Members in the News: Bellemare, Balagtas, Coffey, Feng, Hennessy, and Black

Marc F. Bellemare, University of Minnesota What Americans Will—and Won’t—Pay for Avocados, in One Chart By: Bloomberg - September 12, 2017 There’s a good reason this price-demand relationship is so tidy. Nobody needs an avocado. Demand for such staples as eggs, milk, wheat and even coffee is less elastic than that for avocados because those things are considered household necessities, Marc Bellemare, an economist at the University of Minnesota, said. “I don’t want to say that avocados are a luxury good … but you can kind of think of them as such,” Bellemare said. (Continued...) Read the entire article on Bloomberg Joseph V. Balagtas, Purdue University Just Askin': The price of milk By: The News-Gazette - September 10, 2017 Said Kappy Koch, a director on the Illinois Milk Producers' Association board: "Stores are doing it as a loss leader to gain customers. The store price has nothing to do with what the dairymen receive." Joseph V. Balagtas, an agricultural economics professor at Purdue, agreed: "It's possible a small portion of that price difference could be explained by different brands or other quality differences (organic vs conventional), or different costs for milk or for running the store. But it would be hard to imagine that such a big difference in retail milk prices could be fully explained by cost differences, which brings us back to the loss-leader story. Once the store gets the shopper inside the door, they can make up for losses on milk sales by selling other more profitable items to the shopper. Milk is commonly thought to be used as a loss-leader in this way." (Continued...) Read the entire article on The News-Gazette Brian Coffey, Kansas State University K-State ag economist volunteers with Farmer-to-Farmer By: The Mercury - September 13, 2017 Ask Brian Coffey how he started his summer and he can tell you about faraway lands and hard-working people. For several weeks, the Kansas State University assistant professor used his expertise in agricultural economics as a volunteer in Tajikistan with the Farmer-to-Farmer Program, working with local fruit and vegetable growers to encourage strategic marketing and business planning. (Continued...) Read the entire article on The Mercury Hongli Feng, David Hennessy, and Roy Black, Michigan State University Crop insurance: What’s your motivation? By: Hongli Feng in Michigan Farm News - August 28, 2017 Extreme weather events such as drought and floods can have a devastating impact on crops and farm income. In a single Michigan county, Isabella, flooding in the early summer of 2017 was estimated to have caused more than $20 million in damage to crops. Crop insurance is an important tool that allows farmers to manage such risks in agricultural production. The importance of the federal crop insurance program (Multiple Peril Crop Insurance or MPCI) was highlighted in a recent hearing of the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (Continued...) Read the entire article on Michigan Farm News

See other Member in the News items Know another AAEA Member who has made statewide, national, or international news? Send a link of the article to info@aaea.org or ascheetz@aaea.org  What research and topics are you working on? Want to be an expert source for journalists working on a story? We want to hear from you. Contact Jay Saunders via email, jsaunders@aaea.org.

Call for Papers: Journal of Consumer Affairs (JCA) and the Federal Financial Literacy and Education Commission (FLEC)

The Journal of Consumer Affairs and the Financial Literacy and Education Commission announce a
Special Issue and Symposium on:

“Effective Financial Capability Interventions for Economically Vulnerable Individuals and Families”

Special issue editors:

J. Michael Collins, University of Wisconsin
Stephanie Moulton, The Ohio State University

The Journal of Consumer Affairs (JCA) and the Federal Financial Literacy and Education Commission (FLEC) invite papers for a special issue and a symposium on “Effective Financial Capability Interventions for Economically Vulnerable Individuals and Families.” Papers are sought that rigorously explore the effect of financial education or other financial capability interventions on changes in measurable financial behaviors or other outcomes. Ideally, papers should identify and evaluate programs or approaches for improving the financial capability and financial security of economically vulnerable individuals and families that can be feasibly replicated and implemented in other field settings.

The FLEC, established by the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003, is comprised of representatives of 23 federal government entities, is charged with “improving the financial literacy and education of persons in the United States.” It is chaired by the Secretary of the Treasury and the vice chair is the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.  The FLEC recognizes the importance of helping Americans gain financial capability throughout their lives in order to attain financial well-being and contribute to the overall economic health of the nation. The FLEC has found that this need is especially important for economically vulnerable individuals and families.

