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on Agricultural Economics |
| By: | U. S. Department of Agriculture |
| Abstract: | There is a strong and growing interest among American consumers for climate-smart products. USDA has invested $3.03 billion dollars in 135 pilot projects nationwide to connect customers to farmers, ranchers, and private landowners implementing climate-smart production practices on working lands to build soil health, sequester carbon & enhance productivity. By providing producers with the tools they need to combat the challenges of climate change and building market opportunities for the resulting commodities, USDA is positioning American agriculture as a global leader in delivering voluntary, incentives-driven, market-based climate solutions. This report provides an overview of Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities’ progress. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Agricultural Finance, Climate Change, Crop Production/Industries, Dairy Farming, Livestock Production/Industries, Marketing, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Resource/Energy Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2024–09 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:usdami:391411 |
| By: | Chahir Zaki (University of Orléans) |
| Abstract: | The Russian war in Ukraine led to significant disruptions in trade in cereals, especially wheat and other products that are key for food security. This paper investigates the impact of the war in Ukraine on food security in Egypt through a gender lens using a newly collected dataset. The case of Egypt is of particular interest as it is a large importer of wheat; experienced other concurrent economic crises; and is among the largest economies in the Middle East and North Africa. The analysis distinguishes the impact of the war in Ukraine from other factors resulting in more fragile food security. Results indicate that the way domestic economic policies were implemented increased food insecurity caused by the war. Female headed-households and women in femaleheaded households were more strongly impacted by increasing food insecurity. Government support measures did not significantly reduce the negative implications of the war on food insecurity |
| Date: | 2024–12–20 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1758 |
| By: | Maha Mili (University of CarthageAuthor-Email: maha.mili@ept.ucar.tn); Mohamed Adel Dhif (Universit´e de Carthage); Houyem Chekki (Universite de la Manouba) |
| Abstract: | Under global warming conditions, projections from the Tunisian National Institute of Meteorology indicate that Tunisia will face decreased annual rainfall and increased demand for water resources in the coming years. This research aims to quantify the potential impacts of water scarcity on the Tunisian economy, with a particular focus on the agricultural sector, which is crucial for food security and economic stability. Using a recursive dynamic Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model, we analyze the effects of four water-related hypotheses on GDP growth, social welfare, and trade balance by 2050. Then, we simulate three specific water use efficiency (WUE) scenarios—rehabilitation of water network infrastructure, modernization of irrigation systems, and the use of plant varieties with less water requirements—to assess their effectiveness in mitigating water scarcity. The simulation results reveal that declining water availability significantly hampers agricultural production, adversely affecting the food processing sector and exacerbating food security concerns. These limitations lead to an increased trade balance deficit and a projected decline in GDP by 2050. In contrast, improvements in WUE partially alleviate these impacts by enhancing agricultural productivity, reducing imports, and boosting exports, which collectively improve the trade balance and stimulate GDP growth. The findings underscore the urgent need for practical actions to conserve water resources and highlight the importance of negotiating trade agreements that prioritize low-water-requiring products while managing the import of more waterintensive goods. |
| Date: | 2025–10–20 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1798 |
| By: | Grupp, Tristan Earle; Mishra, Prakash; Reynaert, Mathias; Van Benthem, Arthur |
| Abstract: | The European Union designates 26% of its landmass as protected areas, limiting economic development for biodiversity. We use the staggered introduction of protected areas between 1985 and 2019 to study the selection of protected land and the causal eect of protection on vegetation cover and nightlights. We nd no meaningful impacts on either outcome across four decades, countries, protection cohorts, or land characteristics. These null eects are consistent with the political economy of EU land protection: weak incentives to internalize biodiversity gains, green-glow motives, and area-based targets shape local siting and stringency choices. In practice, strict protection is applied where development pressure is low{so that protection has little bite|while in high-pressure regions, protection is typically weak, imposing only limited constraints on economic activity. |
| Keywords: | Land protection; protected areas; conservation; biodiversity, deforestation; vegetation; cover; nightlights; staggered dierence-in-dierences; Europe |
| JEL: | Q23 Q24 Q57 R14 |
| Date: | 2026–01–28 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tse:wpaper:131346 |
| By: | Samer Mehibel (Centre de Recherche en Economie Appliquée pour le Développement (CREAD)); Reda Hamza Boudjana (Centre de Recherche en Economie Appliquée pour le Développement (CREAD)); Manuel A. Zambrano-Monserrate (Universidad Espíritu Santo); Amel Bouzid (Centre de Recherche en Economie Appliquée pour le Développement (CREAD)); Messaoud Lazereg (Centre de Recherche en Economie Appliquée pour le Développement (CREAD)) |
| Abstract: | Food security is a critical global issue that has gained increased attention since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and its disruption of the world's food supply and agri-food value chains. This article aims to assess the threshold of geopolitical risk at which food security becomes a significant concern for the international community. By analyzing data from a panel of 40 countries, including advanced and emerging economies, over the period from 2012 to 2021, the study examines the relationship between food security and geopolitical tensions. The Food Security Index (FSI) and its four pillars serve as the dependent variables, while the Geopolitical Risk Index (GPRI) acts as the threshold variable. Additionally, factors such as the Covid-19 pandemic, agricultural land area, urban population percentage, inflation, and GDP per capita are considered. The analysis, conducted using a panel threshold regression model (PTR), reveals that geopolitical risk has an inflationary impact. The study identifies a threshold of 0.0261 for geopolitical risk, indicating that beyond this level, global food security is significantly reduced as inflation rises. The findings suggest that geopolitical risks contribute to price spikes in various commodities, including food, fertilizers, and oil, exacerbating inflationary pressures driven by fiscal responses to geopolitical events. Moreover, higher geopolitical risks increase uncertainty regarding inflation outlook, posing greater risks to tradeoffs between fiscal and monetary policies. |
| Date: | 2024–12–20 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1766 |
| By: | Turner, Dylan; Arita, Shawn |
| Abstract: | The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) introduces the first significant increase in crop insurance premium subsidy rates since 2000. While the legislation explicitly raises subsidies for Basic and Optional Units by 3–5 percentage points, corresponding increase in Enterprise Unit (EU) subsidies are likely due to statutory parity requirements in the Federal Crop Insurance Act. Estimates suggest these adjustments could raise EU subsidies by several percentage points at higher coverage levels. The total increase in premium support from OBBB is estimated to be approximately $460 million in additional annual benefits to U.S. producers. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries, Farm Management, Risk and Uncertainty |
| Date: | 2025–07–16 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:arpcbr:391344 |
| By: | Wilson, Kate |
