Members in the News: Novakovic, Volpe, Bozic, Westhoff, Wang, Zhang, Hurt, Walters, Tang, Keiser, Kling, Ji, Shr, Zapata, Lubben, Taylor, Barnaby, Joshi, Smith, and Belasco

Andrew Novakovic, Cornell University Richard Volpe, California Polytechnic State University Marin Bozic, University of Minnesota Milk prices sway shoppers in Sioux Falls grocery game By: Argus Leader - February 15, 2018 "Milk is one of a very small number of products - maybe 10 products - that retailers believe their customers make store selection decisions based on its price," said Andrew Novakovic, a professor of agricultural economics at Cornell University and an expert on the dairy industry. "Milk is the number-one loss leader for retailers," said Richard Volpe, a professor at California Polytechnic State University’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. For stores, milk is a nuanced marketing campaign. Just by setting a price, supermarkets send a message back to consumers about the location’s philosophy on prices and priorities, said Marin Bozic, assistant professor in dairy foods marketing economics for the University of Minnesota. (Continued...) Read more on: Argus Leader Patrick Westhoff, University of Missouri Economists: No quick recovery for commodity prices, farm income By: The Fence Post- February 7, 2018 Patrick Westhoff of the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the University of Missouri said he does not see agriculture "in line for a big recovery any time soon." (Continued...) Read more on: The Fence Post Holly Wang, Zhejiang University and Purdue University Where to celebrate Chinese New Year at Purdue By: Journal and Courier- February 9, 2018 “We have 20 dancers who are very diverse — Purdue students, professors, staff and people from the community. Our group is open to everyone,” said Holly Wang, professor of agricultural economics, who founded the troupe in 2011 and is one of the performers. (Continued...) Read more on: Journal and Courier Wendong Zhang, Iowa State University Is another farm crisis looming? By: Dairy Star - February 12, 2018 “We’re in a time of a downturn, but not a crisis,” Wendong Zhang said. “Today, it takes effort to manage costs and maintain working capital, but it is not impossible.” Zhang is an applied economist and extension farm management specialist at Iowa State University. In the early 2000s, the industry saw historically low interest rates and a growing demand for exports from China. (Continued...) Read more on:  Dairy Star  Chris Hurt, Purdue University HHSB promotes ag awareness By: Journal Review- February 12, 2018 HHSB has secured Dr. Chris Hurt, professor of ag econ at Purdue University, to speak about commodity marketing, price outlook, government farm programs and the economics of biofuels. (Continued...) Read more on: Journal Review Cory Walters, University of Nebraska Crop insurance workshop Feb. 26 at College Park By: The Grand Island Independent- February 12, 2018 Cory Walters, assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Nebraska, will kick off the event with an overview of crop insurance in Nebraska. He will also share results of recent crop insurance research conducted at the university. (Continued...) Read more on: The Grand Island Independent Chuan Tang, Iowa State University David Keiser, Iowa State University Catherine Kling, Iowa State University Yongjie Ji, Iowa State University Yau-Huo Shr, Iowa State University Economists Outline Benefits of Reducing Nitrates By: AgPro - February 13, 2018 The study highlights that reducing nitrates and improving water quality in rivers and lakes would increase recreation benefits, and may reduce adverse health outcomes for people exposed to high nitrates in drinking water. The study was led by Chuan Tang, a postdoctoral researcher, and Gabriel Lade, assistant professor of economics, along with: David Keiser, assistant professor of economics; Catherine Kling, director of the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development and a Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture and Life Sciences in the Department of Economics; Yongjie Ji, an assistant scientist; and Yau-Huo Shr, a postdoctoral researcher. (Continued...) Read more on: AgPro Samuel D. Zapata, Texas A&M University Report: Sugarcane aphids cost Texas millions By: Texas Farm Bureau- January 31, 2018 “We have been tracking the pest over the last four years. We found significant damage to farmers’ profits. We did the analysis in both the Rio Grande Valley, as well as South Texas. We found that in the Rio Grande Valley, on average, the sugarcane aphid caused a loss of about $65 per acre,” Dr. Samuel D. Zapata, one of the authors of The Economic Impact of the Sugarcane Aphid Outbreak in Texas, said in an interview with the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network. “The reduction in profits is given by two things. First, a reduction in revenue because producers have lower yields. The other impact is on production costs mainly because now producers need to spend more money on insecticides and monitoring the pests.” (Continued...) Read more on: Texas Farm Bureau Brad Lubben, University of Nebraska Mykel Taylor, Kansas State University Art Barnaby, Kansas State University 2018 Farm Bill Conferences planned By: High Plains Midwest Ag Journal- February 11, 2018 Topics include the economic conditions of farmers and Title I programs with Mykel Taylor, proposed crop insurance changes with Art Barnaby and conservation programs impact with Brad Lubben. The series will enable producers from Kansas and Nebraska to engage presenters with their own thoughts and concerns on possible changes in the new bill and use the dialogue to further understand issues facing the agricultural community within the new farm bill’s framework. (Continued...) Read more on: High Plains Midwest Ag Journal PK Joshi, International Food Policy Research Institute 2018 Farm Bill Conferences planned By: Business Standard- December 23, 2017 India’s Business Standard published an op-ed by PK Joshi on ways to reduce farm distress. In the article, Joshi said Indian agriculture can be revived by focusing on key priorities and combing all ongoing programmes under one umbrella. (Continued...) Read more on: Business Standard Vince Smith, Montana State University Trump cuts won't flow to US Farm Bill By: Queensland Country Life- February 12, 2018 Montana State University professor of economics and visiting director at free enterprise think tank the American Enterprise Institute Vince Smith said in modern politics “successive administrations have had little to say” on the Farm Bill. (Continued...) Read more on: Queensland Country Life Eric Belasco, Montana State University MSU faculty opens debate on Koch-funded center By: Bozeman Daily Chronicle- February 15, 2018 Eric Belasco, faculty senator representing the agriculture and agricultural economics department, said the research has followed all MSU’s normal guidelines for hiring and awarding grants. He read letters from students who were able to do research, thanks to the grant. One said it had opened up opportunities and MSU would be foolish to turn down the proposal. (Continued...) Read more on:Bozeman Daily Chronicle

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