Previous Newsroom Items: March 2007

Feed Grains Backgrounder (Mar. 30, 2007)
The U.S. feed grain sector faces unprecedented demand conditions. Expanding use of corn for ethanol is raising broad issues involving production, prices, land use, and government support.

Cotton Backgrounder (Mar. 30, 2007)
ERS surveys the cotton sector leading up to debate over the 2007 farm bill, and covers the changing global and domestic cotton market, domestic and trade policy, and operating characteristics of farms producing cotton.

Basics of U.S. Farm Policy (Mar. 29, 2007)
New web page presents a brief history and overview of various commodity policies as well as agri-environmental, food assistance, and rural development programs.

NAFTA at 13 (Mar. 29, 2007)
Implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement is nearly complete. U.S. agricultural trade with Canada and Mexico has increased by more than 150 percent during the implementation period.

Food Availability Data System (Mar. 16, 2007)
The ERS Food Availability (Per Capita) Data System, updated to 2005, includes three distinct but related data series on food consumption. The data serve as popular proxies for actual consumption.

Food Spending in American Households (Mar. 13, 2007)
Using data from the most recent Consumer Expenditure Survey, ERS presents information on nationwide urban food expenditure patterns by select demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.
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Coffee Costs and Prices (Mar. 13, 2007)
ERS uses data from the coffee industry to examine to what extent changes in commodity costs affect manufacturer and retail prices.
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