| Abstract: | The cause of England’s agricultural transformation and subsequent escape from Malthusian constraints remains a subject of significant debate in economic and agricultural historiography. This study challenges conventional narratives by examining the Corbet estates in old-enclosed Shropshire between 1740 and 1840 to assess whether shifts associated with ‘agricultural revolution’, such as farm engrossment and rising rents, emerged in the absence of parliamentary enclosure. By considering an area where traditional views on parliamentary enclosure are less applicable, this research provides a nuanced understanding of agricultural shifts in a regional context. Using the Corbet family rentals and estate surveys, this study tracks changes in land distribution, tenure security, and rents over the period. This is then combined with a thorough analysis of parish records and contemporary accounts to consider the motivations behind the observed shifts. Such a multifaceted approach aims to determine whether these shifts can be attributed to productivity growth, as traditional narratives suggest, or whether deliberate estate management decisions played a more significant role. The results indicate that an agricultural transformation was occurring on the Corbet estates, but that there is little evidence to suggest a link to productivity growth. Therefore, it is likely that the estate management philosophy of the Corbet family, particularly following their descent into debt after 1783, was a central driver of the observed shifts. Ultimately, this research provides insight into how rural transformation operated across diverse regional contexts in the Early Modern period, challenging traditional narratives that are centred around enclosure. |
| JEL: | Q10 Q15 |
| Date: | 2025–09 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:wpaper:129441 |
| By: | Daniel Da Mata; Mario Dotta; Edson R. Severnini |
| Abstract: | Does industrial activity drive deforestation and land degradation, and can limited state capacity be overcome to decouple economic growth from environmental harm? We examine these questions in the context of slaughterhouse plant openings in Brazil from 1994 to 2019. Guided by a simple conceptual framework and using a staggered difference-in-differences approach, we show that plant openings increase livestock production while reducing forest cover and degrading pastureland. However, following the introduction of legally enforceable, incentive-compatible agreements between slaughterhouses and federal prosecutors—which penalize purchases of livestock from illegally deforested areas but act as a green certification mechanism—plant openings increase productivity without driving deforestation. Our findings suggest that tying firm performance to environmental goals through market-aligned legal mechanisms can generate economic and environmental gains at low cost to the government. |
| JEL: | K32 O13 P18 Q01 Q15 Q56 |
| Date: | 2026–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34751 |
| By: | Zhao, Hongxi; Tsiboe, Francis; Turner, Dylan; Steibach, Sandro |
| Abstract: | Premium interest deferrals are a lesser-known financial support mechanism within the U.S. Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP), temporarily waiving interest charges on unpaid producer premiums during disaster years. Originally intended as exceptional relief, these deferrals have become increasingly routine, occurring in eight of the past thirteen years and consecutively from 2019 to 2024. This study examines whether repeated deferrals have altered farmers’ crop insurance demand by shaping expectations of continued payment flexibility. Exploiting differences in premium billing schedules between spring and winter wheat, we implement an instrumented two-way fixed effects framework using county-level crop insurance data from 2015–2023. The results indicate that interest deferrals are associated with a 1.6% increase in coverage levels and a 7.4% expansion in insured acreage for spring wheat, with effects strengthening over successive deferral announcements. These findings suggest that farmers may increasingly view deferrals as a standard feature of the FCIP rather than temporary disaster relief. While deferrals provide short-term liquidity benefits, their repeated use may generate longer-term behavioral responses and increase implicit federal subsidy exposure. Policy reforms that better align premium billing with post-harvest cash flows may offer a more sustainable alternative. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural Finance, Demand and Price Analysis, Risk and Uncertainty |
| Date: | 2025–10–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:arpcbr:391399 |
| By: | Kim, Jiyeon; Gammans, Matthew; Arita, Shawn; Steinbach, Sandro |
| Abstract: | On April 17, 2025, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) finalized a Section 301 action targeting China’s dominance in shipbuilding and maritime logistics by imposing new port fees on Chinese-operated (Annex 1) and Chinese-built (Annex 2) vessels arriving at U.S. ports. This white paper evaluates the implications of these fees for U.S. agricultural exports, using 2024 data on port calls and vessel characteristics. We simulate the counterfactual costs that would have been incurred under the final policy, finding that, absent shifts in routing or vessel choice, annual shipping costs could initially rise by $2.3 billion and escalate to $6.2 billion by 2028. For major commodities such as corn, wheat, and soybeans, the added fees translate to an estimated 5 to 7 cents per bushel. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, International Relations/Trade, Risk and Uncertainty, Supply Chain |
| Date: | 2025–06–22 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:arpcbr:391342 |
| By: | Tsiboe, Francis; Davis, Walker; Turner, Dylan |
| Abstract: | Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) insurance has become one of the fastest-growing components of the Federal Crop Insurance Program, expanding rapidly as producers seek protection against rainfall-driven forage losses. Unlike traditional crop insurance, PRF relies on a precipitation index rather than measured yields, making it well suited for continuously grazed systems. This brief examines the national expansion of PRF from 2016 through 2025, documenting trends in insured acres, liabilities, and geographic penetration. Enrollment increased from roughly 52 million acres in 2016 to more than 316 million acres by 2025, with insured liabilities rising nearly fivefold. Growth was concentrated in western and plains states where forage-based livestock systems dominate, while participation remains limited in the Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast. Recent slowing in enrollment growth and near-complete penetration in several western states suggest the program may be approaching saturation in its core regions, shifting future growth prospects toward underrepresented areas and producer awareness rather than acreage expansion. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Agricultural Finance, Risk and Uncertainty |
| Date: | 2025–11–24 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:arpcbr:391345 |
| By: | Tsiboe, Francis; Zhao, Hongxi |
| Abstract: | Rising input costs, elevated interest rates, and tighter farm margins have increased the importance of liquidity within the U.S. Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP). A distinctive feature of FCIP is the delayed billing of premiums, which aligns payment obligations with post-harvest revenues and eases short-term cash-flow constraints. In addition to this built-in deferral, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation has repeatedly authorized interest waivers on unpaid premiums during years of widespread disaster. Since 2019, these interest deferrals have become routine, covering more than $18 billion in producer premiums and providing substantial implicit subsidies. This brief examines how premium timing and repeated interest deferrals function as de facto liquidity tools in an era of rising farm costs. Using administrative payment data from 2012–2023, we document a marked shift in premium payments toward the interest-free deferral window following consecutive deferral announcements. While these policies provide critical short-term relief and support continued participation in crop insurance, they also shift costs to the Treasury and may increase program liabilities by encouraging higher coverage levels. The findings highlight growing trade-offs between liquidity support, fiscal exposure, and the long-term actuarial integrity of the FCIP. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural Finance, Risk and Uncertainty |
| Date: | 2025–09–14 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:arpcbr:391401 |
