Members in the News: Lusk, Smith, Russell, Hart, Haynes, Bozic, Joshi, Doye, and Taylor

Jayson Lusk, Purdue University Vincent Smith, Montana State University Levi Russell, University of Georgia Fix the Farm Bill By: U.S. News - February 5, 2018 Mercatus Center research by Purdue University agricultural economics professor Jayson Lusk describes how the USDA's mission has grown far beyond its original intent when signed into law by President Lincoln. The initial purpose was simply to distribute agricultural information and to procure and distribute foreign seeds. This radically changed during the Great Depression after the original Farm Bill – the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933 – led to a steady expansion of the USDA's role. Economist Vincent Smith of Montana State University has also found that large farms benefit more from agricultural programs. He suggests farm subsidies could be reduced by $9–10 billion per year – by half – without harming agricultural production. Cutting taxpayer handouts to wealthy farm households should encourage those farmers to be more efficient and productive, rather than depending on government assistance. Research by University of Georgia economist Levi Russell, released last week, looks at the relationship between agricultural and environmental political action committee campaign donations and politicians' votes on the 2014 Farm Bill. He concludes that donations influenced the votes of politicians who may have been on the fence. (Continued...) Read more on: U.S. News Chad Hart, Iowa State University ADM Is Said in Advanced Talks to Buy Commodity Trader Bunge By: Bloomberg- February 1, 2018 “This is a big deal, arguably, for consumers because it controls the flow of production from the farm to the products on grocery store shelves," Chad Hart, a professor of agricultural economics at Iowa State University in Ames, said in a telephone interview Monday. “It’s a continuing sign that agriculture is trying to readjust to a tighter margin environment." (Continued...) Read more on: Bloomberg George Haynes, Montana State University Economic Outlook Seminar to Explore ‘The Future of Higher Education in Montana’ By: Flathead Beacon - February 5, 2018 The seminar’s industry specialists include Norma Nickerson, director of the UM Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research; Todd Morgan, director of forest industry research at the BBER; George Haynes, agricultural policy specialist and professor with the Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics at Montana State University; Joe Untereinner, CEO of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce; and other local experts. Economists Bryce Ward and Brandon Bridge of the BBER are also on the program. (Continued...) Read more on:  Flathead Beacon   Marin Bozic,  University of Minnesota Dickrell's Diary: The Troubling Implications of a Shrinking Basis By: Dairy Herd Management- January 30, 2018 As a result, basis in the Midwest has shrunk to 20¢ to 30¢ per cwt, calculates Marin Bozic, a University of Minnesota dairy economist. Michigan’s basis, by the way, is a negative $1.50, and has been for the past three years. California and Idaho are also all too familiar with negative basis. (Continued...) Read more on: Dairy Herd Management P.K. Joshi, International Food Policy Research Institute Public funding, not individual contributions, can ensure universal healthcare By: Live Mint- February 3, 2018 The shift in government’s focus from merely raising agricultural production to raising farmers’ income is a step in the right direction, according to a blog-post by P.K. Joshi, South Asia Director, IFPRI. However, in order to tackle farm distress, the government should also provide incentives to encourage self-employment in agro-processing, agro-advisory, agriculture and rural transport, etc. Besides, agriculture would also benefit from adoption of better technologies, diversification in favour of high-value commodities and government support to mitigate risks. (Continued...) Read more on: Live Mint Damona Doye, Oklahoma State University Farmers across the nation and Oklahoma are getting older By: News OK - February 4, 2018 Damona Doye, a longtime extension farm management specialist who is an agricultural economics professor at Oklahoma State University and the director of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, said paths to get a farm when she grew up indeed once followed the maxim of marrying or inheriting the family business. (Continued...) Read more on: News OK Mykel Taylor, Kansas State University Brown County Conservation District Annual Meeting to be held By: Sabetha Herald- February 2, 2018 Dr. Mykel Taylor will be the featured guest speaker for the annual meeting. Dr. Taylor is an associate professor in the department of agricultural economics at Kansas State University. Dr. Taylor’s research and extension programs are focused in the area of farm management. (Continued...) Read more on: Sabetha Herald

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