AAEA Blog

News Roundup - May 2012

2012-05-11T10:12:00.000-05:00

Below is a collection of various news items of interest to AAEA members. Have something you would like included? Either mention it in the comments below, or e-mail Adam@aaea.org and we'll include it in a future News Roundup.

Power Generation and the Environment: Choices & Economic Trade-Offs
Call for Papers deadline: May 15
This symposium will focus on solutions to CO2 emissions from coal-generated electricity, the economic implications of alternative control options, and the costs of alternatives to coal-fired generation. We are seeking to convene scholars and experts in economics, engineering, policy, and science to evaluate the technological and economic viability of various solutions to CO2 emissions. Papers are being solicited from leading engineering and economic scholars, industry representatives, and public policy makers from around the world who are conducting high quality research to communicate their findings to a non-technical, yet sophisticated audience. Academic papers will be accepted based upon their representation of reputable data and rigorous analysis. The symposium will take place October 1-2, 2012 at Teton Village, Wyoming.

121^st EAAE Seminar, "Global Financial Crises and Food Commodity Speculation: Assessing the Impacts on Agro-Food Sector, Rural Economies and Food Security"
Call for Papers deadline: May 30
The 121^st EAAE 2012 seminar will be held in Antalya, Turkey, on October 4-5, 2012. This seminar aims at bringing together economists, agricultural economists, modelers, and policy analysts in order to explore the adverse effects experienced by the agro-food sector and rural economies during and after the recent financial crisis, measure and evaluate the depth of the damage in the affected economies, develop and discuss solutions to the problem, and derive relevant policy recommendations. The seminar does not exclusively focus on a particular scientific domain. Multiple theoretical and/or methodological contributions and particularly quantitative analyses are all welcome.

Special Issue of Economics Research International on Economics of Bioenergy
Call for Papers deadline: September 7
There has been world-wide support for the production and use of renewable energy sources, especially through major policy initiatives relating to climate change and bioenergy. A few examples of these policy supports include the United States’ Environmental Protection Agency’s Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) and the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) of 2009 (H.R. 2454), Brazil’s 2009 National Climate Change Policy, Canada’s 2006 Renewable Fuels Regulations, and the European Union’s Energy and Climate Change Package, adopted in 2009. The rationales behind these policies have been multifold, ranging from less reliance on imported fuels, reducing energy prices and improving the rural economy to mitigating climate change. Some have argued that bioenergy has not delivered on its promise of energy security and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, especially in the case of field crops utilized to produce biofuels, bioheat, and biopower. The economic and environmental consequences of this bioenergy expansion have not been fully understood, primarily because bioenergy markets are not well developed and still in flux. The main objective of this special issue is to better understand the emergence of bioenergy markets and explore the direct or indirect consequences of the expansion of this alternative energy source on the rural economy, energy and commodity markets, and associated environmental impacts at the country, regional or global level.

Member Profile: William Edwards

2012-05-10T10:21:00.000-05:00

William Edwards
Professor and Extension Economist
Iowa State University

AAEA Activities:

President and Secretary of the Extension Section
Editor of the Shared Outreach Materials Library
Chair of the Extension/Outreach Awards Subcommittee
Chair of the Awards Committee
Member of the Outreach Committee

William Edwards’ extension and teaching activities are in the general area of farm management. He has taught the introductory farm business management course at Iowa State University for over 30 years and is co-author, with Ron Kay and Patricia Duffy, of Farm Management, a popular undergraduate text book (McGraw-Hill, 2012). He has also taught a distance education course in agricultural risk management, and has led several international student travel courses. He serves as co-advisor to the Agricultural Business Club at ISU, which has been named the Outstanding AAEA Undergraduate Student Section Chapter for the past six years.

His extension program areas include risk management, financial management, machinery economics, employee management, farm leasing arrangements, and farm information systems. He currently serves as the Farm and Agribusiness Management Extension team leader and the Departmental Extension Coordinator. He administers the Ag Decision Maker website, which was named the outstanding extension website by the AAEA Extension Section in 2009.

Each year he conducts surveys of farm custom rates and farmland cash rental rates in Iowa, which generate thousands of requests and downloads. The cash rental rate survey provides county level data for multiple crops and land classes. He has written several fact sheets and decision aids for establishing rational cash rental rates and for developing flexible cash rental agreements that ensure that rental rates adjust with changes in economic returns to the land.

