USDA Economic Research Service - What's New

Food Price Outlook

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:00:00 GMT

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures price changes for all consumer goods and services, including food, whereas the CPI for food measures the changes in the retail prices of only food items. The CPI for food at home is the principal indicator of changes in retail food prices and is closely followed by industry analysts, food market participants, and policymakers. ERS regularly updates food price forecasts for the short-term period and examines changes in the CPI for food.

Monthly Milk Cost of Production

Fri, 25 May 2012 13:00:00 GMT

National monthly milk cost-of-production estimates are released during the last week of each month. Annual milk cost-of-production estimates are available by State and by size of operation starting in 2005.

The Potential Impact of Changes in Immigration Policy on U.S. Agriculture and the Market for Hired Farm Labor: A Simulation Analysis

Tue, 22 May 2012 18:00:00 GMT

Large shifts in the supply of foreign-born, hired farm labor resulting from substantial changes in U.S. immigration laws or policies could have significant economic implications. A computable general equilibrium (CGE) model of the U.S. economy is used to evaluate how changes in the supply of foreign-born labor might affect all sectors of the economy, including agriculture. Two scenarios are considered: an increase in the number of temporary nonimmigrant, foreign-born farmworkers, such as those admitted under the H-2A Temporary Agricultural Program, and a decrease in the number of unauthorized workers in all sectors of the economy. Longrun economic outcomes for agricultural output and exports, wages and employment levels, and national income accruing to U.S.-born and foreign-born, permanent resident workers in these two scenarios are compared with a base forecast reflecting current immigration laws and policies.

The 2008-09 Recession and Recovery Implications for the Growth and Financial Health of U.S. Agriculture

Tue, 22 May 2012 16:00:00 GMT

U.S. agriculture was better positioned than most United States industries entering the recession, was less affected by the recession than most other industries, and is well positioned to continue to do well as the economy recovers.

Wheat Data

Mon, 21 May 2012 13:00:00 GMT

This data product contains statistics on wheat - including the five classes of wheat: hard red winter, hard red spring, soft red winter, white, and durum - and rye. Includes data published in the monthly Wheat Outlook and previously annual Wheat Yearbook. Data are monthly, quarterly, and/or annual depending upon the data series.

Feed Grains Database

Mon, 21 May 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Interactive database that contains statistics on four feed grains (corn, grain sorghum, barley, and oats), foreign coarse grains (feed grains plus rye, millet, and mixed grains), hay, and related items. Tables previously published annually in the Feed Yearbook are available and updated continuously as data are added to the database. Custom queries also allow users to retrieve historical data.

Are Healthy Foods Really More Expensive? It Depends on How You Measure the Price

Wed, 16 May 2012 18:00:00 GMT

Most Americans consume diets that do not meet Federal dietary recommendations. A common explanation is that healthier foods are more expensive than less healthy foods. To investigate this assumption, the authors compare prices of healthy and less healthy foods using three different price metrics: the price of food energy ($/calorie), the price of edible weight ($/100 edible grams), and the price of an average portion ($/average portion). They also calculate the cost of meeting the recommendations for each food group. For all metrics except the price of food energy, the authors find that healthy foods cost less than less healthy foods (defined for this study as foods that are high in saturated fat, added sugar, and/or sodium, or that contribute little to meeting dietary recommendations).

Farm Activities Associated With Rural Development Initiatives

Wed, 16 May 2012 18:00:00 GMT

Since 2002, USDA�s Rural Business and Industry (B&I) Loan Guarantee program has increased its emphasis on farm-related business activities associated with renewable energy, local/regional food, and value-added agriculture. Other new programs and program modifications also have focused on these and other farm activities and related industries, including the use of farm and ranch natural resources. This trend represents a relatively new direction for USDA�s Rural Development programs, which have historically focused on nonfarm-related business. This report improves our understanding of the farm and farmer characteristics that may influence farm operator involvement in development-related activities, specifically by focusing on five farm activities: organic farming, value-added agriculture, direct marketing, agritourism, and energy/electricity production. The findings are based on descriptive data from USDA�s 2007 Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) and estimates from logit models used to identify statistically significant factors associated with involvement in certain farm activities.

Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Timely livestock, dairy, and poultry information, focusing on current and forecast production, price, and trade statistics for each of the sectors.

Sugar and Sweeteners Outlook

Tue, 15 May 2012 20:00:00 GMT

Examines world and U.S. production, consumption, trade, stocks, and prices for beet and cane sugar, and high fructose corn syrup.

Meat Price Spreads

Tue, 15 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

This data set provides monthly average price values, and the differences among those values, at the farm, wholesale, and retail stages of the production and marketing chain for selected cuts of beef, pork, and broilers. In addition, retail prices are provided for beef and pork cuts, turkey, whole chickens, eggs, and dairy products.

Aquaculture Data

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:00:00 GMT

Aquaculture is the production of aquatic animals and plants under controlled conditions for all or part of their lifecycle. This data product provides statistics on domestically grown catfish and trout and U.S. imports and exports of fish and shellfish that may be products of aquaculture, such as salmon, shrimp, and oysters.

Wheat Outlook

Mon, 14 May 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Examines supply, use, prices, and trade for wheat, including supply and demand prospects in major importing and exporting countries. Contains data and information on U.S. wheat by class.

Feed Outlook

Mon, 14 May 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Examines supply, use, prices, and trade for feed grains, including supply and demand prospects in major importing and exporting countries. Focuses on corn; also contains information on sorghum, barley, oats, and hay.

Rice Outlook

Fri, 11 May 2012 20:00:00 GMT

Examines supply, use, prices, and trade for rice, including supply and demand prospects in major importing and exporting countries. Contains information on U.S. rough, milled, and long-, medium-, and short-grain rice.

Oil Crops Outlook

Fri, 11 May 2012 20:00:00 GMT

Examines supply, use, prices, and trade for oil crops (primarily soybeans and products), including supply and demand prospects in major importing and exporting countries. Includes information on cottonseed, peanuts, sunflowerseed, tropical oils, corn oil, and animal fats.

Cotton and Wool Outlook

Fri, 11 May 2012 20:00:00 GMT

Examines supply, use, prices, and trade for cotton and wool, including supply and demand prospects in major importing and exporting countries. Includes data on raw fibers and textiles.

Livestock and Meat Trade Data

Fri, 11 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The Livestock and Meat Trade Data Set contains monthly and annual data for imports and exports of live cattle, hogs, sheep, and goats, as well as beef and veal, pork, lamb and mutton, chicken meat, turkey meat, and eggs. The tables report physical quantities, not dollar values or unit prices. Data on beef and veal, pork, and lamb and mutton are on a carcass-weight-equivalent basis. Breakdowns by country are included.

U.S. Agricultural Trade Data Update

Fri, 11 May 2012 13:30:00 GMT

Provides a monthly update of year-to-date quantities and values of U.S. agricultural exports and imports. Also provides data on leading destination countries for exports and import source countries.

Season-Average Price Forecasts

Thu, 10 May 2012 20:00:00 GMT

A futures-price forecasting model is used to provide season-average price forecasts for corn, soybeans, and wheat. In addition to the monthly forecasts for prices received, the model computes a forecast for the counter-cyclical payment rate for each commodity. The 2002 Farm Act provides for counter-cyclical payments when prices are below specified levels.

Latest U.S. Agricultural Trade Data

Thu, 10 May 2012 18:00:00 GMT

This data product announces USDA's monthly release of calendar year, fiscal year, year-to-date, and monthly value of U.S. agricultural exports, imports, and trade balance.

World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates

Thu, 10 May 2012 12:30:00 GMT

Issued monthly, WASDE provides the most current USDA forecasts of U.S. and world supply-use balances for major grains, soybeans and products, and cotton, and U.S. supply and use data for sugar and livestock products.

