Paul Westcott

Agricultural Economist
202-694-5335
westcott@ers.usda.gov

Briefly

Paul Westcott is an agricultural economist with the Global Agricultural Markets Branch, Market and Trade Economics Division. His current activities include coordination and preparation of USDA’s long-term (10-year) agricultural baseline projections and analysis of U.S. farm commodity policies.

Background

Paul joined ERS in 1977. During his career, he has worked on a variety of topics including retail food prices and food consumption analysis, commodity market analysis, and U.S. agricultural policy analysis for the 1990, 1996, and 2002 Farm Acts. Prior to joining ERS, Paul worked for 2 years at the Council of Economic Advisers.

Education

Paul received an M.A. in economics from the University of Rochester and a B.A. in economics and mathematics, also from the University of Rochester.

Professional Affiliations

Paul is a member of the American Agricultural Economics Association and the Federal Forecasters Consortium.

Selected Publications

Westcott, Paul C. USDA Baseline: Process, Models, and Applications. Invited presentation at the Federal Forecasters Consortium/George Washington University Economic Forecasting Seminar Series, April 2004.

Westcott, Paul, Ronald Trostle, Ed Young, and David Stallings (coordinators). USDA Agricultural Baseline Projections to 2013, WAOB-2004-1. USDA, Office of the Chief Economist, February 2004.

Westcott, Paul, Ronald Trostle, and Edwin Young. Agricultural Baseline Projections Briefing Room. USDA, ERS, February 2004.

Westcott, Paul C., “Marketing Loan Rates and Acreage Responses.” Choices, 4th quarter 2003, pp. 31-34.

Westcott, Paul C. “Perspectives on Impacts of the 2002 U.S. Farm Act.” Ninth Agricultural and Food Policy Information Workshop: Farm Policy Developments and Policy Tensions Under NAFTA, Policy Disputes Information Consortium, April 2003.

Westcott, Paul C. and Leslie A. Meyer. “U.S. Cotton Supply Response Under the 2002 Farm Act.” USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum 2003, February 2003.

Burfisher, Mary E. and Jeffrey Hopkins (coordinators) and others. Decoupled Payments: Household Income Transfers in Contemporary U.S. Agriculture, AER-822. USDA, ERS, February 2003.

Westcott, Paul C., C. Edwin Young, and J. Michael Price. The 2002 Farm Act: Provisions and Implications for Commodity Markets, AIB-778. USDA, ERS, November 2002.

Westcott, Paul C. and C. Edwin Young, “Influences of Decoupled Farm Programs on Agricultural Production.” Conference on Free Trade of the Americas, the WTO, and New Farm Legislation: Responding to Opportunities and Challenges, San Antonio, Texas, May 23-24, 2002.

Seeley, Ralph and Paul Westcott. "Agricultural Sector Scenario Analysis and the ERS Country-Commodity Linked System.” Proceedings of the Twelfth Federal Forecasters Conference, April 18, 2002, pp. 155-162.

Westcott, Paul C. and A.L. (Roy) Frederick. “The U.S. Commodity Loan Program.” The 2002 Farm Bill: Policy Options and Consequences, No. 2001-01. Farm Foundation, September 2001, pp. 31-36.

Westcott, Paul C. and J. Michael Price. Analysis of the U.S. Commodity Loan Program with Marketing Loan Provisions, AER-801. USDA, ERS, April 2001.

Westcott, Paul C. and C. Edwin Young. “U.S. Farm Program Benefits: Links to Planting Decisions and Agricultural Markets.” Agricultural Outlook, AGO-275, October 2000, pp. 10-14.

Lin, William, Paul C. Westcott, Robert Skinner, Scott Sanford, and Daniel G. De La Torre Ugarte. “Supply Response Under the 1996 Farm Act and Implications for the U.S. Field Crops Sector,” TB-1888. USDA, ERS, July 2000.

Westcott, Paul C. and Linwood A. Hoffman. “Price Determination for Corn and Wheat: The Role of Market Factors and Government Programs,” TB-1878. USDA, ERS, July 1999.

Westcott, Paul C. “Implications of U.S. Policy Changes for Corn Price Variability.” Review of Agricultural Economics, Fall/Winter 1998, pp. 422-434.

Young, C. Edwin and Paul C. Westcott. “The 1996 U.S. Farm Act Increases Market Orientation,” AIB-726. USDA, ERS, August 1996.

Westcott, Paul C. “Market-Oriented Agriculture: The Declining Role of Government Commodity Programs in Agricultural Production Decisions,” AER-671. USDA, ERS, June 1993.

Westcott, Paul C. “Planting Flexibility and Land Allocation.” American Journal of Agricultural Economics, November 1991, pp. 1105-1115.