He has written a series of fact sheets to help producers make decisions about crop insurance coverage, and co-authored (with Art Barnaby) a book about managing risk through crop insurance. He directs an annual workshop for crop insurance providers in Iowa. Each time a new farm bill has been implemented he has developed fact sheets and decision aids to help farmers decide how to participate in commodity risk management programs. His survey about Iowa farmers’ decisions to participate or not in the recent ACRE program was summarized in a recent Choices article.

He has been co-director of the Agricultural Credit School for over 30 years. This 10-day school trains lenders and regulators to effectively analyze and supervise agricultural credits and manage the operation of credit institutions. He also administers the Financial Decision Making home study course that Farm Service Agency borrowers complete to be eligible for loan assistance, and co-directs the Ag Management e-School suite of online home study courses.

This post is part of an ongoing series of profiles of AAEA members. Have a suggestion for a future profile? Send them to Info@aaea.org.

New AAEA Mentoring Program, Call for Mentors and Mentees

2012-05-02T10:12:00.000-05:00

AAEA is launching a new Mentoring Program and is looking for interested mentors and mentees to apply. The program will last for a year, but will start with a workshop in Seattle immediately preceding the 2012 Annual Meeting. Applications for both mentors and mentees are due by May 18, 2012.

The 12 month program begins with a comprehensive matching process. Once partnerships are formed, a formal Dynamic Mentoring Connections training will take place at the 2012 Annual Meeting in Seattle on Saturday August 11, 2012 for all matched participants. While the program encourages mentoring pairs to commit to a minimum of two meetings (email, phone, etc.) per month devoted to mentoring activities, mentor pairs will determine the length and frequency of the mentoring meetings. A mid-year energizer webinar and year-end celebration will also be provided as part of the program

The program can accept 15 matched pairs of mentors and mentees. If accepted, mentees will be expected to pay the $125 registration fee. There is no registration fee for mentors.

You can find more information about the program, including the links to apply, on the Mentorship Workshop page of the Annual Meeting website.

AAEA Looking for Students to Create Videos for a New Competition

2012-04-26T14:59:00.000-05:00

AAEA is looking for students to share with us why they're members of AAEA for our new AAEA Student Video Competition. Students in the fields of agricultural or applied economics are invited to put together a short (2-3 minute) video about what they consider the most important benefits of joining AAEA. It's free to enter and the winner will receive $300 and have their video played during the 2012 AAEA Annual Meeting in Seattle.

All qualifying videos will be featured on AAEA’s YouTube channel. The winning video creators will receive recognition during either the Undergraduate or Graduate Student Business Meeting, depending on the degree they’re pursuing. The winning video will be chosen by members of the AAEA Membership Committee.

For more information and contest rules, please visit the full call for submissions. The deadline for submitting a video is May 31, 2012.

Employment Center Connects Applicants with Employers in Seattle

2012-04-12T15:16:00.000-05:00

The Annual Meeting Employment Center is an online and on-site resource for employers to connect with applicants on specific open positions. Both applicants and employers can register today and post their information online. Registrants will be able to connect with each other online before the Annual Meeting, then meet and discuss the opening in person while in Seattle.

The Annual Meeting Employment Center is not a job fair. It is an opportunity for employers and applicants to discuss specific open positions. After registering for the Employment Center, applicants will have access to all of the open positions submitted by registered employers, and employers will have access to the employment information of each applicant. Based on this information, employers and applicants can connect regarding a specific position.

All interviews will take place in the Employment Center on-site at the Annual Meeting. To make the most of your time in Seattle, we strongly recommend that interviews be scheduled in advance of arriving at the meeting; however, scheduling interviews on-site is certainly allowed. Please note, AAEA will not be handling the scheduling of interviews.

For more information, check out the Employment Center section of the Annual Meeting website. If you have any questions about the Employment Center, feel free to e-mail Brian Mondragón Jones.

Member Profile: Anton Bekkerman

2012-04-11T14:01:00.001-05:00

Anton Bekkerman
Assistant Professor
Montana State University

AAEA Activities:

Secretary/Treasurer for Food and Agricultural Marketing and Policy Section (FAMPS), 2011-2012
Selected Presentations Committee, Risk and Uncertainty Topic Leader, 2012
Selected Presentations Reviewer, 2009-2011
2010 Graduate Student Case Study Competition Judge

Anton Bekkerman joined the Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics at Montana State University as an Assistant Professor of Economics. His research interests include price analysis and agricultural marketing, risk management, and applied econometrics with a concentration on spatial modeling.