| By: | Maina, Cecilia Chemeli; Debela, Bethelhem Legesse; Qaim, Matin |
| Abstract: | Women play key roles in food systems, yet continue to face persistent disadvantages in terms of low decision-making power and limited access to goods, services, and markets. Discrimination against women is often deeply ingrained in social norms, policies, and institutions. Widely observed gender gaps are not only unfair; they also undermine broader sustainability objectives. Extensive evidence shows that women's empowerment contributes to productivity, efficiency, and broader social welfare gains. We review and synthesize the literature on links between women's empowerment and nutrition, focusing on rural households in Africa and Asia. We analyze advances in the measurement of women's empowerment, discuss strengths and limitations of existing metrics, and summarize the broad empirical evidence showing that women's empowerment is positively associated with dietary quality and nutrition. Further, we develop a conceptual framework, highlighting key mechanisms of the empowerment-nutrition relationship, including women's bargaining power, control over income, and time allocation. Using this framework and examples from different countries, we show that development initiatives, such as promoting agricultural commercialization and women's off-farm employment, can involve tradeoffs, sometimes resulting in undesirable empowerment and/or nutrition outcomes. Such tradeoffs need to be properly understood and addressed through gender-transformative policies. We conclude by discussing policy and research implications. |
| Keywords: | Community/Rural/Urban Development, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety |
| Date: | 2026–02–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:ubzefd:391364 |
| By: | Kim, Dongin |
| Abstract: | The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), passed by the U.S. Senate on June 29, 2025, substantially expands federal support for U.S. agricultural export promotion. Relative to CBO's January 2025 baseline, the bill increases total agricultural outlays by $65.69 billion through FY2034, including $2.19 billion in new mandatory funding for trade promotion under Title I, Subtitle F (Investments in Rural America). Beginning in FY2027, an OBBB Supplemental Agricultural Trade Promotion Program provides $268–$285 million annually in additional resources, in addition to baseline funding for the Market Access Program (MAP; $200 million per year) and the Foreign Market Development (FMD; $35 million per year) program. As a result, annual trade promotion funding is projected to exceed $540 million by FY2034, and total export-related outlays are projected to reach approximately $825 million, including Food for Progress. This scale-up aims to strengthen the capacity for sustained market development and brand-building in priority destinations, improving U.S. competitiveness against major rivals and enhancing farm-sector resilience under tighter trade conditions, supply-chain disruptions, and climate-related shocks. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, International Relations/Trade |
| Date: | 2025–07–28 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:arpcbr:391402 |
| By: | Wongpiyabovorn, Oranuch; Plastina, Alejandro |
| Abstract: | The goal of this policy brief is to provide estimates of Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Risk (PLC) program payments for all covered commodities for crop year 2024 using final marketing year average prices and county yields. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy |
| Date: | 2026–02–06 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:umcraf:391396 |
| By: | Tsiboe, Francis; Turner, Dylan |
| Abstract: | Producers participating in the Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP) must choose among insurance plans, coverage levels, and unit structures that jointly shape the risk protection provided by their policy. This brief examines the historical evolution of crop insurance plan offerings, participation patterns, and actuarial performance from 1989 through 2024. Using national liability, acreage, and long-run loss ratios, we document how the FCIP policy menu expanded from eight active plans in 1989 to more than thirty-five plans today, even as insured liability became increasingly concentrated. Participation has shifted decisively from yield-only protection toward revenue-based COMBO plans, particularly Revenue Protection, which now dominates program exposure. Area- and index-based plans offer lower premiums but face persistent basis risk and limited adoption, while supplemental endorsements increasingly layer coverage onto core policies. Livestock and forage plans have expanded rapidly in recent years. Despite broad plan availability, fiscal exposure remains concentrated, suggesting that incremental refinement of pricing and design, rather than further proliferation, may strengthen the long-run stability of the FCIP portfolio. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Agricultural Finance, Risk and Uncertainty |
| Date: | 2025–11–13 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:arpcbr:391346 |
| By: | Kim, Jiyeon; Arita, Shawn; Gammans, Matthew; Steinbach, Sandro |
| Abstract: | As part of the recent Deal on Economic and Trade Relations with China, the U.S. suspended its Section 301 port fees for one-year, effective November 10, 2025. This policy brief examines the potential impacts of the Section 301 port fees on U.S. agricultural exports, finding that the fees would have increased export costs by about $2.3 billion, or 5–7 cents per bushel for bulk commodities. While the suspension eases short-term cost pressures, uncertainty in U.S.–China trade relations and shipping markets remains. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, International Relations/Trade, Risk and Uncertainty, Supply Chain |
| Date: | 2025–11–24 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:arpcbr:391347 |
| By: | Cruijssen, Frans (Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management); Haijema, R. (Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management); Akkerman, Renzo |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tiu:tiutis:631fe8ee-c85e-4c10-a87d-3c6a8dd74179 |
| By: | Wang, Ming; Gammans, Matthew |
| Abstract: | Under reconciliation, the House-passed OBBB restructures USDA conservation funding by shifting part of the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) one-time investment into the Farm Bill baseline. While this increases long-term funding stability, CBO projects a net $1.8 billion decline in conservation outlays over FY2025–FY2034, driven by rescinded IRA funds. EQIP faces short-term reductions, with permanent Farm Bill funding only partially offsetting losses. The shift away from climate-targeted IRA priorities also alters the geographic distribution of funding, disproportionately affecting counties and states that relied heavily on IRA-funded EQIP support. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, International Relations/Trade, Risk and Uncertainty, Supply Chain |
| Date: | 2025–07–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:arpcbr:391343 |
| By: | Imane Helmy (World Bank); Al Anoud Ehab (World Bank) |
| Abstract: | Managing risks and reducing vulnerability to shocks affect the welfare of households and resilience of economies. Using two rounds of Egypt’s Labor Market Panel Survey (ELMPS), 2018 and 2023, this paper examines different types of shocks experienced by households over the few past years as well as vulnerability to food insecurity. It highlights important factors that contribute to resilience and identifies opportunities for strengthening effective risk management strategies. The findings highlight a remarkable increase in household exposure to shocks, rising from 16 percent in 2018 to 49 percent in 2023. Households who reported exposure to shocks in 2018 and 2023 are primarily from poorer and larger households, indicating a potential chronic vulnerability. Urban households have experienced more shocks compared to rural counterparts in 2023, highlighting the need for strategies that address the specific vulnerabilities of urban households. Higher resilience to shocks and food insecurity was reported by households pertaining to high wealth quintiles and whose heads are more educated or employed in the formal sector. This emphasizes the crucial role of social protection measures and economic opportunities in building resilience. Coping mechanisms primarily included consumption rationing, with a notable decline in reliance on social capital compared to 2018. Around 40 percent of households faced food insecurity in 2023, with those experiencing economic shocks being more susceptible to higher rates of moderate and severe food insecurity. A higher share of female headed households reported severe food insecurity. Expanding access to social insurance programs and ensuring they cover irregular/informal workers can better mitigate the impacts of economic and health-related shocks, ensuring less persistent effect on food insecurity |
