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ERS reports and studies can provide context to breaking
stories on food, agriculture, natural resources,
and rural development.
In the News
Ten EU countries reject sugar reform plan (Reuters,
11/12)
From ERS
CAP
Reform of 2003-04. The European Union continued
to reform its Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in 2003-04,
building on the reforms of 1992 and 1999. The centerpiece
of the latest reforms is the introduction of a single
farm payment (SFP), which is paid to EU farmers based
on historical payments unrelated to current production
decisions.
In the News
U.S. considers use of Government grain
reserve for food aid (Reuters, 11/19)
From ERS
Food
Security Assessment. Just over 900
million people in the 70 low-income countries
studied in this report are estimated to have
consumed less than the recommended nutritional
requirements in 2003. This marks a decline
from more than 1 billion in 2002.
In the News
USDA reports more than 12 million
families did not have enough food (AP, 11/19)
From ERS
Household
Food Security in the United States, 2003.
Eighty-nine percent of American households
were food secure throughout the entire year
in 2003, meaning that they had access, at
all times, to enough food for an active,
healthy life for all household members. The
remaining households were food insecure at
least some time during that year.
In the News
Older Americans not eating enough fruits and vegetables (AP,
11/22)
From ERS
The
Role of Economics in Eating Choices and Weight Outcomes.
This report uses data from the USDA's 1994-96 Continuing
Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals and the 1994-96
Diet and Health Knowledge Survey to ascertain whether
economic factors help explain weight differences among
adults.
In the News
Contracting
accounts for over a third of U.S. farm goods
sold, reports USDA (Reuters,
11/2/04)
From ERS
Contracts,
Markets, and Prices: Organizing the Production
and Use of Agricultural Commodities.
Contracts are now the primary sales method
for many livestock commodities and major
crops (e.g., sugar beets, fruit, and processing
tomatoes). Demand for specific product
attributes is making contracts the choice
over traditional spot markets.
In the News
Organic food industry on upward trend
(Northeast
Mississippi Daily, 10/31/04)
From ERS
Recent Growth
Patterns in the U.S. Organic Foods Market.
As consumer interest in organic foods gathers
momentum, many firms are specializing in growing,
processing, and marketing organic products.
ERS examined growth patterns in the organic
sector and the marketing channels for major
commodities, and reported on USDA research
and regulatory programs.
In the News
ilemma for schools: obesity rates and vending machine
revenue (Knight-Ridder, 11/2/04)
From ERS
Competitive
Foods: Soft Drinks vs. Milk. "Competitive
foods"—those available in schools in addition
to USDA-provided meals— are raising nutritional
concerns. ERS presents a case study in the competition
between milk and soft drinks.
In the News
Administration to consider new
quotas on clothing from China (Washington
Times, 11/4/04)
From ERS
Bilateral
Fiber and Textile Trade. The WTO’s
Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing
mandated the phase-out by 2005 of previously
sanctioned import quotas. ERS database provides
access to bilateral trade data (country and
regional) in the fiber-textile sector.
In the News
China to end freeze on rural land sales (Wall
Street Journal, 10/26/04)
From ERS
China:
A Study of Dynamic Growth. China's
rapid economic growth has been driven
by high rates of investment, gains in
productivity, and liberalized foreign
trade and investment. China's growth
is likely to continue, but the Chinese
economy faces some possibly unsustainable
pressures.
In the News
How will tobacco farmers fare under buyout
law? (Associated Press, 10/26/04)
From ERS
The
Changing Tobacco User's Dollar.
The year 2003 may mark the start of a downward
trend for consumer expenditures on tobacco
products. Consumption declined enough to
offset the higher cost of cigarettes, causing
annual consumer expenditures to fall for
the second time since before World War
II.
In the News
California to reward landowners for preserving
forests (Associated Press, 10/23/04)
From ERS
Is Carbon Sequestration in Agriculture Economically
Feasible? Atmospheric concentrations
of greenhouse gases can be reduced by withdrawing
carbon from the atmosphere and sequestering
it in soils and biomass. What if farmers were
paid to adopt land uses and management practices
that raise soil carbon levels?
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