Decoupled
Payments and Farm Sector Models
In October 2004, ERS and the Farm Foundation
cosponsored the workshop "Modeling Decoupled Payments,"
which focused on including payments not directly linked to market
prices or farm production, known as decoupled payments, in farm
sector models. Presenters from ERS, academia, international
organizations, and private industry discussed recent changes
to agricultural policy in the U.S. and the European Union and
alternative approaches to modeling to address challenges posed
by decoupled payments.
Mary Anne Normile
and Paul Westcott
Demand
for Grain-Based Foods
In September 2004, ERS and the Farm Foundation
cosponsored a workshop titled "Understanding Demand Shifts
for Grain-Based Foods" in Minneapolis, MN. The workshop
was hosted by The Food Industry Center of the University of
Minnesota. About 50 participants from the food industry, government,
the media, and academia shared information on the effects of
current consumer trends and nutrition issues on demand for grain-based
foods. Participants also discussed how different data sources
can contribute to the assessment and monitoring of consumption
trends. Presentations by ERS economists addressed U.S. per capita
food availability and intake and how intake estimates vary by
demographic categories. Jean
Buzby
A
New ERS Lecture Series
 |
In September 2004, ERS inaugurated the Henry
C. Taylor Lecture series. A pioneer in the field of agricultural
economics, Taylor helped to create the Bureau of Agricultural
Economics, the predecessor of ERS, and served as its first director.
Professor Jagdish Bhagwati, noted international trade economist
at Columbia University, delivered the first Taylor Lecture.
In his talk, "In Defense of Globalization," Bhagwati
shared observations on the outcomes of World Trade Organization
negotiations and insights on outsourcing and other related current
economic issues. Recognizing that Taylor was also the first
leader of the Farm Foundation, the event concluded with a presentation
of the Taylor Commemora- tive Plaque to Bhagwati by current
Farm Foundation President Walt Armbruster. A reception followed
honoring former leaders of ERS, including Ken Farrell, John
Lee, and J.B. Penn. This annual lecture series is designed to
promote discourse on contemporary economic issues of interest
to agricultural economists within and outside ERS and USDA.
Susan Offutt
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