| Date: | 2024–12–20 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1767 |
| By: | Zhao, Hongxi; Chakravorty, Rwit; Arita, Shawn |
| Abstract: | Brazil’s soybean and corn sectors are expected to continue expanding beyond 2026, reinforcing Brazil’s role as a dominant competitor in global grain markets and intensifying competitive pressures on U.S. producers. This brief examines the drivers, limits, and implications of Brazil’s cropland expansion, with particular emphasis on double-cropping systems and the conversion of degraded pasturelands. Using recent acreage, production, and land-use data, the analysis documents near-exponential growth in soybean area since 2010 and sustained expansion in corn acreage, largely supported by the widespread adoption of safrinha (second-crop) corn. Results indicate that double cropping has been the dominant margin of growth over the past decade, while external land expansion has occurred primarily through pasture-to-cropland conversion rather than direct deforestation. Although future expansion is expected to slow, substantial potential remains due to remaining degraded pasture, continued infrastructure improvements, and strong domestic and international demand, particularly for corn ethanol. Climate risks, planting delays, and environmental policies are likely to constrain further growth in double cropping, while stronger enforcement of Brazil’s Forest Code and zero-deforestation commitments limit expansion from forest conversion. The analysis further evaluates implications for U.S.–Brazil competition, highlighting increasing overlap in harvest timing, narrowing logistical advantages, and heightened exposure of U.S. export-oriented regions to global price pressure. Overall, Brazil’s sustained land expansion underscores the importance of cost control, infrastructure investment, and stable demand policies for maintaining U.S. agricultural competitiveness. |
| Keywords: | International Relations/Trade, Land Economics/Use |
| Date: | 2026–02–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:arpcbr:391397 |
| By: | Volpe Center, U. S. Department of Transportation |
| Abstract: | This report quantifies some of the contributions of the U.S. inland waterways by measuring the economic impact of the inland waterway transportation services industry, as well as the agricultural industries utilizing these waterways to bring goods to export. This report serves as an update and enhancement of the previous Importance of Inland Waterways to U.S. Agriculture report, published in 2019. This report considers several of the same agricultural commodities included in the 2019 study (namely corn and soybeans) but adds analyses of wheat, rice, and sorghum grain. Furthermore, States not previously considered in the 2019 study have been added to this analysis: Alabama, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Washington. Similar to the 2019 report, the report used updated data to model economic impacts from investment scenarios under varying levels of funding as well as State-level economic impacts for 19 States. New to the 2026 report, this report incorporates stakeholder feedback to help identify the economic impact of U.S. inland waterways as well as opportunities for improvement. Waterways included in this study: Upper Mississippi River, Illinois River, Lower Mississippi River, McClellen-Kerr Arkansas River (MKARNS), Ohio River, Columbia River, Snake River, and the Tennessee River. |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries, International Relations/Trade, Marketing, Research Research Methods/Statistical Methods, Resource/Energy Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2026 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:uamstr:391362 |
| By: | Coffey, Brian K.; Ifft, Jennifer; Zhang, Yifei |
| Abstract: | This white paper examines participation in the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) Feeder Cattle insurance program in Kansas using the USDA Risk Management Agency Summary of Business data. The analysis describes patterns of LRP use over time, focusing on insured head, endorsement size, endorsement length, coverage level selections, premium subsidy allocations, and geographic distribution within the state. Results show that LRP-Feeder Cattle participation in Kansas has increased in recent years, with insured exposure concentrated among beef steers and heifers in the 600-1, 000 pound weight range, and endorsements written at high coverage levels. While most endorsements insure relatively small numbers of animals and shorter coverage horizons, larger endorsements account for a substantial share of total insured head and premium subsidies. Using data on the Kansas calf crop and cattle inventories, the analysis presents approximate estimates of LRP market share, suggesting that LRP coverage represented a larger share of eligible feeder cattle in 2025 than in 2024. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Livestock Production/Industries, Risk and Uncertainty |
| Date: | 2026–02–06 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:arpcwp:391398 |
| By: | Li, Junkan; Tsiboe, Francis |
| Abstract: | Accurate county-level crop yield prediction is essential for agricultural outlooks and risk management, yet the predictive value of complex models remains uncertain. This study conducts a horse race comparison of alternative yield prediction methods for corn, soybeans, and cotton using USDA NASS yield data and PRISM weather data. Models range from simple historical averages to specifications incorporating spatial dependence, time dynamics, and weather variables. Evaluated using out-of-sample forecasts from 2015 to 2024, results show that simple models based on recent county-level yield averages consistently outperform more complex approaches. The findings highlight the robustness and practical value of parsimonious benchmarks for operational yield forecasting. |
| Keywords: | Research Research Methods/Statistical Methods, Risk and Uncertainty |
| Date: | 2025–11–20 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:arpcbr:391348 |
| By: | Attila Ulrich (University of Nyíregyháza) |
| Abstract: | „There is scarcely a man of sense and knowledge who would dare to question the supremacy of Tokaji wines over all other European wines.” - Selbstherr, a wine merchant from Breslau. This paper examines the transformation of viticulture and estate management in the Tokaj-Hegyalja region of the Habsburg Monarchy during the 18th and early 19th centuries, following the confiscation of the Rákóczi family's vast estates after the failed Hungarian War of Independence (1703–1711). The Tokaj wine district, a major center of high-value wine production since the 16th century, experienced significant shifts in land ownership, labour organization, and trade patterns during this period. The study focuses on how the Royal Hungarian Chamber, having taken over 89 vineyards once managed by the Rákóczi dynasty, attempted to rationalize viticultural production, enforce regulation, and re-establish export markets – particularly in the wake of the collapse of traditional trade with Poland. It draws on detailed fiscal and estate records to trace changes in yields, price levels, labour costs, and institutional control. The findings highlight the limits of state-led reform and the challenges of adapting feudal estate structures to evolving market conditions. By integrating qualitative archival analysis with quantitative production data, this paper contributes to the broader historiography on early modern Central European rural economies and the political economy of wine. |
| Keywords: | Tokaj-Hegyalja, viticulture, Hungarian Chamber, wine trade, early modern economy, institutional reform, state property |
| JEL: | N13 N53 Q13 |
| Date: | 2026–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hes:wpaper:0293 |
| By: | Shrestha, Maheshwor; Okunogbe, Oyebola M.; Kalra, Naira; Fashogbon, Ayodele Emmanuel; Bossuroy, Thomas; Audy, Robin; Ajayi, Kehinde |
