SABIIA - Sistema Aberto e Integrado de Informação em Agricultura (Sabiia)

Alston, Julian M.; Brunke, Henrich; Gray, Richard S.; Sumner, Daniel A..

Food safety shocks can threaten the health of consumers, create havoc within an industry and result in severe losses to producers. Governments often attempt to enhance food safety by mandating standards and inspection of food products to supplement the voluntary efforts by private firms. This paper assesses a form of collective action that falls between typical government mandates and purely private action. The California pistachio industry recently established a U.S. federal marketing order. This order sets quality standards and requires inspection and certification, aiming to reduce the likelihood of dangerous or poor quality pistachios being sold to consumers and to provide some quality assurance to consumers. Simulation results indicate that, across...

Context and the VSL: Evidence from a Stated Preference Study in Italy and the Czech Republic

Palavras-chave: Food Safety; Collective Action; Specialty Crops; Government Regulation; Marketing Orders; Pistachios; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; Q18; Q13; I18; H4.

Ano: 2006

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/25461

Alberini, Anna; Scasny, Milan.

We report on the results of a survey based on conjoint choice experiments that was specifically designed to investigate the effect of context on the Value of a Statistical Life (VSL), an important input into the calculation of the mortality benefits of environmental policies that reduce premature mortality. We define “context” broadly to include i) the cause of death (respiratory illness, cancer, road traffic accident), ii) the beneficiary of the risk reduction (adult v. child), and iii) the mode of provision of the risk reduction (public program v. private good). The survey was conducted following similar protocols in Italy and the Czech Republic. When do not distinguish for the cause of death, child and adult VSL are not significantly different from one...

Efficiency Analysis of Rural Hospitals: Parametric and Semi-parametric Approaches

Palavras-chave: VSL; Conjoint Choice Experiments; Mortality Risk Reductions; Cost-benefit Analysis; Forced Choice Questions; Research Methods/ Statistical Methods; I18; J17; K32; Q51.

Ano: 2010

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/90952

Nedelea, I. Cristian; Fannin, James Matthew.

This paper examined cost efficiency differences between rural hospitals participating in the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Program and a group of non-converting, prospectively paid rural hospitals using both a two-stage semi-parametric approach as well as stochastic frontier analysis (SFA). CAHs receive Medicare cost-based reimbursement, in contrast with the rest of the hospitals reimbursed under Medicare prospective payment system (PPS). However, cost-based reimbursement has been associated with inefficiency in hospital operations and, consequently, concerns have been raised about the efficiency of CAHs. Results showed a positive and significant effect of CAH status on cost inefficiency under both model specifications suggesting that CAHs were less...

Tipo: Presentation

Palavras-chave: Rural hospitals; Efficiency; SFA; Two-stage approach; Community/Rural/Urban Development; Health Economics and Policy; Production Economics; Productivity Analysis; Public Economics; Research Methods/ Statistical Methods; I18.

Ano: 2012

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/119725

Determinants of Cost Inefficiency of Critical Access Hospitals: A Two-stage, Semi-parametric Approach

Nedelea, I. Cristian; Fannin, James Matthew.

This study examines, post-conversion, cost inefficiency of Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) using a two-stage approach. While the results suggest that Medicare cost-based reimbursement and longer participation in the CAH program may increase the cost inefficiency of CAHs, the extent of this inefficiency increase is lower than what previous literature showed.

An International Comparison of the Effects of Government Agricultural Support on Food Budget Shares

Palavras-chave: Critical Access Hospitals; Cost inefficiency; Two-stage approach; Bootstrap; Community/Rural/Urban Development; Health Economics and Policy; Production Economics; I18.

Ano: 2011

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/98643

Miller, J. Corey; Coble, Keith H..

This study evaluates econometrically the effect of government support to agriculture on a measure of the affordability of food in 10 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. The panel model we construct specifically utilizes two values calculated by the OECD: Producer Support Estimates as a percentage of gross farm receipts and the Consumer Nominal Protection Coefficient. These two variables represent transfers from taxpayers to agricultural producers through government programs and transfers from consumers to government through protectionist measures, respectively. By using dummy variables, we find implications for groups of countries on the basis of their relative levels of support and protection.

Tipo: Journal Article

Palavras-chave: Agricultural policy; Obesity; Agribusiness; Agricultural and Food Policy; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; I18; Q18.

Ano: 2008

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/47196

Non-Parametric Approaches to Education and Health Efficiency in OECD Countries

Afonso, Antonio; St. Aubyn, Miguel.

We address the efficiency in education and health sectors for a sample of OECD countries by applying two alternative non-parametric methodologies: FDH and DEA. Those are two areas where public expenditure is of great importance so that findings have strong implications in what concerns public sector efficiency. When estimating the efficiency frontier we focus on measures of quantity inputs. We believe this approach to be advantageous since a country may well be efficient from a technical point of view but appear as inefficient if the inputs it uses are expensive. Efficient outcomes across sectors and analytical methods seem to cluster around a small number of core countries, even if for different reasons: Japan, Korea and Sweden.

