes Repeated Weather Setbacks

By: Farm Progress – February 20, 2024

“This water undersupply continues today. The water deficit for the current five-year cycle that began on Oct. 25, 2020 was 673,892 acre-feet as of Dec. 9. This represents the second largest irrigation water deficit in the last three decades. The past 30-plus years have demonstrated a trend toward fewer and fewer acre-feet of irrigation water available to the Lower Rio Grande Valley area.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Farm Progress


Trey Malone, University of Arkansas
Jackie Yenerall,
University of Tennessee
Andrew Muhammad,
University of Tennessee

Agricultural Economists Offer Food For Thought To Improve Baby Formula Supply

By: Todays Chronic – February 23, 2024

“Years of declining birth rates, increasing maternal breastfeeding, market concentration and regulations on importing infant formula were ingredients for the crisis.”

“Our article provides a discussion of the potential tradeoffs associated with making permanent changes to three policies and programs that currently influence the infant formula market: import tariffs, Food and Drug Administration regulation, and WIC.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Todays Chronic Or EurekAlert!


Lee Schulz, Iowa State University

Economist: 2023 'Would Go Down As The Worst Year For pork Producers Ever' in Iowa

By: WQAD8 – February 21, 2024

"From an annual standpoint, this would go down as the worst year for pork producers ever. In 2023, there was an average loss for producers of about $32 per hog. That's five dollars more in losses than the previous worst year in 1998.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: WQAD8