| Abstract: | A rigorous randomized controlled trial in Nigeria shows that integrated safety nets produce sustained improvements in nutrition and food security for poor households relative to a basic safety nets program, with effects lasting three years. Stunting rates among young children fall by 18 percent only when all three critical features are present: (i) targeting families during early childhood; (ii) substantial grant on top of a regular safety net support; and (iii) behavior change training. Scaling up these proven interventions is urgent to address Nigeria’s high burden of stunting and food insecurity and unlock future human capital. |
| Date: | 2025–12–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:hdnspu:207679 |
| By: | Zhang, Yifei; Keller, Andrew; Arita, Shawn; Steinbach, Sandro |
| Abstract: | Following changes after the 2018 Bipartisan Budget Act, participation in the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) insurance program expanded rapidly across major livestock commodities. These changes, including higher and tiered premium subsidy rates, substantially reduced producer-paid premiums. At the same time, the interaction between generous premium subsidies and market-based pricing has raised questions related to program design and participation incentives. Because LRP prices and premium rates are derived from futures and options markets, CME option expiration dates provide a natural reference point for comparing the timing of LRP coverage end dates. This analysis examines the distribution of LRP endorsement end dates relative to corresponding CME option expiration dates for fed cattle, feeder cattle, and swine. The results show clustering of insured weight around these reference points for certain commodities and policy sizes. These patterns illustrate the temporal structure of LRP participation, providing context for discussions of purchase timing within the program. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Livestock Production/Industries, Risk and Uncertainty |
| Date: | 2026–01–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:arpcbr:391392 |
| By: | Lacchè, Alessio |
| Abstract: | This dissertation investigates how capitalist globalisation undermines traditional local knowledge systems, focusing on the Indian ghani, an ancient artisanal method of producing edible oil. The decline of this practice is analysed within the broader context of Western-driven development, agri-food industrialisation, and liberalisation of the edible oil sector. The study examines epistemological tensions between traditional and modern knowledge, the sociocultural and economic significance of the ghani, and the extent to which artisanal practices can coexist with industrial production in contemporary India. A hybrid deductive–inductive approach was employed, combining a literature review with fieldwork conducted in India. This comprised two surveys allowing both quantitative and qualitative analysis of contributions from a wide range of stakeholders, including civil society, ghani workers, NGOs, industry representatives, and academics. Findings reveal declining visibility and practical knowledge of the ghani, yet also a strong sociocultural resonance. This paradox reveals a fading practice that continues to embody memory, identity, and resistance to the homogenisation of global models. Economically, small producers face severe disadvantages in competing with industrial plants and cheap imports, while niche markets provide only limited opportunities for survival. The analysis shows how industrial and policy frameworks structurally marginalise artisans, relegating them to peripheral or subordinated roles, while simultaneously rebranding elements of their cultural value for urban elite markets. This process of “eliticisation” risks detaching artisanal production from its community base, transforming a once accessible tradition into a niche commodity. The study concludes that the decline of the ghani is emblematic of wider processes of epistemic injustice, whereby capitalist globalisation privileges industrial efficiency and consumerist appropriation over cultural continuity, social equity, and ecological sustainability. It calls for a reimagined food system in which artisanal and industrial modes of production are integrated on more equitable terms. Such an approach would recognise the cultural and ecological contributions of traditional practices while harnessing the capacities of modern industry, generating hybrid models that are both more socially just and environmentally resilient. Safeguarding institutions like the ghani is thus not a nostalgic exercise but a vital step towards building plural, inclusive, and sustainable futures. |
| Date: | 2026–02–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:th65d_v1 |
| By: | Tamara Kaftandjieva (School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia); Metka Tekavčič (School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia) |
| Abstract: | The Balkan wine industry, dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), faces increasing pressure to adopt sustainability practices, yet efforts remain fragmented due to misaligned stakeholder interests and weak governance coordination. This paper applies stakeholder mapping to identify key actors, relationships, and governance levers influencing sustainability across Slovenia, Serbia, and North Macedonia. Using eight semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and triangulation through policy review, the study constructs a stakeholder map based on power, interest, and feasibility dimensions. Stakeholders were classified as internal or external and positioned within a power–interest matrix using qualitative coding and document triangulation. Findings reveal four clusters: Key Players, Context Setters, Subjects, and Minimal Stakeholders, whose interactions shape governance outcomes. Misalignments emerge between policy ambition and SME capacity, between market power and sustainability incentives, and between fragmented institutional levels. The analysis highlights how high interest often fails to produce action when feasibility is constrained. The study contributes a region-specific governance roadmap that links stakeholder alignment with actionable policy levers. It provides insights into how SMEs, associations and policymakers can strengthen coordination, integrate demand-side incentives and accelerate sustainability transitions in the Balkan wine value chain. |
| Keywords: | Stakeholder mapping; Power–interest matrix; Wine value chain; Sustainability governance; Balkan region; Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); Stakeholder clusters; Value chain governance |
| JEL: | Q56 |
| Date: | 2025–12–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:aoh:conpro:2025:i:6:p:218-230 |
| By: | Wongpiyabovorn, Oranuch; Plastina, Alejandro |
| Abstract: | The goal of this policy brief is to update RaFF’s projections of expanded base acres and their allocation under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act according to the January 2026 final rule on Changes to Agriculture Risk Coverage, Price Loss Coverage, and Dairy Margin Coverage Programs. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy |
| Date: | 2026–01–26 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:umcraf:391395 |
| By: | Runge, Tania; Guyomard, Hervé; Jongeneel, Roel; Lassalas, Marie; Pufahl, Andrea; Röder, Norbert; Schreuder, Remco; Sinabell, Franz |
| Abstract: | Eco-schemes (ESs) have been introduced in 2023 as a new instrument of Pillar 1of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). They are foreseen to take a central position within the Green Architecture (GA) aiming to improve the environmental and climate performance of the CAP. Member States (MSs) are given a great degree of freedom to design and implement the ESs according to their needs. While MSs have to allocate a significant share of their CAP budget to the ESs, participation is voluntary for farmers. Even after the second year of national implementation the question of whether the new ESs contribute to an enhanced environmental sustainability of the CAP remains unanswered. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:eaae25:391389 |
| By: | Davis, Elizabeth; Ruppert, Kirstie A.; Le, Chau My Thi; Cao, Dat; Cao, Trung |