USDA Celebrates 150 Years: ERS Open House

Tue, 8 May 2012 16:00:00 GMT

Join us Thursday, June 28 10:00 a.m. - Noon for a celebration of USDA�s 150th anniversary, network with colleagues, see our new building, and find out what's happening at ERS! Afterwards, head over to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall (only a few blocks away), where they will be commemorating the 150th anniversary of the founding of land-grant universities and the USDA.

Directions/Parking: ERS is located on E Street SW, between 3rd and 4th Streets. We are a few blocks south of the Federal Center SW Metro station on the Orange and Blue lines. Some parking is also available in garages around the building and on the street.

Security: To enter the Patriot�s Plaza building, you must bring a government-issued photo ID (i.e. driver's license) with you. Please arrive early to allow time to be processed through security.

Please RSVP to nmcniff@ers.usda.gov by Thursday, June 21.

International Baseline Data

Mon, 7 May 2012 17:30:00 GMT

International long-term projections indicate supply, demand, and trade for major agricultural commodities for selected countries. These projections provide foreign country detail supporting USDA's annual long-term projections report.

Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America

Fri, 4 May 2012 16:00:00 GMT

The Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America is a mapping application that provides a spatial interpretation of county-level, economic and social conditions along four broad categories of socioeconomic factors: people (using population size, race and ethnicity, and immigration data from the 2010 Decennial Census and other demographic data from the American Community Survey, including age, race and ethnicity, migration and immigration, education, household size and family composition), jobs (using economic data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other sources, including information on employment trends, unemployment, industrial composition, and household income), agriculture (using indicators from the 2007 Census of Agriculture, including number and size of farms, operator characteristics, off-farm income, and government payments), and county classifications (using typologies such as the rural-urban continuum, economic dependence, persistent poverty, population loss, and other ERS county codes). Maps are interactive and also provided for download; raw data are provided for download. Data from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey have been recently added, including data on veterans, along with updated employment and unemployment estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Fertilizer Use and Price

Fri, 4 May 2012 13:00:00 GMT

This product brings together data on fertilizer consumption in the United States by plant nutrient and major selected product, as well as consumption of mixed fertilizers, secondary nutrients, and micronutrients. Share of crop area receiving fertilizer and fertilizer use per receiving acre, by nutrient, are presented for the major producing States for corn, cotton, soybeans, and wheat. Additional data include fertilizer farm prices and indices of wholesale fertilizer price. Fertilizer price data have been updated through 2012.

State Fact Sheets

Wed, 2 May 2012 18:00:00 GMT

The ERS State Fact Sheets provide information on population, income, poverty, food security, education, employment, federal funds, organic agriculture, farm characteristics, farm financial indicators, top commodities, and exports, for each State in the United States. Links to county-level data are included when available. The State Fact Sheets have been updated with 2011 State and county unemployment estimates.

Commodity Costs and Returns Data

Tue, 1 May 2012 15:00:00 GMT

USDA has estimated annual production costs and returns and published accounts for major field crop and livestock enterprises since 1975. Cost and return estimates are reported for the U.S. and major production regions for corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, grain sorghum, rice, peanuts, oats, barley, sugarbeets, tobacco, milk, hogs, and cow-calf. These cost and return accounts are historical accounts based on the actual costs incurred by producers during each year.

Monthly Milk Cost of Production

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMT

Food Price Outlook

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Feed Grains Database

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Wheat Data

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:00:00 GMT

New Food Choices Free of Trans Fats Better Align U.S. Diets With Health Recommendations

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Federal agencies that are charged with giving dietary advice to consumers�the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services�recommend that consumers keep their intake of trans fatty acids as low as possible. To that end, Federal regulations now require food labels to say how many grams of trans fats are in each serving. In this report, we examine recent changes in the trans fats content of new food products and the use of �no trans fats� package claims. We find a marked decline in the trans fats content of new food products from 2005 to 2010, along with an increase in the use of �no trans fats� claims on product packages. We also find that only a small minority of foods that contain no trans fats make such claims even though the use of a �no trans fats� claim is associated with higher rates of successful market penetration in a majority of product categories. In addition, new products without trans fats generally contain less saturated fat, sodium, and calories, which suggests that the reduction of trans fats was not compensated by increases in these other nutrients.

