Browsing by Author "Smith, Vincent H."

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Agricultural Chemical Prices in Canada and the United States: A Case Study of Alberta and Montana
(MSU Extension, 2004-12) Smith, Vincent H.; Johnson, James B.
Differences in retail prices for similar or identical agricultural chemicals have been a source of controversy in the Prairie Provinces of Canada and the Northern Great Plains States of the United States since the mid-1990s. Such differences may exist because of differing pesticide regulations between the United States and Canada. Different regulations may inhibit trade between the two regions and isolate markets from one another. If this is the case, then regulatory harmonization that allows Canadian and U.S. agricultural producers to purchase agricultural chemicals in Canada or the United States would generally lead to harmonization of agricultural chemical prices.
Agricultural Leasing Study
(2015-07) Haynes, George W.; Smith, Vincent H.
This study describes crop-share and cash leasing arrangements in Montana for calendar year 2013 by surveying land owners, who own dry and irrigated cropland and grazing land. A dataset containing names and address of all land owners in Montana was provided by the Department of Revenue’s Property Assessment Division. A sample of 880 land owners selected from this population completed the telephone implemented by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana. Faculty members in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics at Montana State University were responsible for developing the questionnaire; conducting personal interviews with landlords, tenants, and real estate agents; and, analyzing these data.
The Common Crop (COMBO) Policy
(2012-08) Johnson, James B.; Smith, Vincent H.; Hewlett, John P.
Beginning with the 2011 crop year, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) introduced an initiative to combine and simplify crop insurance. RMA released the Common Crop Insurance Policy Basic Provisions and related Crop Provisions as the insurance policy basis for crop insurance coverage. The new policy is widely described as the COMBO Policy because it explicitly combines APH revenue and APH yield insurance in one general policy and creates a single APH revenue program for each of the commodities that are eligible for APH-based revenue coverage.
Crop Subsidy and Crop Insurance for Wyoming Farmers in a New 2013/14 Farm Bill
(2013-07) Smith, Vincent H.; Johnson, James B,; Hewlett, John P.
Farm policy is in flux and the future of many farm subsidy programs is in question. In Congress, the Senate Agriculture Committee (and the entire Senate) and the House Agriculture Committee have recently developed alternative farm bill proposals. While the two bills include some very similar or identical proposals, they also contain some very different initiatives. Those differences would normally be resolved through a conference process within a joint House and Senate Agricultural Committee conference committee.
From biology to behavior: a cross-disciplinary seminar series surrounding added sugar and low-calorie sweetener consumption
(2019-06) Sylvetsky, A. C.; Hiedacavage, A.; Shah, H.; Pokorney, P.; Baldauf, S.; Merrigan, K.; Smith, Vincent H.; Long, M. W.; Black, R.; Robien, K.; Avena, N.; Gaine, C.; Greeberg, D.; Wootan, M. G.; Talegawkar, S.; Colon-Ramos, U.; Leahy, M.; Ohmes, A.; Mannella, J. A.; Sachek, J.; Dietz, W. H.
Introduction This report presents a synopsis of a three‐part, cross‐sector, seminar series held at the George Washington University (GWU) in Washington, DC from February–April, 2018. The overarching goal of the seminar series was to provide a neutral forum for diverse stakeholders to discuss and critically evaluate approaches to address added sugar intake, with a key focus on the role of low‐calorie sweeteners (LCS). Methods During three seminars, twelve speakers from academic institutions, federal agencies, non‐profit organizations, and the food and beverage industries participated in six interactive panel discussions to address: 1) Do Farm Bill Policies Impact Population Sugar Intake? 2) What is the Impact of Sugar‐sweetened Beverage (SSB) Taxes on Health and Business? 3) Is Sugar Addictive? 4) Product Reformulation Efforts: Progress, Challenges, and Concerns? 5) Low‐calorie Sweeteners: Helpful or Harmful, and 6) Are Novel Sweeteners a Plausible Solution? Discussion of each topic involved brief 15‐minute presentations from the speakers, which were followed by a 25‐minute panel discussion moderated by GWU faculty members and addressed questions generated by the audience. Sessions were designed to represent opposing views and stimulate meaningful debate. Given the provocative nature of the seminar series, attendee questions were gathered anonymously using Pigeonhole™, an interactive, online, question and answer platform. Results This report summarizes each presentation and recapitulates key perspectives offered by the speakers and moderators. Conclusions The seminar series set the foundation for robust cross‐sector dialogue necessary to inform meaningful future research, and ultimately, effective policies for lowering added sugar intakes.