Given this focus, we are particularly interested in research that generates new insights for practice, including innovations that have the potential to increase the financial capability of economically vulnerable people. While submissions examining stand-alone programs are welcome, the FLEC has a particular interest in research on financial capability interventions that are integrated into existing platforms serving economically vulnerable individuals and families, such as social service and workforce programs; state, local or community-based programming; public health or health care delivery programs; housing; workplaces; post-secondary educational institutions and other institutional settings. Papers that provide the greatest policy insights are likely to include:

·         Identification of the particular barriers or challenges the intervention is meant to address;

·         A theory of change for the intervention that corresponds to empirically testable hypotheses, including expected impact on financial behaviors as well as longer term effects on financial outcomes and financial well-being;

·         For financial capability interventions embedded in existing platforms, a detailed discussion of the theoretical basis for, and empirical evidence of, how the financial capability intervention benefits the existing platform (e.g. outcomes related to employment, family stability, health, academic achievement, etc.);

·         Discussion of the external validity of the research and implications;

·         Discussion of considerations for successful replication or expansion; and

·         Analyses of strategies for implementing or operationalizing the approach at scale; the cost-effectiveness of the approach; and implications for private-sector implementation or self-sustaining support of the approach.

High-quality studies using robust methods are encouraged, even studies with null findings, especially if the study offers insights for policy, practice or future research.

To facilitate the discussion of the research insights between academics and policymakers, the authors of articles selected for the special issue may be invited to Washington, D.C. to present their findings to a FLEC symposium expected to be held in Fall 2018.

Researchers in all relevant fields are encouraged to submit their work. Manuscripts may be submitted online through ScholarOne Manuscripts (http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/joca or connect via the link on the Journal of Consumer Affairs website). Style guidelines and publishing requirements can be viewed online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/JOCA. Please contact the issue editors or the Journal offices [joca@consumerinterests.org] for further information.

Submission deadline: March 16, 2018

China Agricultural Economic Review Complimentary Issue

Complimentary access to the special issue " Attitudes towards and Impact of GM Technology: Policy and Implications for China"

China Agricultural Economic Review is pleased to announce the publication of a significant special issue on genetically modified (GM) technology, its policy and implications for China. The selected manuscripts were carefully reviewed by a group of experts from China, Canada and other countries. It is led by distinguished field expert, Dr. Jikun Huang, the Founder and Director of the Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy (CCAP) and a Professor of Agricultural Economics in the School of Advanced Agriculture, Peking University in China.

This special issue provides new evidence on the attitudes toward GM technology by different stakeholders (e.g., consumers, agribusiness firms, and scientists) and the values of GM technology with implications for China. The special issue scientifically oversees the GM technology development, industrialization and impact on agricultural sector. The role of policy and regulations in managing the development and use of agricultural biotechnologies has also been examined. 

The papers and guest editorial can be accessed for free until 11 October 2017 by visiting: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/toc/caer/9/3 

Members in the News: Thatcher, Outlaw, Richardson, Mintert, McFadden, Ferraro, Misra, and Bellemare

