The book gives an overview of the organic sector, both in Italy and in the US, and to show how agricultural economists are performing analyses dealing with organic produce on different points in the supply chain. The book covers economic issues raised by organic farming, taking into account the consumer's needs but also the managerial and budget constraints experienced by the farmers. Farm management methodologies, as well as marketing analyses have been applied to specific research topics involving several industries in the agri-food sector. The papers strive to answer questions that have a managerial relevance: e.g. Are the producers ready to adopt organic farming techniques, and are the consumers willing to pay a premium price for a certified organic produce? Most of the contributions were presented during the 8th Padova-Minnesota Conference on Food, Agriculture, and the Environment, held in Stout's Lodge, Red Cedar Lake, Wisconsin, on August 26-28, 2002. The editors have added authors to round out the subject.

This first volume of the "Handbook of Agricultural Economics" presents work on topics central to the economics of agriculture: the quantitative representation of technology; market expectations; household production behaviour; consumer behaviour with uncertain quality and safety of goods; and issues of imperfect competition in food marketing. Volume IB deals with the economics of agricultural products after they leave the farm. Seven chapters explain recent developments in application of dual approaches in household economies, the industrial organization of food marketing, marketing margins between farm and retail prices, spatial price analysis, commodity storage and price stabilization, commodity futures and options markets, and the economics of food safety. Volumes IA and IB each follow their specialized chapters with a synthesis chapter that brings together and assesses the main themes and issues of the field, and volume IB concludes with an overall synthesis of the state of and prospects for agricultural economics as applied economic science.

This first volume of the "Handbook of Agricultural Economics" presents work on topics central to the economics of agriculture: the quantitative representation of technology; market expectations; household production behaviour; consumer behaviour with uncertain quality and safety of goods; and issues of imperfect competition in food marketing. Volume 1A treats issues in agricultural production, representing the consequences of decades of work deepening and widening the original focus of agricultural economics on farm management. In addition to the theory and estimation of production and supply behaviour in agriculture, chapters are devoted to topics on which major advancements have been made: technological change; returns to agricultural research; the industrial structure of agriculture, land institutions and markets; and human capital and finance. Two chapters are further specialized to rural labour and household issues: migration and the role of women in developing countries.

This book follows the renovation of European economic history towards a more unified interpretation of sources of growth and stagnation. It looks at Portuguese agricultural development across the second Millennium, showing a sector that was often adaptive and dynamic. Portugal's economic backwardness was not overcome at the end of the period, but that is now only part of the story.

Historically, the relationship between towns and surrounding farm families has ranged from suspicion to benign neglect. This book shows that rural America can be revived by uniting the interests of both farm and non-farm populations through value-added enterprises, especially those based on the principles of New Generation Cooperatives (NGCs). Instead of sending agricultural commodities out of the region to be processed, farmers and communities can collaborate to process the commodities locally, thereby adding value to the local rural economy.

In this edited volume, nationally recognized scholars discuss the on-going challenges to the agricultural sector such as declining farm subsidies and commodity prices, and the strategies used by rural communities to respond to economic decline. Specific attention is paid to the role of NGCs as a specific form of value-added agriculture which has helped some rural communities to prosper. The NGCs, however, extend well beyond traditional agriculture to include grocery stores, day care centers, and other businesses that have not always been profitable in small towns. The broader objective of the book is to show how increased collaboration among farm producers, small businesses, and community leaders can promote economic development in rural regions.

Grazing animals need to be managed in order to accommodate desired results in terms of animal, plant, land and economic responses. Grazing Management, 2nd Edition integrates principles and management techniques that apply to all grazing lands and to all grazing animals. This comprehensive volume provides authoritative review on a wide range of relevant topics: animal nutrition and nutritional balance when fed on different sorts of grazing lands; seasonal variation and limits placed on ecosystems by grazing; the effects of grazing on grazing lands; the various sorts of grazing behaviors; selecting plants and managing grazing lands, as well as many other important topics bearing upon the methods, practises and procedures for properly managing grazing lands and animals.
* Animal nutrition and nutritional balance when fed on different sorts of grazing lands
* Seasonal variation and limits placed on ecosystems by grazing
* The effects of grazing on grazing lands
* The various sorts of grazing behaviours
* Selecting plants and managing grazing lands

As part of its efforts to improve fertilizer use and efficiency in West Africa, and following the recent adoption of the West African fertilizer recommendation action plan (RAP) by ECOWAS, this volume focuses on IFDC's technical lead with key partner institutions and experts to build on previous and current fertilizer recommendations for various crops and countries in West Africa for wider uptake by public policy makers and fertilizer industry actors.