Harvest-Time Protein Shocks and Price Adjustment in U.S. Wheat Markets
(2007-08) Smith, Vincent H.; Goodwin, Barry K.
Dynamic relationships between three classes of wheat are investigated using threshold VAR models incorporating the effects of protein availability. Changes in the stock of protein are found to generate significant impulse responses in the price of hard red spring wheat and hard red winter wheat but not soft red wheat. These impulse responses to identical changes in protein stocks are larger when the absolute deviations of protein stocks from normal levels are large. Shocks to the prices of individual classes of wheat result in complex impulse responses in the prices of the other wheat varieties. Notably, however, a shock to the price of hard red winter weak appears to result in little or no impulse response in the price of hard spring wheat, though, importantly, the opposite is not true.
Harvest-Time Protein Shocks and Price Adjustment in U.S. Wheat Markets
(MSU Extension, 2005-06) Goodwin, Barry K.; Smith, Vincent H.
Dynamic relationships between three classes of wheat are investigated using threshold VAR models incorporating the effects of protein availability. Changes in the stock of protein are found to generate significant impulse responses in the price of hard red spring wheat and hard red winter wheat but not soft red wheat. These impulse responses to identical changes in protein stocks are larger when the absolute deviations of protein stocks from normal levels are large. Shocks to the prices of individual classes of wheat result in complex impulse responses in the prices of the other wheats. Notably, however, a shock to the price of hard red winter weak appears to result in little or no impulse response in the price of hard spring wheat, though, importantly, the opposite is not true.
The Impacts of the Canadian Wheat Board Ruling on the North American Malt Barley Markets
(2014-07) Bekkerman, Anton; Schweizer, Heidi; Smith, Vincent H.
The 2011 Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act deregulated Canadian grain markets and removed the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) as the sole buyer and seller of Canadian grain. We develop a rational expectations contract decision model that serves as the basis for an empirically informed simulation analysis of malt barley contracting opportunities between Canadian farmers and U.S. maltsters in the deregulated environment. Comparative statics and simulation results indicate that some new opportunities for contracting are possible, but the likelihood of favorable conditions for U.S. maltsters to contract with Canadian rather than U.S. farmers is low—between 9% and 35% over a range of possible selection rates. The effects on contracting of the termination of the Canadian grain transportation revenue cap policy and of the relaxation of criteria for the release of new spring wheat varieties are also investigated. While changes to grain transportation policies are not likely to significantly affect favorable conditions for contracting, reducing constraints on Canadian farmers’ access to higher yielding wheat varieties could increase the returns from growing spring wheat but decrease the likelihood of contracting for malt barley with U.S. maltsters by an average of 5.3 percentage points.
An Introduction to Federal Crop Insurance Products for New and Beginning Wyoming Farmers and Ranchers
(2019-02) Johnson, James B.; Smith, Vincent H.; Hewlett, John P.
Federal crop insurance products have been available to farmers in the United States for 80 years. Beginning in the early 1990s, the range of products offered by the USDA Risk Management Agency expanded, and today farmers have access to federal crop insurance for most of the crops they grow. Currently, nationally farmers can obtain insurance for over 140 crops and forages. Over the past several years, coverage has become widely available for crops produced under organic practices at price elections based on prices that reflect organic premiums.
Introduction to Managing Risk and Specialty and Organic Crop and Livestock Operations
(2016-08) Smith, Vincent H.; Johnson, James B.; Hewlett, John P.
Producers include specialty and organic crops and specialty livestock in their farm’s enterprises for many reasons. Nevertheless, over the longer term, specialty and organic crop and livestock enterprises have to be managed in ways that ensure the farm remains profitable. On many farms specialty and organic enterprises are included because they allow the farm’s human resources to be used more effectively. A specialty livestock operation (for example, producing cheese from goat’s milk) may be introduced because a family member (child, spouse) has particular skills and interests in the enterprise and the time to manage the operation. The enterprise itself may have the added benefit of serving as a financial risk management tool because revenues from the operation are relatively stable. Increasingly, many farms are choosing to focus substantial amounts of their available resources, or even the whole farm or ranch, to specialty and organic crop and livestock enterprises.
Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP): Montana
(2010-01) Johnson, James B.; Smith, Vincent H.