Aquaculture Data

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Sugar and Sweeteners Outlook

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:00:00 GMT

Examines world and U.S. production, consumption, trade, stocks, and prices for beet and cane sugar, and high fructose corn syrup.

Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Timely livestock, dairy, and poultry information, focusing on current and forecast production, price, and trade statistics for each of the sectors.

U.S. Agricultural Trade Data Update

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 20:00:00 GMT

Provides a monthly update of year-to-date quantities and values of U.S. agricultural exports and imports. Also provides data on leading destination countries for exports and import source countries.

State Fact Sheets

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:00:00 GMT

Meat Price Spreads

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Livestock and Meat Trade Data

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Latest U.S. Agricultural Trade Data

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:00:00 GMT

This data product announces USDA's monthly release of calendar year, fiscal year, year-to-date, and monthly value of U.S. agricultural exports, imports, and trade balance.

Feed Outlook

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Wheat Outlook

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Examines supply, use, prices, and trade for wheat, including supply and demand prospects in major importing and exporting countries. Contains data and information on U.S. wheat by class.

Cotton and Wool Outlook

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 12:45:00 GMT

Examines supply, use, prices, and trade for cotton and wool, including supply and demand prospects in major importing and exporting countries. Includes data on raw fibers and textiles.

Oil Crops Outlook

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:00:00 GMT

Rice Outlook

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:00:00 GMT

Season-Average Price Forecasts

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:30:00 GMT

World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:30:00 GMT

Alleviating Poverty in the United States: The Critical Role of SNAP Benefits

Mon, 9 Apr 2012 18:00:00 GMT

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is one of the largest safety net programs in the United States, serving 44.7 million individuals in an average month in 2011. We used Current Population Survey data to examine the effect of SNAP on poverty from 2000 to 2009, by adding program benefits to income and calculating how SNAP benefits affected the prevalence, depth, and severity of poverty. We found an average decline of 4.4 percent in the prevalence of poverty due to SNAP benefits, while the average decline in the depth and severity of poverty was 10.3 and 13.2 percent, respectively. SNAP benefits had a particularly strong effect on child poverty, reducing its depth by an average of 15.5 percent and its severity by an average of 21.3 percent from 2000 to 2009. SNAP�s antipoverty effect peaked in 2009, when benefit increases were authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Our analysis shows that SNAP significantly improves the welfare of low-income households.

Rice Yearbook Data tables

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:00:00 GMT

U.S. rice production, supply, disappearance, trade, and price data. Includes state acreage, yield, and production data; U.S. and world price series; and program statistics. Contains world supply and use estimates as well.

Vegetables and Melons Outlook

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:00:00 GMT

Provides current intelligence and forecasts the effects of changing conditions in the U.S. vegetables and melons sector (including potatoes, pulses, and mushrooms). Topics include production, consumption, shipments, prices received, trade, and more.

Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:00:00 GMT

Provides current intelligence and forecasts the effects of changing conditions in the U.S. fruit and tree nuts sector. Topics include production, consumption, shipments, prices received, and more.

Released by 4 p.m. ET. Subscribe to the free electronic version to receive timely notification of newsletter (and yearbook) availability. Users who subscribe to this newsletter will also receive articles on timely topics via e-mail notification. Printed copies can be purchased from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) by calling 1-800-999-6779 (specify SUB-FTS-4036).

Agricultural Research Funding in the Public and Private Sectors

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Data for public and private funding of food and agricultural research and development cover the years 1970-2009 (public) and 1970-2007 (private). Data are available as nominal figures and adjusted for inflation.

Fertilizer Imports/Exports

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMT

This product provides U.S. annual data on imports and exports of selected fertilizer types. The data cover imports from 1995 to 2011 and exports from 1990 to 2011 for 26 major fertilizer products and materials, and for 82 major trading countries.