Anton’s recent works focus on evaluating market-based risk management of invasive species, understanding the impacts of consumers’ quality perceptions in bull auctions, and modeling price linkage behaviors and improving hedging strategies in spatially separated markets. Bekkerman is particularly interested in applying non-parametric methods to reveal price and market linkages across space and time, and using this information to improve marketing strategies for agricultural market participants.

Anton’s other professional interests include education economics and multidisciplinary work. He has recently worked on projects assessing optimal uses of cover crop farming practices, seeking to identify the economic viability of using green manure as an alternative to traditional fertilizer application. In addition to continuing this work, Bekkerman is a part of a multidisciplinary research group that will examine the sustainability of organic crop production systems that integrate livestock as a means of reducing tillage intensity, soil erosion, and greenhouse gas emission.

Bekkerman received a B.B.A. in Business Economics (summa cum laude) in 2005 from the Sellinger School of Business at Loyola University in Maryland, and Masters (2007) and PhD degrees (2009) in Economics from North Carolina State University.

This post is part of an ongoing series of profiles of AAEA members. Have a suggestion for a future profile? Send them to Info@aaea.org.

Call for Applications: Two Editors of AJAE

2012-04-02T11:34:00.000-05:00

The AAEA Board now accepting applications for two editors of AJAE. Those selected will be appointed for a four-year term, beginning in January 2014. Applications should be sent electronically to AAEA by September 28, 2012.

Each editor handles approximately one-fourth of the submitted manuscripts and makes independent editorial decisions on these submissions. The degree to which candidate’s expertise complements that of the continuing editors, Brian Roe and Madhu Khanna, will be considered in the selection process. In addition, editors share the administrative responsibilities of managing the AJAE. Each editor should plan to dedicate 25 to 40 percent of his/her time to AJAE editorial duties. AAEA will provide financial assistance to defray some portion of the editors’ time and most expenses.

You can learn more about the open editorships in the full call for applications.

Member Profile: Miguel I. Gómez

2012-03-28T10:30:00.001-05:00

Miguel I. Gómez
Assistant Professor
Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University

AAEA Activities:

AAEA Annual Meeting Poster Competition Judge
AAEA Selected Presentations Reviewer

Miguel I. Gómez is Assistant Professor in the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University. He holds a BS in Industrial Engineering from Universidad de Los Andes (Bogotá) and a PhD in Agricultural and Consumer Economics from the University of Illinois. Prior to joining Cornell, he was a faculty member at the University of Illinois.

Miguel concentrates his research program on three interrelated areas under the umbrella of food marketing and distribution. The first is Supply Chains Competitiveness & Sustainability. His work in this area involves multi-disciplinary collaborations and his primary contribution is the development of normative optimization models to assess supply chain performance in multiple dimensions—economic, social and environmental. The second is Retailing & Channel Relationships. Here, Miguel combines microeconomic theory with quantitative marketing research, emphasizing key concepts such as customer satisfaction, demand response, and retail performance. The third is Price Analysis. Miguel's research here sheds light on the impact of pricing tactics in food retailing; on price transmission in the supply chain; and on models to forecast prices. An important component of his research and outreach program on these three areas focuses on specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables and ornamentals products. The scope of his research and outreach program is domestic and international, the latter emphasizing food value chains in Latin America and the Caribbean. In addition, his applied research/extension efforts in these three areas aim at enhancing market opportunities for horticultural products, benefiting producers, food processors/distributors, and consumers in New York State.

Selected current domestic research and outreach projects include: developing an east coast broccoli industry; enhancing food security of underserved populations in the Northeast through sustainable regional food systems; challenges facing small and medium sized entrepreneurs in emerging cool climate wine regions; and developing an organic soil-based, sustainable specialty crop greenhouse industry in the Northeast.

Selected current international research and outreach projects include: beyond fair trade, exploring the viability of a Sustainable Trade (ST) certification system among Latin American fruit and vegetable smallholders; exploring risk behavior in the adoption of IPM technologies among potato growers in the Colombian Andean region; evaluation of food aid local and regional procurement pilot program in Guatemala; and fruit and vegetable dispute mechanisms in the North American Free Trade Agreement region.

