Agricultural Policy for the 21st Century / Edition 1

by Luther G. Tweeten, Stanley R. Thompson, D. Gale Johnson

Overview

Agricultural policy reform has become a very hot topic. Over the next couple of years we will see the funding for these programs being hotly debated. The thesis of this book is that a better-informed public is essential to bring rationality to farm policy. This book provides telling evidence that markets work, that competent commercial farmers will earn returns on their resources as high as those earned elsewhere in the absence of income transfer to farmers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780813808994
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	06/10/2002
Edition description:	1ST
Pages:	324
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.75(d)

About the Author

Luther G. Tweeten is Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Marketing, Policy, and Trade, Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics, The Ohio State University, Columbus. An internationally acclaimed agricultural policy economist, Tweeten is the author/co-author of eight books and over 500 journal articles and published papers.

Stanley R. Thompson is the editor of Agricultural Policy for the 21st Century, published by Wiley.

Table of Contents

Foreword.

Preface.

Farm Commodity Programs: Essential Safety Net or Corporate Welfare?.

Ag Policy: Pre-and Post-FAIR Act Comparisons.

The Content of Farm Policy in the 21st Century.

An Empirical Analysis of the Farm Problem.

Income Variability of the U.S. Farm Sector and Public Policy.

Crop Insurance.

Coalitions and Competitiveness: Why Has the Sugar Program Been Resilient?.

Rational Policy Processes for a Pluralistic World.

The Changing Economics of Ag and the Environment.

Farmland is Not Just for Farming Anymore: The Policy Trends.

Kuznets Curves For Environmental Degradation and Resource Depletion.

Competing Paradigms in the OECD and their Impact on the WTO.

Food Security: Trade and Agricultural Commodity Policy.

Index

Editorial Reviews

This book analyzes present and past federal agricultural policies, explaining policy rationale, outlining trends, and suggesting remedies for taxpayer concerns. The book recommends reforms to address problems related to instability, family farm loss, soil conservation, water quality, and costs. Fifteen essays focus on issues like commodity programs, the FARI act, income variability, crop insurance, agribusiness market power, environmental degradation, the WTO agricultural talks, environmental economics, and global pluralism. Contributors include scholars, environmentalists, and officials with the Department of Agriculture. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)