Tipo: Journal Article

Palavras-chave: Education; Health; Expenditure efficiency; Production possibility frontier; FDH; DEA; C14; H51; H52; I18; I21; I28.

Ano: 2005

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/37107

Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxation as Public Health Policy -Lessons from Tobacco

Chaloupka, Frank J.; Powell, Lisa M.; Chriqui, Jamie F..

Tipo: Journal Article

Palavras-chave: Taxation; Tobacco; Obesity; Agricultural and Food Policy; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; Health Economics and Policy; I18.

Ano: 2011

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/117065

Effect of Menu Labeling on Caloric Intake and Restaurant Revenue in Full-Service Restaurants

Ellison, Brenna D.; Lusk, Jayson L.; Davis, David W..

Paper removed at the request of the author.

Tipo: Presentation

Palavras-chave: Menu labeling; Numeric and symbolic calorie labels; Restaurant revenue; Full service restaurant; Agricultural and Food Policy; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; Institutional and Behavioral Economics; Q19; I18.

Ano: 2012

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/123325

Food Safety and Defense Risks in the U.S.-Mexico Produce Chain

Health Risk of Heating Fuel Choice: A Simultaneity Causality Analysis

Nganje, William E.; Richards, Timothy J.; Bravo, Jesus; Hu, Na; Kagan, Albert; Acharya, Ram N.; Edwards, Mark R..

Tipo: Journal Article

Palavras-chave: Agribusiness; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; I18; I28; L51.

Ano: 2009

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/94707

Liu, Zheng; Pagoulatos, Angelos; Hu, Wuyang.

Combustion-generated pollutants, principally those from solid-fuels including biomass and coal when cooking and heating, bring out a significant public health hazard in both developed and developing countries. Most of the existing studies addressing this issue focus on developing countries, and on exposure when cooking rather than heating. By using Kentucky rural data, this research explores the health risk associated with heating fuel choice. Given the simultaneity between heating fuel choice and prevalence of asthma and allergy, we obtain the instrumental variable (IV) estimate for Logit models through the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM). After correcting for simultaneity bias, we do not find strong evidence supporting the causal relationship between...

The Effects of a Fat Tax on Dairy Products

Palavras-chave: Combustion-generated pollutants; Indoor air pollution; Heating fuel choice; Health risk; GMM-IV Estimation; Environmental Economics and Policy; Health Economics and Policy; Q53; I18.

Ano: 2010

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/56532

Chouinard, Hayley H.; Davis, David E.; LaFrance, Jeffrey T.; Perloff, Jeffrey M..

We apply an incomplete demand system to supermarket scanner data to estimate the effects of a fat tax on dairy products for different demographic groups. We find own-price elasticities of demand are relatively inelastic and vary little across groups. A fat tax may be an effective means to raise revenue, but will not result in a significant reduction in fat consumption. The welfare effects associated with a fat tax are large and vary greatly across demographic groups. These fat taxes are regressive in nature, as the elderly and poor suffer greater welfare losses.

The Benefits and Costs of Fish Consumption Advisories for Mercury

Palavras-chave: Fat tax; Incomplete demand system; Demand and Price Analysis; Livestock Production/Industries; Public Economics; H2; I18.

Ano: 2005

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/25078

Jakus, Paul M.; McGuinness, Meghan; Krupnick, Alan J..

Mercury contamination of the Chesapeake Bay is a concern to health authorities in the region. We evaluate the economic and health effects of postulated recreational and commercial fishing advisories for striped bass on the Maryland portion of the bay. Awareness of and response to the advisory is estimated using a meta-analysis of the literature. Three values are estimated: welfare losses to recreational anglers, welfare losses in the commercial striped bass fishery, and health benefits. An estimate of percentage of consumer surplus loss is applied to the value of all fishing days in the bay to estimate recreational welfare loss. Welfare losses to the commercial fishery are estimated based on a model of supply and demand. Health benefits are estimated using...

On the Economics of Rational Self-Medication

Palavras-chave: Fisheries; Mercury; Advisories; Recreation; Health benefits; Consumer/Household Economics; I18; Q22; Q25; Q26.

Ano: 2002

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/10853

Akpalu, Wisdom.

It has been established in the medical literature that self-medicating with imperfect information about either the use of a genuine or counterfeit drug or based on wrong self-diagnosis of ailment, which is predominant especially in developing countries, is a risky investment in health capital. This paper models the decision to self-medicate and the demand for self-medicated drugs. We suppose that investment in self-medication depends on the perception of its effectiveness. The results obtained show that the decision to self-medicate depends on the relative price and perceived effectiveness of self-medication, the elasticity of the shadow value of health with respect to the quantity of health capital, and the relative effectiveness of self-medication in...

Economic Factors and Body Weight: An Empirical Analysis

Palavras-chave: Health Production; Self-Medication; Risky Investment; Government Policy; Dynamic Analysis; Demand and Price Analysis; Health Economics and Policy; Institutional and Behavioral Economics; Risk and Uncertainty; I12; I18; D81; C61.