This post is part of an ongoing series of profiles of AAEA members. Have a suggestion for a future profile? Send them to Info@aaea.org.

28th International Conference of Agricultural Economists

2012-03-21T14:35:00.000-05:00

IAAE has opened registration for its 28th International Conference of Agricultural Economists. The conference will take place on August 18–24, 2012 in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil. The theme of the conference will be The Global Bio-Economy. For more information about the conference you can visit www.itarget.com.br/icae2012 or download this flyer.

Member Profile: Alex Marré

2012-03-14T09:25:00.000-05:00

Alex Marré
Research Agricultural Economist
USDA-Economic Research Service

AAEA Activities: Member of Community Economics Network (CENET)

Alex Marré joined USDA-Economic Research Service (ERS) as a Research Agricultural Economist in the Resource and Rural Economics Division in 2009 after completing his PhD at Oregon State University. At Oregon State he studied under AAEA Fellow and Professor Bruce Weber. His research is in the field of rural and community economic development, especially in the areas of human capital, migration and local labor markets. Marré’s interest in community economic development comes from a childhood spent in a small Oregon town with economic ties to its natural resource base.

Prior to working at ERS, Marré worked in a variety of roles at Oregon State. His dissertation research, supported by a cooperative agreement with ERS, examined the relationship between education, rural-to-urban migration and economic outcomes for rural adults. The out-migration of highly educated workers from rural to urban places remains an area of deep interest to him. Other research projects focused on synthesizing and describing the rural poverty literature in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics and examining the effects of workforce support services provided in the state of Oregon. He also taught a course for undergraduate students while at Oregon State that served as an introduction to microeconomics with applications to environmental issues.

At ERS, Marré’s research focuses on human capital in rural areas and other topics that relate to the economic well-being of rural people, households, and communities. Most recently, he is working to help conceptualize and measure the wealth creation process in rural communities and regions. This research is aimed at synthesizing a large literature on wealth and wealth creation, developing a useful conceptual framework for how wealth is created, and proposing ways to measure wealth for targeting, tracking and assessing the impacts of wealth creation strategies. Other current work examines the employment and unemployment effects of the recent recession and recovery for rural and urban areas and for different demographic groups within rural areas. It is yielding information about how recent economic conditions have disproportionately affected rural communities and regions based on industry concentration, geography and demographic composition.

Marré has enjoyed participating in each AAEA Annual Meeting since 2008, especially in the Community Economics Network (CENET) track sessions. Some of his published work has appeared in the proceedings issues of the Review of Agricultural Economics and AJAE. He is grateful to AAEA for the opportunities to network and collaborate.

This post is part of an ongoing series of profiles of AAEA members. Have a suggestion for a future profile? Send them to Info@aaea.org.

Call for Applications: Editor of Choices

2012-03-12T15:25:00.000-05:00

AAEA is currently taking application for the next Choices editor. The new editor will be appointed to a four-year term, which will run 2013-2016. The degree to the expertise of those who apply complement that of the continuing editor, James Novak, will be considered in the selection process. Applications are Friday, June 4, 2012.

The new Choices editor will work with the continuing editor to manage all submitted articles and Policy Issues articles and to develop and coordinate theme proposals for Choices. The editors also provide leadership, coordination, and oversight of all aspects of publishing in conjunction with the AAEA Business Office. Once a new editor is selected, the editors will divide the editorial responsibilities as appropriate. AAEA will provide financial assistance to defray some portion of the editor’s time and expenses.

For more information, please read the full call for applications.

Member Profile: Zhifeng Gao

2012-02-29T08:54:00.000-06:00

Zhifeng Gao
Assistant Professor
University of Florida

AAEA Activities: Reviewer for AAEA Selected Presentations, 2010-2012

Zhifeng Gao is an assistant professor in the Food and Resource Economics Department at the University of Florida. His research consists of broad areas in applied microeconomics, particularly in consumer behavior, market research, and agribusiness. His research in consumer behavior focuses on consumer preferences of product attributes, the effects of food labels on consumer choice of food and the development of methods to improve the efficiency in estimating consumer preferences. His research in market research and agribusiness focuses on identifying both domestic and international market opportunities for new product development. Gao’s research is mainly based on the random utility theory and the use of various consumer valuation tools such as choice experiments, experimental auction, and contingent valuation. He has studied consumer attitudes toward country of origin labeling (COOL), consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for local and organic products, the interaction effects between COOL and organic labels, etc. Gao works closely with the Florida agricultural industry to provide supports for the development of agriculture in the state. Several projects that he participates in examine the most significant factors influencing consumer choice of fresh citrus products, EU consumer preferences of fresh citrus, as well as Chinese consumer preferences of orange juice. Gao also works closely with researchers in biological sciences and is/was the PI and CO-PI several projects funded at state and federal levels. In addition, Gao is interested in consumer demand for healthy diet and researches in health and nutrition economics.

