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Based on a transparent analytical model of multiple markets including corn, ethanol, gasoline, and transportation fuel, this study estimates the welfare changes for consumers and producers resulting from ethanol production and related support polices in 2007. The welfare estimation takes into account the second-best gain from eliminating loan deficiency payments. The results suggest the total social cost is about $0.78 billion for given market parameters. We validate the model's underlying assumption and test for the results' sensitivity to assumed parameters.

We project U.S. ethanol production and its impact on planted acreage, crop prices, livestock production, trade, and retail food costs. The projections are made using a multicommodity, multicountry, partial equilibrium model. Results indicate that expanded U.S. ethanol production will cause long-run crop prices to increase. In response to higher feed costs, livestock farmgate prices increase enough to cover the feed cost increases. If crude oil prices increase, the U.S. ethanol sector expands. Results of a 1988-type drought scenario combined with a large mandate for ethanol consumption show higher crop prices, a drop in livestock production, and higher food prices. Copyright 2008, Oxford University Press.

In this paper, we examine more closely some of the forces that underlie economic growth at the county level. In an effort to describe a much more comprehensive regional economic growth model, we address a variety of different hypotheses by introducing a large number of growth-related variables. When formulating our hypotheses and specifying our growth model, we make liberal use of geographic mapping software to describe the data so as to “paint” a picture of where growth spots exist. Our empirical estimation indicates amenities, state and local tax burdens, population density, amount of primary agriculture activity, and demographics have important impacts on economic growth. Copyright 2007, Oxford University Press.

Genetic engineering technologies that better align crop seeds with field crop product demands and with other crop inputs are rapidly entering commercial markets. Central to the success of these new technologies are corporate strategies on product market segmentation and input interactions. Input suppliers possessed of technical advantages may seek to exploit their positions through marketing restrictions such as product tying and bundling. We interpret the economic literature on vertical restraints and use these existing results to understand the motivation and behavior of some of the participants in the evolving glyphosate and Roundup-ready soybean seed markets.

The Heckscher-Ohlin-Vanek (HOV) equations used in this paper provide a feasible method for projecting longer-run trade patterns of the Former Soviet Union, one that does not depend on elasticities or the optimality of existing resource use. The authors contrast forecasted and actual trade patterns and compare their results with those of other studies.

The impact of the 1988 Beef Market Access Agreement (BMAA) on beef and feed-grain markets in the United States, Australia, and Japan is analyzed. The method used is a nonspatial, three-commodity, three-country equilibrium model. The results indicate that the BMAA will increase U.S. beef exports, but will not significantly alter U.S. feed-grain prices. The U.S. market shares will increase as higher export demand causes Australian beef prices to rise. Australian beef exports to the United States should fall as Australia builds its breeding herd.