A compelling portrayal by the veteran journalist of the lives of farming communities on either side of the U.S.-Mexico border and the surprising connections between them "Conniff brings her skills and insights to a particularly urgent project: moving beyond the polarizing politics of our current era, and taking a deeper look at how people who have been pitted against each other can forge bonds of understanding." -E.J. Dionne Jr., co-author of 100% Democracy Winner of the Studs and Ida Terkel Award In the Midwest, Mexican workers have become critically important to the survival of rural areas and small towns-and to the individual farmers who rely on their work-with undocumented immigrants, mostly from Mexico, accounting for an estimated 80 percent of employees on the dairy farms of western Wisconsin. In Milked, former editor-in-chief of The Progressive Ruth Conniff introduces us to the migrants who worked on these dairy farms, their employers, among them white voters who helped elect Donald Trump to office in 2016, and the surprising friendships that have formed between these two groups of people. These stories offer a rich and fascinating account of how two crises-the record-breaking rate of farm bankruptcies in the Upper Midwest, and the contentious politics around immigration-are changing the landscape of rural America. A unique and fascinating exploration of rural farming communities, Milked sheds light on seismic shifts in policy on both sides of the border over recent decades, connecting issues of labor, immigration, race, food, economics, and U.S.-Mexico relations and revealing how two seemingly disparate groups of people have come to rely on each other, how they are subject to the same global economic forces, and how, ultimately, the bridges of understanding that they have built can lead us toward a more constructive politics and a better world.

Promoting rural entrepreneurship is a necessary step to limit the negative effects of classical agricultural policy based on a linear process and attracting secondary resources to the economic process. The analysis of agricultural policy and rural development in conjunction to entrepreneurship in terms of production may represent a further step in understanding the role and importance of diversifying the rural potentials in contemporary economies. The Handbook of Research on Agricultural Policy, Rural Development, and Entrepreneurship in Contemporary Economies is an essential publication of academic research that examines agricultural policy and its impact on shaping future resilient economy in rural areas and identifies green business models and new business patterns in rural communities. Covering a range of topics such as entrepreneurship, product management, and marketing, this book is ideal for researchers, policymakers, academicians, economists, agriculture professionals, rural developers, business investors, and students.

Food Crop Production by Smallholder Farmers in Southern Africa: Challenges and Opportunities for Improvement evaluates traditional cultivation practices used by smallholder farmers, providing a synthesis of the latest information on increasing crop yield through adoption of research innovations. The book catalogs smallholder cultivation practices and recommends innovative strategies for improving the agriculture sector including: management practices that reduce net carbon emissions; technologies that improve soil structures and conserve the natural resources base; means of empowering female resources along value chains; and government commitment to adopt policies that enhance agriculture productivity by encouraging farmers to use environmentally sound cultivation technologies. Traditional farming techniques often produce negative impacts on the environment and ecosystem resulting in outbreaks of diseases and pests. In addition to the region's recurrent droughts, these outbreaks of numerous diseases and pests, weeds and other invasive plants put thousands at risk of poverty and hunger, as well as malnutrition. This book presents enhanced agricultural production technologies for ensuring adequate food production, safety and nutritional quality for the population of Southern Africa and forms the basis for an increased SADC regional effort in food production through which financial and trade institutions can improve stakeholder capacities, encourage micro-enterprise development and enhance employment and regional trade.