| Abstract: | Bear bile is a highly demanded medicinal product in certain areas of Vietnam, which contributes to the decline of Asiatic black bears and sun bears. Multiple conservation strategies, such as closing bear farms and raising awareness, have been enacted in Vietnam to address this issue, but there have been few targeted demand reduction efforts. Here, we present the design and evaluation of a campaign to reduce demand for bear bile, founded on the principles of conservation marketing. We used a Theory of Change informed by baseline consumer research and consultations with international and local stakeholders to guide the design of the campaign. We used quantitative surveys to measure the prevalence of bear bile use in a Before-After-Control-Treatment (BACT) design (n = 1, 690 individuals (pre-campaign: 767; post-campaign: 923)). Bear bile use declined by 97% in our treatment site (from 16% (CI: 12 – 19%) to 1% (CI: 0.3 – 2%)), and did not change significantly in the control site. We can conclude that our campaign did change behavior, and reduced demand for bear bile in our target community. We also found a significant shift to disagreement for the belief “Bears are easy to find in the wild”, indicating that accurate knowledge about bear population decline in Vietnam increased in the treatment site. Our results illustrate the conservation potential of demand reduction campaigns, particularly when paired with efforts to decrease the available supply of wildlife products. |
| Date: | 2026–02–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:mdwjy_v2 |
| By: | von Gall, Philipp; Osterburg, Bernhard; Trebbin, Anika |
| Abstract: | The demand for carbon footprint (CF) studies of agricultural products is increasing, but the calculation methods differ. At the example of manure, we compare two methodological options: the 'cut-off approach' outlined in the International Dairy Federation's (IDF) LCA guidelines, whereby all emissions of manure application are excluded from the animal and assigned to the plant system; and the approach outlined in the FAO-LEAP guidelines, whereby the share of manure which is applied in excess of plant nutrient requirements (“over-fertilisation”) is attributed to the animal system. We find that the choice of methodological approach has a significant impact on the carbon footprint (CF) of winter wheat and cow milk, with the FAO-LEAP method resulting in an increase of nearly 3% of cow milk CF. We then analyse how the consideration of manure in CF studies is linked to scientific and normative principles, which are intertwined with interests and incentives. We argue that in order to facilitate harmonization and reach widespread acceptance, a normative concept for decision making would need to be developed that considers stakeholder views. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:eaae25:389998 |
| By: | Adhikari, Geeta Devi |
| Abstract: | The risks associated with climate change are disproportionately high to the small states due to elevated vulnerability and limited adaptive capacity. The current literature has mainly focused on small island developing countries, leaving the relatively unexplored small land-locked countries in the climate governance literature. This study uses a qualitative case-study approach and thematic analysis of national climate plans and policy documents and international agreements to study Bhutan as an example of climate governance, and examines how its national climate policies are aligned with international climate processes. The article will assess the policies of Bhutan in conserving forests, renewable energy, climate change and sustainable development under the Gross National Happiness plan. It has been found that the strong credibility of the domestic environment in Bhutan gives it the normative and moral power in the international climate governance despite its minor material power. This article can be added to the discussion of climate governance by predetermining the role of land-locked developing countries in influencing the global climate action. Keywords: Climate governance, Bhutan, small states, land-locked state, sustainability, climate policy. |
| Date: | 2026–02–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:5ktw8_v1 |
| By: | Turner, Dylan |
| Abstract: | This brief looks at the impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) on the USDA sugar loan program. The Act implemented substantial rate hikes, raising raw cane sugar to 24 cents per pound and refined beet sugar to 32.77 cents per pound. While high market prices have historically prevented loan forfeitures since 2013, this analysis shows that recent price declines combined with the OBBB’s higher loan rates have significantly narrowed the gap. By late 2025, the margin between spot prices and the loan rate for refined beet sugar shrank to 16 percent, increasing the potential for active price support. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy |
| Date: | 2025–10–13 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:arpcbr:391400 |
| By: | Jo, Haeun; Chinn, Danyelle; Plastina, Alejandro |
| Abstract: | This report provides detailed insights into Missouri’s agriculture. Broad economic indicators, including interest and unemployment rates, are discussed before transitioning to an overview of the agricultural trends. The report then outlines an in-depth analysis of 2026 projections for Missouri agricultural commodities. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural Finance |
| Date: | 2025–12–19 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:umcraf:391393 |
| By: | Batool, Aleeza; Ali, Amjad; Audi, Marc |
| Abstract: | Climate change has become a central concern in global policy discourse over the past two decades, motivating nations to adopt a wide range of sustainability initiatives. Analyzing the specific measures implemented and their effectiveness in promoting environmental sustainability is therefore critical. This study aims to evaluate the contribution of various sustainability actions to environmental preservation by focusing on Sweden and Finland, recognized for their leadership in sustainable development. Employing panel least squares and generalized method of moments methodologies using 2010-2020 data, the research rigorously assesses the impact of sustainability initiatives on environmental performance, with a particular focus on greenhouse gas emissions as the primary indicator. The empirical findings reveal that the expansion of renewable energy sources delivers the most prompt and significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions among the interventions examined. Additionally, investments in green technologies and the issuance of green bonds are shown to enhance environmental quality, with their benefits projected to increase over time. These results highlight the necessity of prioritizing renewable energy development in national climate strategies. Building on these insights, the study presents targeted policy recommendations for Sweden and Finland. It advocates for a strategic shift from compliance-oriented environmental reporting towards the adoption of actionable policies that produce measurable emission reductions. Recommended policy measures include the promotion of sector-specific emission abatement, accelerated development of renewable energy infrastructure, and the encouragement of clean technology innovation through public investment and fiscal incentives. By comparing two Nordic sustainability leaders, Sweden and Finland, this study clarifies which targeted environmental measures are most effective within advanced institutional contexts. |
| Keywords: | Sustainability Initiatives, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Renewable Energy, Environmental Performance |
| JEL: | Q5 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:127481 |
| By: | Ricardo Martinez; Juan D. Moreno-Ternero |
| Abstract: | We study the adjudication of water rights in international rivers. We characterize allocation rules that formalize focal principles to deal with water disputes in a basic model. Central to our analysis is a family of geometric rules that implement concatenated transfers downstream. They can be seen as formalizing Limited Territorial Sovereignty, as suggested in the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. We apply our rules to the case of the Nile River, with a long history of disputes between downstream and upstream nations |
| Date: | 2026–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2601.04150 |
| By: | Đorđe Kotarac (Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Serbia) |