Mary Kay Thatcher, American Farm Bureau Foundation ‘2017 or 2018 farm bill?’ to be topic of U of A webinar By: Delta Farm Press - August 30, 2017 Mary Kay Thatcher, chief lobbyist for the American Farm Bureau Federation and a veteran of seven farm bills, will be the featured speaker for the next University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Webinar. The webinar, “Will it be a 2017 or 2018 farm bill?” will air at 10 a.m. CDT on Thursday, Sept. 7. You can connect with your computer, IPad or Smartphone by Internet or dial-in and listen in by phone. (Continued...) Read the entire article on Delta Farm Press Joe Outlaw and James W. Richardson, Texas A&M Mega-mergers in agriculture expected to raise prices By: Wisconsin State Farmer - August 30, 2017 In an attempt to predict the impact of the mergers on seed pricing, Texas A&M agricultural economics professors Joe Outlaw and James W. Richardson last September calculated the magnitude of concentration in the industry. They found that the proposed Bayer-Monsanto combination would raise cotton seed prices 18.2% while corn seed would rise 2.3% and soybean seed would climb 1.9%. (Continued...) Read the entire article on Wisconsin State Farmer  Jim Mintert, Purdue University Producer Sentiment Down Slightly as Commodity Prices Weaken By: KTIC - September 5, 2017 “Weakness in the Index of Current Conditions compared to July wasn’t unexpected given the recent downtrend in grain and oilseed prices,” said Jim Mintert, director of Purdue’s Center for Commercial Agriculture and principal investigator for the barometer. “For example, from July 17 to August 21 – the first days of the July and August sentiment surveys, the December corn futures contract price declined 6 percent. Prices for wheat and soybeans also weakened, generating additional concern about farm revenues and profitability.” (Continued...) Read the entire article on KTIC Brandon R. McFadden, University of Florida ‘Gluten-free water’ shows absurdity of trend in labeling what’s absent By: Brandon McFadden in The Conversation - August 28, 2017 The food labeling craze coupled with banner headlines about the dangers of gluten, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and hormones are leading to increasingly absurd results. For example, you can now buy “premium” water that’s not only free of GMOs and gluten but certified kosher and organic. Never mind that not a single drop of water anywhere contains either property or is altered in any way by those designations. (Continued...) Read the entire article on The Conversation Paul Ferraro, John Hopkins University Start Preparing for the Next Hurricane Harvey By: Paul Ferraro in Bloomberg View- August 29, 2017 My heart goes out to the people who have borne the brunt of Hurricane Harvey and still face continued flooding and a long recovery. As a nation, we need to be better prepared for such catastrophic floods so as to mitigate their widespread damage and loss of life. Harvey’s 50 inches of rain in a few days might be unusual, but extensive flooding with its subsequent property damage and loss of life is not. It’s time to stop using the words “unprecedented” or “one in a pick-your-large-number-year flood” to fool ourselves into believing that we’re experiencing one-off disasters that can’t be defended against. We have the tools to prepare, if we’re bold enough to use them. (Continued...) Read the entire article on Bloomberg View Sukant Misra, Texas Tech University Chamber to Celebrate Area Harvest with October 18 Luncheon By: Everything Lubbock - September 6, 2017 Dr. Sukant Misra, Associate Vice Provost for International Programs at Texas Tech University, will be the featured speaker at the luncheon. Misra is responsible for, along with the Vice Provost of International Affairs, the oversight of the Office of International Affairs (OIA). Previous to that, he served as the Associate Dean for Research for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR) from 2002 to 2014. He has served Texas Tech in various faculty and administrative capacities since his initial employment as a faculty member in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics in 1993. Prior to joining Texas Tech, he was a researcher at the University of Georgia for three years. He received his Bachelor and Master's degrees in Analytical and Applied Economics from Utkal University, India, in 1979 and 1981, respectively. He obtained a second Master of Science degree in 1986 and his doctorate in Agricultural Economics in 1989, both from Mississippi State University. (Continued...) Read the entire article on Everything Lubbock Corrected link from September 5, 2017 release of "Members in the News" Marc Bellemare, University of Minnesota Is ‘Food Waste’ Really Such a Waste? By: Marc Bellemare in The Wall Street Journal - August 24, 2017 When it comes to food, many people think “waste not, want not” is an effective public policy. “Up to one third of all food is spoiled or squandered before it is consumed,” the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says. “It is an excess in an age where almost a billion people go hungry." Two years ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the "first-ever national food waste reduction goal, calling for 50-percent reduction by 2030." (Continued...) Read the entire article on The Wall Street Journal

See other Member in the News items Know another AAEA Member who has made statewide, national, or international news? Send a link of the article to info@aaea.org or ascheetz@aaea.org  What research and topics are you working on? Want to be an expert source for journalists working on a story? We want to hear from you. Contact Jay Saunders via email, jsaunders@aaea.org.

2018 AAEA Trust Special Purpose Fund Calls

AAEA Trust Call for Proposals

The AAEA Trust Committee and Executive Board are seeking proposals for programs or projects that:

• Support development of graduate students and early career professionals

AND/OR

• Deepen participation in AAEA or reach out to new groups

AND/OR

• Enhance the AAEA Annual Meeting

Funds donated to the unrestricted and student and early career professional development categories of the AAEA Trust will be used to fund proposals approved by the AAEA Trust Committee and Executive Board. Proposals from AAEA Committees and Sections are encouraged. Please note that the Trust does not fund individual research projects, nor does it retroactively fund activities that have already taken place. Please contact Trust Committee Chair Jayson Lusk at jlusk@purdue.edu if you would like to discuss your proposal ideas before submission.

Proposal submissions should include:

1. A cover sheet with name of applicant; applicant’s mailing address, e-mail, and phone number; title of the project; abstract of the project; timing, duration, and location of the project; and amount of funding requested.
2. A project description, not to exceed five double-spaced pages, including the purpose, scope, implementation procedures, the individuals responsible for management of the project, date/timing of the project, and location of the project.
3. An itemized budget, indicating costs to be borne by the Trust and funding provided by other sources, if any. The AAEA Business Office may be a resource for budget information.

Proposals should be submitted as a single PDF file by Monday, October 16, 2017, to ensure consideration for funding for the next year. Proposals will be reviewed by the AAEA Trust Committee, which will make recommendations to the Executive Board for action at the January 2018 Board Meeting.

Proposals should be submitted to Kristen McGuire, CMP, AAEA Executive Director, via e-mail at kmcguire@aaea.org. If you have any questions, please contact Kristen or Jayson.                           

Call for Applications

Anthony Grano Fellowship Applications

The AAEA Trust is now accepting applications for the Anthony Grano Scholarship Award. Two scholarships of $1,250 will be awarded to academically successful, highly motivated students in agricultural economics or a closely related discipline with an interest in agricultural policy and the policy formation process. The scholarship will support recipients to travel to Washington, DC to meet with senior staff from USDA, Congressional offices, and agricultural trade associations and commodity organizations.

