August 2004
ERS reports and studies can provide context to breaking
stories on food, agriculture, natural resources, and
rural development.
In the News
Hispanic gangs forming in rural areas (New York
Times Magazine, 8/15/04)
From ERS
New Patterns of
Hispanic Settlement in Rural America. Since
1980, the nonmetro Hispanic population in the United
States has doubled. By 2000, half of all nonmetro Hispanics
lived outside traditional settlement areas of the Southwest.
Many Hispanics in counties that have experienced rapid
Hispanic growth are recent U.S. arrivals with relatively
little education, weak English proficiency, and undocumented
status.
In the News
School officials planning healthier foods this fall
(Times Record News, 8/13/04)
from ERS
Evaluation of
the USDA Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program: Report
to Congress. The Nutrition Title of the 2002
Farm Act provided $6 million to USDA’s Fruit
and Vegetable Pilot Program (FVPP) for the 2002-03
school year to improve fruit and vegetable consumption
among the Nation’s schoolchildren. ERS-funded
research assesses the feasibility of such a program
and evaluates its success as assessed by the students’ interest
in participating.
In the News
“Agritourism”—an income source for
farmers (York Daily Record, 8/17/04)
from ERS
Rural
Amenities: A Key Reason for Farmland Protection.
Protecting “rural amenities” was an explicit
objective in farmland protection program enabling legislation
in 36 of the 48 contiguous States. Rural amenities
include open space, scenic views, rural agrarian character,
and wildlife habitat that are enjoyed through viewing
or recreation.
in the news
Aquaculture: a fast-growing industry (U.S. News
and
‘World Report, 8/16/04)
from ERS
U.S.
Seafood Market Shifts to Aquaculture.
The wild harvest of seafood is at a critical
point. The seafood industry is beginning to
shift from wild harvest to aquaculture, the
production of aquatic plants and animals under
grower-controlled conditions. Aquaculture is
growing rapidly in many countries, including
the United States, and it accounts for a growing
share of U.S. seafood consumption.
in the news
New York vineyards adopting organic practices
(NY Times 8/8/04)
from ERS
U.S.
Organic Farming in 2000-2001: Adoption of Certified
Systems. U.S. expansion of farmland
managed under organic systems expanded in the
1990s and has continued as farmers strive to
meet consumer demand. USDA implemented national
organic standards on organic production and
processing in October 2002, which are expected
to facilitate further growth in the organic
farm sector—nationally and in some States.
in the news
Minnesota’s farmland value is up
(Associated Press, 8/7/04)
from ERS
Agricultural
Resources and Environmental Indicators: Farm
Real Estate Values. Farm real estate
values and cash rents are important indicators
of the financial condition of the farm sector.
Farm real estate values are influenced by
net returns from agricultural production,
capital investment in farm structures, interest
rates, government commodity programs, property
taxes, and nonfarm demands for farmland.
in the news
WTO interim accord calls for farm subsidy
cuts (Dailies, 8/1/04; Reuters, 8/2/04)
from ERS
World Trade Organization
(WTO) Briefing Room. Agriculture is a key issue
in the current round of WTO negotiations—the
Doha Round. ERS’s website provides background
on Doha agenda items, as well as analysis of WTO’s
10-year-old WTO Agreement on Agriculture and of the
impacts and potential impacts of various trade liberalization
measures.
in the news
Fruits and vegetables: not so pricey, says ERS report
(MSNBC News, 7/28/04, Seattle Post Intelligencer,
8/1/04)
from ERS
How Much Do Americans
Pay for Fruits and Vegetables? Probably less
than you think. Among 69 forms of fruits and 85 forms
of vegetables at retail outlets, ERS estimated more
than half at 25 cents or less per serving. Analysis
of ACNielsen Homescan data reveals that consumers can
meet the recommendation of three servings of fruits
and four servings of vegetables daily for well under
$1.
in the news
“Dead Zone” spreads in Gulf of
Mexico (Reuters, 8/3/04)
from ERS
“Dead
Zone” in the Gulf: Addressing Agriculture’s
Contribution. ERS analyzed the cost-effectiveness
of two approaches to reducing “Dead Zones”
in the Gulf of Mexico: (1) changes in the application
and management of nitrogen fertilizer on farm fields,
or (2) restoration of wetlands along rivers and streams
to filter out nitrogen.
in the news
Manure still polluting Chesapeake Bay (AP, 7/28/04;
Washington Post, 7/29/04)
from ERS
Manure
Management: A Growing Challenge in the Chesapeake Bay
Watershed. Better manure management will likely
require manure to be applied to more land than currently,
raising hauling costs for many animal producers. Operators’
costs will depend partly on the cropland area available
to receive manure. ERS analysis included the feasibility
and cost of applying manure in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
in the news
Researchers developing bacteria-resistant countertops
(Associated Press, 7/24/04)
from ERS
Food Safety Innovation
in the United States: Evidence from the Meat Industry.
Recent industry innovations improving the safety
of the Nation’s meat supply range from
new pathogen tests, high-tech equipment, and
supply chain management systems, to new surveillance
networks. ERS studies reveal that the industry
has developed mechanisms to overcome the weakness
in market incentives for food safety innovation.
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