| Abstract: | Purpose The foundations of sustainable development theory promote economic growth within the limits of preserving the environmental conditions of countries (Lazăr et al., 2019; Jones., 2022; Hatmanu and Cautisanu, 2023). This paper conducts a preliminary examination of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) by testing its hypothesized inverted U-shaped trajectory (Kisswani et al., 2019; Ansari, 2022; Magazzino et al., 2023). Specifically, the Kuznets hypothesis suggests that, in the short term, increased economic development leads to higher levels of environmental pollution (Mazur et al., 2015; Shahbaz and Sinha, 2019; Simionescu, 2021). However, over the long run, improvements in environmental standards, the implementation of regulatory measures, and the adoption of cleaner technological and production processes contribute to a reduction in environmental degradation (Zhang et al., 2017; Shuai et al., 2017; Kuznets, 2019; Jóźwik et al., 2021). This analysis includes five Western Balkan countries that have achieved candidate status for European Union membership in the post-2000 period. Empirical tests for co-integration among the variables confirmed the existence of a long-run relationship between economic growth and environmental quality. In a study conducted by Armeanu et al. (2018), the relationship between variables measuring environmental pollution and the economic growth rates of the EU-27 countries from 1995 to 2014 was empirically tested. The results of the research confirm the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, indicating the existence of a long-term effect in the case of sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs). Another significant research in the European context was conducted by Vasylieva et al. (2019), examining the relationship between economic growth rate, renewable resource allocation, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during the period 2000-2016. Using FMOLS and DOLS panel estimation techniques, the study confirms the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. Additionally, Dogan and Inglesi-Lotz (2020), conducted a study covering the period from 1980 to 2014, analysing the impact of industrial activity and energy consumption on the increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the EU-27 countries. The findings of this research indicate a long-term decline in (CO2) emissions as a result of more efficient energy use and the adoption of cleaner technologies. The purpose of this paper is to conduct an empirical analysis of the short- and long-term effects of economic growth in Western Balkan countries on the quality of their natural environment. Based on the available data, the study separately examines the impact of economic growth on carbon dioxide (CO2) emission levels, in contrast to the effect of economic growth on the increase in total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis is tested using data from five Western Balkan countries. To examine the effect of economic growth on environmental quality and the use of renewable energy in five Western Balkan countries, the following three hypotheses will be tested: H1: Increases in economic growth rates and per capita energy consumption have a short-term effect on CO2 and GHG emission levels, as indicators of environmental quality in Western Balkan countries. H2: Growth in economic activity and total per capita energy consumption exerts a long-term influence on changes in CO2 and GHG emissions in Western Balkan countries. H3: Rising economic growth rates and per capita energy consumption lead to a short-term decline in environmental quality, whereas, in the long term, they contribute to improvements in environmental quality. Design/methodology/approach The methodological section of this research focuses on examining the existence of both short- and long-run effects of economic growth and per capita energy consumption on the variation in carbon dioxide (CO2) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The research covers the period from 2000 to 2023 and includes a sample of five Western Balkan countries-candidates for accession to the European Union (EU-27). The analysis explores links between economic growth, energy use, and environmental degradation using panel data methods. To implement the methodological part and ensure the robustness of the empirical results, the stationarity of the time series is tested using unit root tests. Specifically, the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test and the Phillips-Perron (PP). The Johansen co-integration test and Vector Error Correction model are applied to determine the order of co-integration of the variables. Prior to conducting the co-integration tests, the optimal lag length is selected based on the various selection criteria: Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), the Schwarz Information Criterion (SIC), and the Hannan-Quinn Information Criterion (HQIC). The study employs the VAR Lag Order Selection Criteria, and based on the obtained results, the existence of a co-integration relationship among the time series is subsequently assessed. Findings The research findings confirm the hypothesis regarding the impact of economic growth and per capita energy consumption on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and greenhouse gas (GHG) levels over the long term. The results suggest the existence of a long-run relationship between the examined variables across all five Western Balkan countries, including North Macedonia, where a statistically significant effect of the economic growth rate and per capita energy consumption on (GHG) emissions was confirmed. On the other hand, the hypothesis concerning the short-run relationship among the included variables was validated in three Western Balkan countries - Serbia, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Finally, the third hypothesis, which pertains to the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) and its inverted Ushape, was empirically supported in the case of Serbia. Originality/value Sustainable economic development is a central topic in current economic research and a core part of the European Union's development strategies: Europe 2020, European Green Deal (Fetting, 2020; Wolf et al., 2021), Agenda for Sustainable Development (Lee et al., 2016; Delbeke et al., 2019; Kryk and Guzowska, 2021; Burgin, 2023). The originality of this paper lies in assessing the significance of the impact of economic growth on environmental conditions through the application of econometric methods, specifically the Vector Error Correction Model. The value of this research stems from analysing the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on economic growth rates – a dimension that previous studies have primarily examined through the impact of carbon dioxide emissions alone. A key limitation of the study concerns the scope of the dataset, particularly the omission of the pre-2000 period. As a recommendation for future research, a comparative analysis between Balkan countries and a group of EU-27 members is suggested to evaluate differences and similarities in the progress of sustainable development policies across different regions of Europe. |
| Keywords: | Sustainable development, Kuznets (EKC) hypothesis, CO2/GHG emissions, Panel data methods, Western Balkan countries |
| JEL: | Q01 O44 C50 |
| Date: | 2025–12–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:aoh:conpro:2025:i:6:p:283-287 |
| By: | Löw, Philipp; Brandes, Elke; Eysholdt, Max; Mattner, Clara; Zahra, Samer; Zinnbauer, Maximilian |
| Abstract: | In 2018, Germany was found guilty by the European Court of Justice for insufficient implementation of the European Nitrates Directive and assured to implement a monitoring framework. Since then, a nationwide impact monitoring system has been developed to assess effectiveness of mitigation measures, analyze nitrate pollution trends, and provide early warnings for regulatory adjustments. The monitoring combines three levels: agricultural emissions, immissions to waters, and nutrient flux modeling combined with field measurements. Data from around 7, 500 groundwater stations and farm records are analyzed alongside model-based estimates to assess trends in fertilization and water pollution. First results indicate a recent decline in fertilization intensity in many regions, yet rarely significant water quality improvements. Model validation with empirical data on fertilizer expenses from German Farm Accountancy Data Network shows high accuracy. Future enhancements, including expanded data access and optimized methodologies, will strengthen regulatory assessments and support targeted mitigation measures for EU compliance. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:eaae25:389994 |
| By: | B. Kelsey Jack; Nicholas Ryan |