Ano: 2008

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/6363

Schroeter, Christiane; Lusk, Jayson L..

With this study, we investigate the effects of changes in economic factors on body weight by constructing a utility theoretic model. The model is empirically estimated by combining data on individuals’ body weight, demographic and physical activity information, and statelevel measures pertaining to the prices of food away from home, food at home, and wages. By combining these data sources, we aim to estimate directly the weight effects of price and income changes. The empirical analysis suggests that decreasing the price of food at home could decrease body weight, a finding which has important public policy implications.

Tipo: Journal Article

Palavras-chave: Body mass index; Body weight; Obesity; Subsidy; Tax; Agribusiness; Consumer/Household Economics; D11; D12; I18; H20; R22.

Ano: 2008

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/46991

Prepared for Bioterrorism Events? A Study of the Grain and Oilseed Sector

Wailes, Eric J.; Carreira, Rita I.; Danforth, Diana M.; Nemane, Vivek.

One of the most crucial problems facing the U.S. economy is the possibility of a terrorist attack on its food sector. The implications can be profound for its stakeholders, who are highly dependent on this sector for their economic livelihood as well as their food supplies. The U.S. Bioterrorism Act of 2002 was enacted to improve the ability of the United States to prevent, prepare for and respond to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. One of the important features of the U.S. Bioterrorism Act of 2002 is its emphasis on prevention, a change from prior legislation that focused on punishments after an incidence had occurred. The U.S. Bioterrorism Act does not address food safety issues in general; its focus is to prevent intentional...

The Benefits of Reduced Air Pollutants in the U.S. from Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Policies

Palavras-chave: Bioterrorism; Grain and oilseed sector; Bioterrorism Act of 2002; NC-1016; Agribusiness; Agricultural and Food Policy; Marketing; Political Economy; I18; K23; Q13; Q18.

Ano: 2011

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/103867

Burtraw, Dallas; Toman, Michael.

Policies that reduce emissions of greenhouse gases can simultaneously alter emissions of conventional pollutants that have deleterious effects on human health and the environment. This paper first describes how these "ancillary" benefits--benefits in addition to reduced risks of climate change--can result from greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation efforts. It then discusses methodologies for assessing ancillary benefits and provides a critical review of estimates associated with reductions of criteria air pollutants. We find that these benefits in the U.S. may be significant, indicating a higher level of "no regrets" greenhouse gas abatement than might be expected based on simple economic calculations of abatement cost. However, the magnitude of ancillary...

Farm Policy and Obesity in the United States

Palavras-chave: Climate change; Greenhouse gas; Ancillary benefits; Air pollution; Co-control benefits; Environmental Economics and Policy; H23; I18; Q48.

Ano: 1997

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/10496

Alston, Julian M.; Rickard, Bradley J.; Okrent, Abigail M..

Tipo: Journal Article

Palavras-chave: Agricultural and Food Policy; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; I18; Q18.

Ano: 2010

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/95750

Geographic Impacts on U.S. Agriculture of the 2010 Dietary Nutrition Guidelines

Ribera, Luis A.; Yue, Chengyan; Holcomb, Rodney B..

Tipo: Article

Palavras-chave: Agriculture; Dietary Guidelines; Geographic Impact Nutrition; Agricultural and Food Policy; Land Economics/Use; I18; Q18.

Ano: 2012

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/122796

Adult Obesity and Food Stores’ Density – Evidence from State-Level Panel Data

Bonanno, Alessandro; Goetz, Stephan J..

The association between types of food access and rising adult obesity rates is increasingly recognized, as a complement to the effects of declining physical activity. Previous studies have examined the effects on obesity of only a limited set of store types, such as grocery stores, fast food restaurants and big-box retailers, and they have ignored that certain behavioral factors, such as could play a role in the relationship between food access and obesity. This analysis includes a comprehensive array of food-providing establishments, including limited- and full-service restaurants controlling for fruit-and-vegetables (F&V) consumption (lagged temporally) using a panel data set for the continental U.S. states covering the period 1997-2005. The...

Consumer Heterogeneity: Does It Affect Policy Responses to the Obesity Epidemic?

Palavras-chave: Adult Obesity; Food Access; Eating Habits; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; Health Economics and Policy; D12; I18; R23.

Ano: 2010

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/61341

Lyford, Conrad P.; Belasco, Eric J.; Chidmi, Benaissa; Funtanilla, Margil.

The fight against obesity in the U.S. has become a priority area for policy makers due to the additional health risks and health care costs. In developing policy to lower obesity rates, it is important to accurately characterize the impact that exercise, smoking and demographic characteristics have on BMI in order to draft effective policy. This analysis uses data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFS) to evaluate the relationship between behavioral and demographic factors with BMI while explicitly accounting for individual heterogeneity by using a quantile analysis. Results suggest that the effect of exercise, smoking, occupation and race vary by BMI quantile, indicating that consumers should be treated as heterogeneous at least for...