Gao teaches MS level econometrics and PhD level microeconomics. He has been the chair/co-chair of five graduate students and served as committee member of seven graduate students. In addition, Gao is actively in international activities regarding teaching and research. He has been the advisor for the undergraduate exchange students from both Spain and Brazil, and has led a trip to China for research collaborations to study the Chinese citrus industry.

This post is part of an ongoing series of profiles of AAEA members. Have a suggestion for a future profile? Send them to Info@aaea.org.

Call for Proposals: Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program

2012-02-28T10:10:00.000-06:00

USDA-Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is accepting proposals for matching grant funds under the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP). State departments of agriculture, state agricultural experiment stations and other appropriate state agencies are invited to apply for approximately $1.2 million in grants for FSMIP projects in fiscal year 2012. The deadline to submit a proposal is March 23.

Funds will support research projects that help market, transport and distribute U.S. agricultural products domestically and internationally. Federal funds awarded must be matched by non-federal funds and/or in-kind resources.

"FSMIP grants provide our state partners with matching funds to explore new and innovative approaches to marketing U.S. agricultural products," said Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan. "We’re especially interested in proposals that involve collaboration among states, academia, producers and other stakeholders, and have state, multi-state or national significance."

You can learn more at the FSMIP page on the AMS website.

Call for Applications: Heading North Award

2012-02-23T10:51:00.002-06:00

Young agricultural and resource economists in Australia and New Zealand interested in presenting at the 2012 AAEA Annual Meeting in Seattle can now apply for the Heading North Award. The winner of the award, sponsored by AARES and the AAEA Trust, will receive up to $2,750 in travel support to attend the meeting in Seattle and present during a Selected Paper session.The deadline to apply is March 2, 2012.

The goal of this award is to:

facilitate contact and discussion among those studying problems or extending knowledge of agricultural and resoruce economics in Australia and North America
to stimulate comparative analysis and discussion of policies and programmes affecting primary industries, resources and the environment in both countries
to encourage co-operation with scientific and other organisations and institutions engaged in similar or related activities in Australia and the United State

You can learn more, including how to apply, in the full call for applications.

Member Profile: Ken Foster

2012-02-15T09:30:00.000-06:00

Ken Foster
Professor and Head of Department
Purdue University

AAEA Activities:

Chair, National Association of Agricultural Economics Administrators, 2011-2012
Chair-elect, National Association of Agricultural Economics Administrators, 2010-2011
Chair, Quality of Research Discovery Award Selection Committee, 2006-2008
Quality of Research Discovery Award Selection Committee, 2005
Selected Paper Reviewer

Ken Foster's research interests are in the fields of production economics and marketing with special emphasis on dynamic models in the livestock and meat sectors. His work has included a dynamic analysis of investment and supply in the U.S. beef cattle industry, measuring technical change in agriculture, the management of livestock waste, demand for heterogeneous products, and the use of contracts in agricultural production. Foster’s research and outreach activities have included testimony to Senate committees and state legislative study committees on the competitiveness of livestock markets and the use of contract production. Likewise, his work has impacted the decisions of private stakeholders in the livestock and meat industry. Most notable, perhaps, is his coauthored book Positioning Your Pork Operation for the 21st Century which provided guidance to the international pork industry during a time of dramatic technological and managerial revolution. His current research is investigating the role of farm policy on structural change in U.S. Agriculture and spatial dimension of competition for live animals in the U.S. pork and beef sectors.

Foster teaches applied econometrics, has experience working in Latin America, China, and Africa, and serves as an extension specialist in the area of livestock production economics. Foster served as Associate Head and Graduate Program Director at Purdue from 2004 to 2008 and was named Interim Department Head in 2008. In 2009, he was appointed as head of the department. Foster serves on the College of Agriculture Academic Leadership Council and as an ex-Officio member of the Board of Directors for the Agribusiness Council of Indiana. Among his many awards, Foster has been recognized: by AAEA for Distinguished Graduate Teaching with 10 or More Years’ Experience; twice as a member of teams that received AAEA’s Group Extension Award; by the Purdue College of Agriculture as Outstanding Graduate Faculty Mentor; and has received the Purdue Agriculture Team Award on three different occasions.