Congress provided both ongoing and ad hoc disaster programs over the period 1980 to 2008.
Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP): Wyoming
(2010-02) Johnson, James B.; Smith, Vincent H.; Hewlett, John P.
Congress provided both ongoing and ad hoc disaster programs over the period 1980 to 2008.
Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP): Montana
(2010-01) Johnson, James B.; Smith, Vincent H.
Disaster assistance programs were common in the 1980s, 1990s, and during several years earlier in this decade. Some were ongoing or “standing” disaster programs and others were ad hoc disaster programs.
Managing Forage and Rangeland Production Risks on Wyoming Ranches: NAP, LFP, and PRF-VI
(2015-07) Johnson, James B.; Smith, Vincent H.; Hewlett, John P.
Wyoming ranch managers are increasingly seeking production risk management tools for harvested forage production and grass production on rangeland. Forage production and rangeland production risks can be addressed to some degree by using the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) provided by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Under certain drought conditions rangeland forage losses are also covered by the FSA-administered Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP). Also certain crop insurance products subsidized by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), with oversight provided by the USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), can be used to address forage losses on hayland and grazing land.
New Farm Programs in the 2014 Farm Bill: Price Loss Coverage, Agricultural Risk Coverage and the Supplemental Coverage Agricultural Insurance Option for Wyoming Farms and Ranches
(2014-07) Smith, Vincent H.; Johnson, James B.; Hewlett, John P.
The Agricultural Act of 2014 was signed into law on February 17, 2014 by President Obama. The Act, widely referred to as the 2014 Farm Bill, introduces major changes in many U.S. farm programs that are important for farm and ranch owners and managers in Wyoming. Under the provisions of the 2014 Farm Bill, several long standing programs related to farmers’ and ranchers’ risk management decisions that have been widely used by Wyoming agricultural producers were terminated or are being phased out while several new programs have been introduced.
New Programs in the 2014 Farm Bill: Price Loss Coverage, Agricultural Risk Coverage and the Supplementary Coverage Options for Montana Farms and Ranches
(2014-10) Fuller, Kate B.; Smith, Vincent H.; Haynes, George W.
The 2014 Agricultural Act was signed into law on February 17, 2014 by President Obama. The Act, widely referred to as the 2014 farm bill, introduces major changes in many aspects of U.S. farm programs that have important implications for farm owners and farm managers in Montana. Under the provisions of the 2014 farm bill, several long- standing farm programs related to farmers’ risk management, which have been widely used by Montana farmers and ranchers, have been terminated or are being phased out, while several new programs have been introduced.
Production Risk Management for Montana Ranches: The Supplemental Federal Agricultural Disaster Programs
(2014-09) Belasco, Eric J.; Smith, Vincent H.; Haynes, George W.; Johnson, James B.
Montana ranchers are involved in risky enterprises and use a wide range of tools to manage risk and reduce the chances that they will suffer financial losses. They are experienced in formulating strategies for their operations and carefully develop and implement their production risk management strategies.
Production Risk Management for Wyoming Ranches: The Future for Federal Disaster Programs
(2013-07) Smith, Vincent H.; Johnson, James B.; Hewlett, John P.
Wyoming ranchers know they are involved in risky enterprises and use a wide range of tools to manage risk and reduce the chances that they will suffer financial losses. As a result, they are experienced in developing and implementing risk management strategies for their operations and carefully develop and implement their production risk management strategies.
Production Risk Management for Wyoming Ranches: The Supplemental Federal Agricultural Disaster Programs
(2014-07) Johnson, James B,; Smith, Vincent H.; Hewlett, John P.
Wyoming ranchers are involved in risky enterprises and use a wide range of tools to manage risk and reduce the chances that they will suffer financial losses. They are experienced in formulating strategies for their operations and carefully develop and implement their production risk management strategies.
Production Risk Management Options for Wyoming Ranchers: Crop Insurance and Federal Disaster Programs
(2011-08) Johnson, James B.; Smith, Vincent H.; Hewlett, John P.
Ranching is a financially risky business. On Wyoming ranches forage losses from natural hazards (severe drought, insect infestation, etc.) often occur. Livestock losses also occur because of adverse winter weather, summer heat, animal disease and predation. The link between ranch level production losses and commodity prices is weak. At the market level, when production is relatively low prices tend to be relatively high, but an individual rancher may experience low levels of production because of locally adverse production conditions when commodity prices are also low.