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Feature
Policymakers considering new programs, or novel ways of delivering program services, often have limited information on how actual or potential participants will react to the changes. Economic experiments can offer evidence to help inform these design decisions, and may lead to improvements in existing programs or policies that benefit farmers and others.
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Feature
Data from a unique national survey provide a comprehensive picture of U.S. food acquisition patterns--both purchased foods and those acquired for free.
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Finding
In 2014 and 2015, 84 percent of low-income food-insecure households with school-age children received free or reduced-price lunches through the National School Lunch Program.
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Finding
USDA's 10-year projections for upland cotton suggest a recovery in exports, production, and mill use through 2026 following significant declines in the past 10 years.
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Finding
Genetically engineered (GE) crops are plants with genetic material that has been altered to achieve one or more desirable features. Although small, markets have been recently expanding for GE crops with traits that increase nutrient content or improve the taste of certain foods for consumers.
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Feature
The U.S. farm sector represents about 2.1 million farms. Together, these farms operate more than 900 million acres and support more than 6 million people living in the associated farm households. This article discusses the long-term trends in farm sector and farm household income, and includes estimates for 2016.
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Statistic
Between 2009 and 2016, restaurant prices grew at an average annual rate of 2.5 percent, while grocery store food prices rose by an average of 1.4 percent per year.
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Statistic
ERS provides economic analyses and data on vegetables and pulses for the fresh market and for processing use. The Vegetables and Pulses Yearbook provides current and historical data on supply, use, value, prices, and trade for the sector and for individual commodities.
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Feature
Conservation Compliance, which links eligibility for farm program benefits to soil and wetland conservation, has significantly reduced soil erosion on highly erodible cropland. The 2014 Farm Act eliminated some benefits subject to Compliance under the 2008 Act (e.g., Direct Payments) but also linked some benefits that were not subject to Compliance (e.g., crop insurance premium subsidies).
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Feature
ERS research found that unexpected increases in gasoline, natural gas, and electricity prices increased the likelihood of households becoming food insecure and/or experiencing two other food hardship measures.
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Finding
Farmers and managers at farmers' markets in California reported higher administrative burdens for WIC cash value vouchers for fruits and vegetables compared to WIC benefits through the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program.
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Finding
A recent ERS report examined impacts of the Buy-Up coverage addition to the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) on expected payments, producers' risk reduction, and NAP enrollment by type of producer and crops.
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Finding
Education is often closely linked with economic outcomes. The most recent data from the Census Bureau’s 2015 American Community Survey show that workers with higher levels of education had higher median earnings, both in rural and urban areas. The data also show that jobs in urban areas are likely to pay more than in rural areas, especially for workers with higher levels of education.
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Finding
While most agricultural commodities are wind-pollinated, about one-third of total U.S. food consumption either require or benefit from insect pollination. Managed honeybees alone provide over $350 million worth of pollinatoion services each year. Recently, however, the health of pollinators has suffered.
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Statistic
A comparison of food availability data to dietary guidance reveals that while the American diet has improved in some ways, many people still fall short of targets for some food groups and over indulge in others.
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Feature
Food security for 76 low- and middle-income countries is expected to improve during 2017-27 as the number of food-insecure people falls by 43 percent. Over the same period, the share of the population that is food insecure is expected to drop from 17 to 9 percent.
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Feature
The California Leafy Greens Products Handler Marketing Agreement (LGMA) was established in 2007 to provide a minimum food safety standard for that industry. A recent ERS case study examined the 2012 food safety practices and costs of seven large LGMA participants.
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Feature
The U.S. food system accounted for 12.5 percent of the Nation's energy use in 2012. ERS research shows that the food system's use of energy is highly responsive to energy prices and can drive national energy use.
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Feature
Farmers can improve their drought resilience by making different crop choices, enrolling in crop insurance and other farm risk management programs, and investing in soil health. USDA conservation programs—intended primarily to improve on-site and off-site environmental quality—may also help producers adapt to drought risk.
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Finding
Dietary advice to limit intake of trans fats and mandatory trans-fat labeling of foods have been followed by a 53-percent reduction, on average, in trans-fat levels in the blood plasma of American adults.
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Finding
Improving economic conditions and declining births have contributed to the 16-percent drop in the number of people participating in USDA’s WIC assistance program since 2010.
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Finding
India is the world’s largest producer and consumer of milk. Growth in milk supply and demand has been robust, but projections indicate that production targets will be difficult to reach without stronger gains in productivity.
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Finding
A recent ERS study modeled the employment effects of a hypothetical 10-percent increase in foreign demand for U.S. agricultural exports.
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Statistic
The irrigation of agricultural crops accounts for most of the Nation’s water consumption. To better understand irrigation characteristics, such as acreage and water use, USDA conducts the Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey (FRIS) every 5 years. Most irrigated farms are low-sales operations, but large farms use most of the water.
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Feature
Public disclosure of information on food safety performance enables buyers to make more informed purchasing decisions regarding food safety, thereby signaling their demand for a higher level of food safety.