This post is part of an ongoing series of profiles of AAEA members. Have a suggestion for a future profile? Send them to Info@aaea.org.

USDA-NIFA to Hold Stakeholder Listening Session for Agriculture and Food Research

2012-02-06T10:41:00.002-06:00

In an effort to improve the quality of its Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program, USDA-NIFA is again holding a public meeting and soliciting public comments for consideration in the development of future AFRI program solicitations. The AFRI Stakeholder Listening Session will be held on Wednesday, February 22, 2012, 8:00 am–5:00 pm at USDA–NIFA, Waterfront Centre, 800 9th Street, SW, Room 1410, Washington, DC 20024. To learn more about and/or register for the session, please visit the NIFA website.

Travel Grants Available for AAEA Annual Meeting

2012-02-06T07:57:00.000-06:00

Interested in attending the 2012 AAEA Annual Meeting in Seattle this summer? Looking for some help covering the cost of traveling to Seattle? AAEA is offering Travel Grants to select graduate students and young professionals at U.S. institutions. The AAEA Trust will reimbursing accepted applicants up to $400 in housing and transportation costs for travel to Seattle for the Annual Meeting.

Travel Grant applications must be received by Monday, April 16 in order to be eligible for consideration. A qualifying applicant must be a graduate student or comparatively new junior professional engaged at an accredited U.S. college, university, or other institution in such applied economics fields as agribusiness, agricultural, consumer, food, development, environmental, health, marketing, regional, rural, or resource economics. More information on eligibility requirements and application instructions is available in the full call for applications.

Member Profile: Andrew Muhammad

2012-02-01T09:12:00.000-06:00

Andrew Muhammad
Senior Research Economist
USDA-Economic Research Service

AAEA Activities:

Quality of Communication Award Committee Chair, 2011
Quality of Communication Award Committee, 2009-2011
COSBAE Past Chair, 2010-2011
COSBAE Chair, 2009-2010
Selected Presentations Committee, International Trade Topic Leader, 2010
Selected Presentations Reviewer, 2003, 2007-2011
Undergraduate Paper Competition Judge, 2008

Andrew Muhammad is a Senior Research Economist in the International Demand and Trade Branch, Market and Trade Economics Division of the Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. He joined ERS in 2010. From 2000 to 2006, he was an Assistant and Associate Professor in the College of Business at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and from 2006-2009, he was an Assistant and Associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Mississippi State University.

Muhammad has written over 30 journal articles in demand analysis, international trade and policy, and applied time series analysis. His current work focuses on global demand for food and agriculture, impacts of trade on developing countries, and the effects of trade policy and liberalization on import demand and exporters. Muhammad currently leads the global demand project for ERS where the primary outputs are income and price elasticities of demand for broad consumption and food categories across 144 countries. Estimates have been widely used in economic models such as USDA’s Baseline model, the GTAP model, and the International Food Policy research Institute’s IMPACT model. For those interested in the final report, see "International Evidence on Food Consumption Patterns: An Update Using 2005 International Comparison Program Data" (ERS Technical Bulletin 1929, March 2011).

Muhammad is particularly interested in the factors that cause source-based biases in international trade. While past studies have appealed to Armington to explain this phenomenon in that the source diversification of imports is often attributed to product characteristics differing across exporting countries, source-based biases still occurs even when source differentiation is minimal or nonexistent. His most recent work examines how one such factor (foreign/import price risk) can lead to source-allocating behavior even when imports are homogeneous (forthcoming in the AJAE). Other more recent works include: the effects of the U.S. cotton program on competing exporters, how export taxes in Argentina affect soybean demand in China, and the effects of country of origin on U.S. salmon preferences.

Andrew received a PhD in Food and Resource Economics in 2000 from the University of Florida. His dissertation won the Food Distribution Research Society Outstanding PhD Dissertation Award and the Food and Resource Economics Department Outstanding PhD Dissertation Award. He also received an MS in Agricultural Economics from the University of Missouri in 1996, and a BS in Agribusiness from Southern University in 1993.