Eligible applicants will be graduate students in either agricultural economics or economics with an agricultural emphasis in any U.S. university.

The application deadline is Monday, October 16, 2017.

To apply, please submit the following:

1. Cover letter that expresses interest and includes applicant contact information
2. Essay on a current agricultural policy issue (2-5 pages)
3. Recent CV
4. A copy of university transcripts
5. Letter of recommendation from department head. Department Head must be willing to match the funds if their nominee is selected

Applications should be submitted in a single space, 12 Font Size, 1” margins, and PDF format to Kristen McGuire, AAEA Executive Director, at kmcguire@aaea.org. Failure to provide any of the required components of the application package will result in its rejection.                                      

Call for Applications

Sylvia Lane Mentor Fellowship

The Sylvia Lane Mentor Fellowship provides an opportunity for early career women scholars working on food, agricultural, or resource issues to collaborate with an established expert at another university, institution, or firm.
At least one (1) Fellowship of up to $2,500 will be awarded for use during the 2018 calendar year. The funding is designed to cover the costs of travel and expenses for the awardee to work directly with the mentor on a specific project. Preference will be given to new mentoring relationships as opposed to continuing an existing one.
The application deadline is Monday, October 16, 2017.
To apply, please submit the following:

1. Cover letter outlining proposed plan for mentorship, including contact information for the mentor, proposed dates of collaboration, and outputs expected
2. Current CV for nominee
3. Research proposal outlining the research project that you will work on with your mentor (maximum 3 single-spaced pages)
4. Letter of recommendation
5. Letter of intent to collaborate from the proposed mentor
6. Budget

Applications should be submitted in a single PDF format to Kristen McGuire, at kmcguire@aaea.org. If you have any questions, please contact Kristen by email or by phone at (414) 918-3190.                 

Call For Applications
Uma Lele Mentor Fellowship Award

The Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) Trust is now accepting applications for the Uma Lele Mentor Fellowship Award. The Uma Lele Mentor Fellowship Award supports a mentorship relationship with a view to promote high quality research of a policy/problem solving nature in countries with food insecurity and environmental pressures. It is meant to promote collaboration between an early career scholar who is a citizen of and resides in a developing country and a distinguished mentor.

The award is intended to cover the costs of travel and expenses for a scholar and mentor to work together on a specific research project in a high priority area for the scholar’s country. The maximum fellowship grant will be $5,000. Up to $4,500 can be allocated for travel expenses for the scholar to visit the mentor’s workplace and/or to meet with the mentor at a professional meeting. Up to $1,500 can be allocated for mentor travel and other expenses during the fellowship period. Research topics should fall within the mission of the AAEA (www.aaea.org/about-aaea).

Scholars should be professional economists who are citizens of and reside in a developing country. A complete list of qualifying countries is available under the headings “Low-income economies” and “Lower-middle-income economies” at: http://data.worldbank.org/about/country-classifications/country-and-lending-groups#Low_income. Scholars should either have completed their terminal degree or will complete it within the year. Students studying in countries that are not considered “low-income economies” and “lower-middle-income economies” may apply, but they must be completing their degree and planning to permanently reside in a “low-income” and “lower-middle-income” country by the end of 2017. Mentors can reside in any part of the world, but each must be an AAEA member.

To apply, scholars should submit the following:

1. Cover letter outlining proposed plan for mentorship, including contact information for the mentor, proposed dates and nature of the research project and collaboration, and outputs expected
2. Recent CV
3. Research proposal outlining the research project that the applicant will work on with his or her mentor (maximum 3 single-spaced pages)
4. Letter of recommendation from the applicant’s department head/supervisor stating that the institution supports the applicant’s participation
5. Letter of intent to collaborate from the proposed mentor
6. Budget

Applications should be submitted in a single PDF format to Kristen McGuire at kmcguire@aaea.org by Monday, October 16, 2017. If you have any questions, please contact Kristen by email or by phone at (414) 918-3190.                                                                                                                       

Call for Applications
McCorkle Scholarship Applications

The AAEA Trust Committee is accepting applications for the 2018 Chester O. McCorkle Jr. Student Scholarship. This scholarship will support applied research by a graduate student on economic issues relating to agriculture. At least one (1) scholarship of up to $2,000 will be awarded. Funds can be used for research related expenses, data collection, tuition and program related expenses such as fees, books, supplies and equipment, provided the items are required of all students in the program.

Applications are due Monday, October 16, 2017.

Applicants should submit:

1. Description of the proposed research (maximum of 5 pages)
2. Itemized budget
3. Letter of support from their major advisor; and
4. Graduate transcript.

Applications should be submitted as a single PDF file to the Kristen McGuire at kmcguire@aaea.org. If you have any questions, please contact Kristen by email or by phone at (414) 918-3190.