| Abstract: | Economic development relies on and transforms the environment. The transformation is evident in the poor environmental quality in many developing countries. For example, air quality in Southeast Asia is three times worse than in the United States, in sub-Saharan Africa four times worse and in South Asia more than six times worse. We model how environmental quality affects health, productivity and well-being and how individuals privately adapt to environmental hazards. We also model how collective action and formal regulation contribute to environmental quality. We draw three main findings from a review of empirical research on these mechanisms. First, individual adaptation to environmental hazards is both inadequate as a remedy and inefficiently low. Second, collective action, without the state, to manage resources or address externalities has been outstripped by the scale of environmental problems. Third, state action through formal regulation works better than it looks. Many formal regulations are coarse, poorly targeted and inefficient, but nonetheless yield benefits in excess of their costs. |
| JEL: | O10 Q0 |
| Date: | 2026–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34735 |
| By: | Bojan Mladenović (Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Belgrade, Serbia Business Development Manager, Magroni DOO Skopje, North Macedonia) |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the shape of the long-run average cost (LRAC) curve, a central concept in production economics and strategic management. While traditional neoclassical theory suggests a U-shaped curve, with costs declining and then rising due to diseconomies of scale, a significant body of empirical research points toward an L-shaped curve, where costs decline to the minimum efficient scale (MES) and then stabilise. Drawing on both theoretical and empirical perspectives, this paper applies a case study of a bottled water manufacturer in North Macedonia. Using production and cost data collected over a ten-year period, the study tests whether the LRAC follows the U-shaped or L-shaped pattern. The results show that after a phase of declining costs, the firm reached a zone of constant returns to scale, supporting the L-shaped hypothesis. The findings contribute to the debate on cost curve theory and provide managerial implications for capacity planning and efficiency. |
| Keywords: | Long-run average cost curve, Economies of scale, Bottled water industry, Cost efficiency, Case study |
| JEL: | M41 D24 L67 |
| Date: | 2025–12–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:aoh:conpro:2025:i:6:p:231-240 |
| By: | Dorn, Franziska |
| Abstract: | Time poverty is a key yet conceptually contested dimension of household living standards. Both univariate and bivariate measures remain debated because there is no clear consensus on how to define and quantify socially necessary unpaid work, the time that money cannot substitute for, across household types and income levels. Existing approaches typically adjust monetary poverty lines for unpaid work responsibilities or rely on average unpaid work time, while assuming a fixed substitutability between time and money. Such measures fail to capture the joint constraints that shape household living standards. Using household-level data from the 2017 and 2019 Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), the analysis supports setting 60 percent of the median as the threshold for socially necessary unpaid work in single-adult households without children and applying equivalence scales for other household types. The bivariate relative poverty line (BRPL) framework further defines nonlinear bundles of unpaid household work and food expenditure that mark the threshold for living above the poverty line. The results show that 10.1 percent of oneand two-adult households fall below the BRPL despite not being poor according to univariate measures, underscoring the importance of jointly considering time and money in assessing household living standards and poverty. |
| Keywords: | Bivariate relative poverty line, time and income poverty, unpaid work, time poverty, living standards |
| JEL: | C46 D13 I3 J22 |
| Date: | 2026 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:ifsowp:335884 |
| By: | Sofia Aleshina; Richard S.J. Tol (Department of Economics, University of Sussex, BN1 9SL Falmer, United Kingdom); Valeriya Ignatovskaya |
| Abstract: | This work presents a modified version of the integrated economic-climate model RICECH4. The aim of the work was to expand the basic RICE model by explicitly accounting for methane (CH4) emissions along with traditional carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, as well as the subsequent analysis of the economic and climatic effects of implementing various emissions control strategies. The development was based on the open implementation of RICE in Python using the Pyomo library and the IPOPT solver. The model was modified as follows: a separate methane cycle block was implemented, including both industrial and natural CH4 emissions; the radiative forcing function was adapted taking into account the contribution of methane; a new control variable was built in to reduce CH4 emissions; the logic of two climate policy scenarios, cooperative and non-cooperative, was implemented. In addition, parameterization and aggregation of input data for 12 regions were conducted based on open sources. The model covers key blocks of integrated assessment: the dynamics of capital, investment, savings, production, consumption, and emissions, as well as climate indicators—greenhouse gas concentrations, atmospheric and ocean temperatures, radiative forcing, and climate change damage. Simulations were conducted for the 2025–2115 horizon, and the objective function indicators were calculated. The resulting RICE-CH4 model can be used as a tool for quantitative analysis of climate policy, assessing the social cost of emissions, and sustainable development strategies in a regional representation of global data. A flexible implementation structure provides the potential for future expansion of the model: adding new types of emissions, complicating the country interaction block, and integrating it with external risk and resilience assessment modules. |
| Keywords: | climate change, global warming, methane emissions, RICE model, cooperation |
| JEL: | Q54 |
| Date: | 2026 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sus:susewp:0226 |
| By: | Marco A. Badilla Maroto; Benjamin Faber; Antoine B. Levy; Mathilde Muñoz |
| Abstract: | We document that migration flows upon retirement are predominantly from richer, more urban to poorer, more rural regions. In theory, the local economic implications of senior in-migration are ambiguous, while empirically there is little existing evidence on whether attracting mobile seniors can be an effective tool to promote economic development among lagging regions. We combine a unique collection of microdata from France with a new empirical strategy to fill this gap. We find that senior inflows have significant positive effects on the local economy over the course of a decade, including increases in the working-age population, total employment, GDP, average incomes, fiscal revenues and housing construction. These effects are particularly pronounced among initially poorer regions. They are accompanied by an increase in the share of services in the local economy, driven by employment growth in health, food services and retail sectors. Combining these estimates with observed region-to-region net migration flows, we find that mobile seniors have become a significant force for reducing the concentration of employment and GDP across regions. |
| JEL: | F15 J60 R23 |
| Date: | 2026–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34725 |
| By: | Puri, Anuj (Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management); Cruijssen, Frans (Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management); Leunissen, Ikie |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tiu:tiutis:c2282dcd-0428-4717-9e5c-acdae46b116b |
| By: | Hsin-Yuan Hsieh, Arthur Lewbel and Krishna Pendakur (Simon Fraser University) |
| Abstract: | Browning et al. (2013) model collective-household economies of scale in goods consumption by having each good be partly shared, instead of each good being public or private. We modify their model to achieve simple point identification and estimation of the economies of scale of consumption of each good, and we provide a new index of household level economies of scale. Our model has a linear form, permits households of varying composition, including children, and accommodates unobserved heterogeneity in both preferences and in the economies of scale of each good. We provide estimates using Canadian Surveys of Household Spending data. |
| Date: | 2026–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sfu:sfudps:dp26-03 |