This post is part of an ongoing series of profiles of AAEA members. Have a suggestion for a future profile? Send them to Info@aaea.org.

AEPP Call: Special Issue on Lifestyles, Obesity, and Nutrition

2012-01-31T16:09:00.000-06:00

AEPP is publishing a special issue titled "The Economics of Lifestyles, Obesity and Nutrition" and is looking for paper submissions. The deadline to submit a paper for consideration is March 15, 2012.

An increasingly important share of health care expenditure and demand is determined by individual choices. Lifestyle choices associated with food, smoking and drinking can explain an increasing role of health systems activity. However, more needs to be known to inform policy making about the economics grounded policy regarding health related lifestyles more generally, and obesity and nutrition more specifically.

The special issue could include contributions in the following areas:

Economics of prevention
Health information and the demand for health
Health lifestyles choices
Social motivation and health
Social environment and health
The economics of exercise

You can learn more in the full Call for Papers.

This issue is part of a series of AEPP special issues. If you're interested in being involved in a future special issue, you can learn more in the Special Issue Guidelines.

Call for Applications: USDA-ERS Summer Internship Program

2012-01-25T09:54:00.000-06:00

USDA-Economic Research Service is now accepting applications for its 2012 summer internship program. Qualified undergraduate and graduate students can apply for paid positions as an Economist/Economics Assistant or IT Specialist. Applications are due on March 2, 2012.

You can find more details about the program on the ERS website. Here are the qualifications they list for applicants:

Applicants must be currently enrolled in an accredited college or university.
Applicants must be planning to continue their education in the fall semester.
Because an internship is an "excepted service appointment," candidates must be a citizen of the United States or meet the criteria in the current appropriations law. For information see: http://www.usajobs.gov/ResourceCenter/Index//Interactive/NonCitizensEmployment#icc

Member Profile: Anna D'Souza

2012-01-18T11:05:00.000-06:00

Anna D'Souza
Research Economist
USDA-Economic Research Service

Anna D’Souza is a research economist in the Food Security and Development Branch in the Market and Trade Economics Division of the Economic Research Service, USDA. Her research addresses the major elements of food security—availability, access, and utilization—and integrates this analysis into the wider development literature to address the broader relationship between development, poverty, and food security. She investigates patterns, trends, and policy-oriented questions linked to global food security using recent household survey data from developing countries such as Afghanistan and Tanzania. Topics include estimating the impact of food price increases on calorie intake, macronutrient and micronutrient intake, and dietary diversity; identifying vulnerable groups with respect to food price shocks; and examining the relationship between food security, food price increases, and conflict.

D’Souza joined ERS after receiving a PhD in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her areas of study were institutions and governance, and international trade. Her job market paper, subsequently published in the Journal of Development Economics, examined the international trade implications of a major global anticorruption initiative. At ERS, D’Souza has drawn on this area of expertise, examining the impact of political violence on international trade in Kenya.

D’Souza received a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University, summa cum laude. She then served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Dakar, Senegal, where she worked with entrepreneurs, NGOs, and government organizations to promote small enterprise development. D’Souza has also served as an adjunct professor of econometrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

This post is part of an ongoing series of profiles of AAEA members. Have a suggestion for a future profile? Send them to Info@aaea.org.

Call for Papers: International Agricultural Risk, Finance, and Insurance Conference

2012-01-17T09:34:00.000-06:00

Paper submissions are now being accepted for the International Agricultural Risk, Finance, and Insurance Conference (IARFIC) to be held at the Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China, on June 20-21, 2012. The theme of the conference is "Agricultural Risk, Finance, Insurance and Actuarial Science." The deadline for a paper or extended abstract submission (in English) is March 1, 2012.

This conference is hosted by The China Institute for Actuarial Science. You can find more information, including the full call for papers on their website.

Call for Papers: Special Issue of Food Policy, "Zero Tolerance Rules in Food Safety and Quality"

2012-01-09T09:29:00.001-06:00

The journal Food Policy is now accepting submissions for a special issue titled "Zero Tolerance Rules in Food Safety and Quality". Papers should be on average 6,000 words long (including abstract, appendices, tables etc) and must be submitted by April 16, 2012.

