Newsroom

Previous Newsroom Items: August 2009


In the News

	USDA Opens 1st Roof-Top “People’s Garden” at Office Building in Washington, D.C. (July 30, 2009) Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan cut the ribbon to launch GardenERS, part of the USDA initiative.

Spotlight

	Amber Waves, September (Aug. 17, 2009) • The rural scene: Baby boom migration, broadband internet service, and health care • Plus: Challenges facing ethanol expansion Get Podcast interview on rural health care

New From ERS

	Farm Income To Drop in 2009 (Aug. 27, 2009) Net farm income is forecast down in 2009 from the preliminary estimate for 2008. Prices have continued to decline for crops and have dropped for livestock animals and products.

	Global Economic Crisis and U.S. Ag Trade (Aug. 20, 2009) The global economic crisis that started in 2008 has led to a short-term decline in the value of global agricultural trade. The direction of movement of the dollar’s exchange value will affect agricultural trade patterns.

	Generation Gap in Vegetable Consumption? (Aug. 19, 2009) Growth in demand for fresh vegetables for at-home consumption may slow as people born more recently spend less on these items than older Americans. ERS looks at changes in purchasing and consuming habits.

	Rural Health and Health Care(Aug. 17, 2009) ERS examines available research on health status trends of farm and rural households, their health care coverage and expenditures, and access to health care resources in rural and urban areas. Get Report Summary

	Broadband and Rural America (Aug. 17, 2009) Broadband access is necessary to fully utilize Internet potential, and rural areas without broadband access may be disadvantaged. ERS examines recent growth in broadband access in rural areas and the impacts of broadband on their economies. Get Report Summary

	Rural Baby Boom Migration (Aug. 10, 2009) If baby boomers follow past migration patterns, the nonmetro population age 55-75 will increase by 30 percent between now and 2020, with some rural communities affected more than others. Get Report Summary

	U.S. Food Import Patterns (Aug. 6, 2009) ERS looks at food import patterns from 1998 to 2007, focusing on food products and countries that saw rapid export growth, and factors driving the growth.

	Issues in Commodity Futures Markets (Aug. 5, 2009) ERS is examining whether the entry of nontraditional traders (e.g., index funds) has contributed to price volatility in futures markets, making it more difficult for traditional traders to manage risk.