This book employs different parametric and non-parametric panel data models which have been used in history of developed panel data efficiency measurement literature. It assesses the differences of models based on characteristics and efficiency scores measurement using a systematic sensitivity analysis of the results. On the whole twelve parametric and four nonparametric models were studied. Parametric models are classified in four groups in terms of the assumptions made on the temporal behavior of inefficiency. A common issue among all the parametric models is that inefficiency is individual producer-specific. This is consistent with the notion of measuring the efficiency of decision-making units. Non-parametric models are divided into partial and full frontier models. A main contribution of this volume is that it helps to understand differences between parametric and non-parametric models. On empirical part of the volume, technical efficiency of two agricultural strategic crops (cotton and sugar beet) in different provinces of the Iran are analyzed. Using different models, the most efficient and inefficient provinces in cotton and sugar beet production of Iran are recognized.

The international paper trade discusses the whole spectrum of the pulp and paper industry and is designed for busy readers in the industry and its allied trades who need a thorough understanding of the trade.
The international paper trade provides a comprehensive
guide to the: Fundamentals of the paper businessDrivers of change and their effectsChanging nature of the businessThe book begins with a brief outline of the history and technology of the industry and goes on to show the production, consumption, import and export levels in the major regions for the last 15-20 years. Tom Bolton then examines the factors that are driving the industry today, including forestry issues, the principal raw materials used in pulp and paper manufacture, and environmental issues. Finally, the book looks to the future and what the next decade holds for the industry.

The emergence of a world economy depends on the reorganization of agriculture and food systems to provision the work force and the industries associated with the division of labor. This work emphasizes the central role played by food and agriculture in the world economy. The book includes a historical dimension along with the formulation of the challenges that face the world today. Social scientists of all kinds, but especially economists, sociologists, environmentalists, and political scientists, should be interested in this volume.

This report aims to improve understanding of the potential of the agribusiness sector (primary agriculture plus off-farm agribusiness) to accelerate inclusive recovery from the 2020 recession, create jobs, and reduce poverty.

This book provides the most comprehensive survey of mining activity and the principal challenges confronting the resources industry in the Asia-Pacific region today, and presents new theoretical and practical insights into the political and business risks faced by mining companies operating in the region from both academic and corporate perspectives. It focuses on the exploration, production and trade of the principal commodities coal, iron ore, uranium, oil and gas, and gold, as well as the emerging commodities unconventional gas and rare earth minerals, provides the reader with a valuable understanding of resource activity in the region. In addition, it also integrates and draws attention to eight key issue areas which have the potential to pose significant risks, challenges and opportunities for the industry going forward, which include sustainable development, resource governance and economic contributions, declining ore grades and territorial expansion, community aspects of mining, mining and indigenous peoples, climate change, and impact assessment. The contributors to this volume are experts in their respective fields, and the diversity of voices makes this book a must read for scholars, industry participants, investors and policy-makers with an interest in mining in the Asia-Pacific.

The agri-food and rural development world has experienced significant changes in recent years. The evolution towards globalized and highly complex food supply systems has been accompanied by growing competition, reduced state subsidies as well as concerns about quality, output and the environment. At the beginning of the 21st century, the agri-food industry is urgently searching for new solutions. Exploring these recent developments, Agri-Food and Rural Development highlights the latest research on understanding and promoting sustainable food systems. Featuring a range of international case studies, it investigates different models of rural development for food production, examines the implications for a sustainable future, analyzes future challenges, and suggests new strategies for future agri-food development in a world fast exceeding its resources. An ambitious new study written by a leading authority in the field, this book offers a vital new perspective on this important debate and is destined to become a landmark text for students, scholars and policy-makers in food studies, agriculture, rural sociology, and geography.

In a world where food security is key and the effects of climate change, labour shortages and rising costs are a daily reality for farmers across the globe, the quest for a satisfactory and viable policy for agriculture has a continuing interest as relevant today as when these 26 books were first published between 1928 and 1994. Trading relations and trade deals in the sphere of agribusiness are also once again under the spotlight following the UK’s departure from Europe. Challenges for the 21st century are balancing the needs of agronomics – the production of food under the most economic, competitive yet sustainable conditions, alongside the effective use of land to satisfy the multiple demands upon it. The volumes in this set address these complex issues from a variety of global viewpoints encompassing economic, political, geographic and environmental perspectives.