Here's the description of the special issue from its editors:

The special issue of Food Policy will focus on zero tolerance as a characteristic of public policy, statues, and/or regulations of food. We also consider private rules including grades and standards. Of interest are the public and private rules that impose a "zero" standard for substances, e.g. residues, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), pathogens, and other constituents such as gluten and transfats. This standard also applies to rules governing production practices, for example, added hormones, and product defects, such as, insect parts.

You can find more information about this issue in the full call for papers. More information about how to submit is available on the journal website.

AAEA Hosting a Number of Events at ASSA in Chicago This Weekend

2012-01-05T09:45:00.001-06:00

This Friday and Saturday, AAEA will be hosting six sessions, along with the T.W. Schultz Memorial Lecture and Reception, as part of the 2012 ASSA Annual Meeting in Chicago.

New this year, The T.W. Schultz Memorial Lecture is free to all attendees and will be featuring Roger Myerson from the University of Chicago. His presentation is titled "State-Building, Leadership, and Local Democracy" and will be held at 5:00 pm in the Grand Ballroom of the Swissotel on Friday, January 6. Following the lecture, AAEA will be hosting a reception that will include some light hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar. This is a great place to interact with fellow AAEA members while at the meeting. These events are not exclusive to AAEA members, so feel free to bring your colleagues and acquaintances.

In addition to the Schultz lecture, AAEA is hosting four sessions on Friday and two on Saturday which will take place at Swissotel Chicago in Montreux 3. You can find the schedule for these sessions below, and more details on each on the AAEA website:

Friday, January 6

8:00 am: Assessment of Climate Change Impact Methods for Agriculture
10:15 am: Revisiting the Relationship between Biofuels Production and Food Prices
12:30 pm: Environmental Kuznets Curve: Theoretical and Methodological Perspectives
2:30 pm: The New Normal? The Food and Agricultural Economy

Saturday, January 7

8:00 am: Theoretical and Empirical Innovations in Technology Adoption Modeling
10:15 am: Why Peers Matter: Social Networks in Status, Learning and Influence

Member Profile: Andrea Carlson

2012-01-03T09:27:00.000-06:00

Andrea Carlson
Economist
USDA-Economic Research Service

AAEA Activities: Food Safety and Nutrition Section Chair, 2005-2006

Andrea Carlson joined the USDA-Economic Research Service in December 2009, after nearly ten years at the USDA-Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP). While at CNPP she was the project lead for the USDA Food Plans, including the Thrifty Food Plan. The USDA Food Plans use mathematical optimization models to estimate four food budgets that both meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and are comprised of foods that are commonly consumed by Americans. The Thrifty Food Plan budget is used to estimate the annual cost of living adjustment to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps. She also worked with CNPP nutritionists to revise the Healthy Eating Index, and with fellow economist, Mark Lino, to update USDA’s Cost of Raising a Child estimates, used by many states to set child support, and foster care payments.

Since coming to ERS, Andrea has expanded the scope of her research to examine the impact of the metric used to measure food prices, the overall impact of food expenditure on diet quality, changes in milk consumption patterns, organic foods, and the impact of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans on agricultural land, employment and energy resources.

There are multiple ways to measure food prices. For example, economists typically use $/pound. Closely related, though more difficult to calculate, is $/edible pound where the weight is the weight actually consumed—without the peels, shells, skin, bones or seeds, and with any water or fat added during the cooking process. Nutritionists have used $/calorie, but make dietary recommendations in terms of cups or ounces—suggesting that $/cup or $/ounce might be a good metric. The answer to the question of whether healthy food is more expensive than less healthy food changes depending on the metric. Using $/calorie makes vegetables look very expensive since they are low in calories, but using $/pound, $/edible pound, or $/cup suggests that a wide variety of vegetables are affordable, even to those receiving SNAP benefits.

What if we now look at the estimated food budgets of average Americans on a day when they are not necessarily trying to eat a healthy diet? It turns out that the expenditure has only a very limited impact on the healthfulness of the diet. Much more important factors include lifestyle, education, health behaviors, and where individuals choose to purchase their food that day.

Andrea earned a BA in physics from St. Olaf College, in Northfield, MN, a MS in International Development and Appropriate Technology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a PhD in Agricultural and Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota. Her dissertation was on the impact of WIC and Food Stamps on children’s health. She also spent a year as a Prevention Effectiveness Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, working on lead poisoning prevention.

This post is part of an ongoing series of profiles of AAEA members. Have a suggestion for a future profile? Send them to Info@aaea.org.