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 | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |  ]Adoption of Biotechnology This topic includes research on the adoption of biotechnology in crops and livestock, such as Bt-enhanced crops, herbicide-resistant crops, and Bst and BGh. More...
Africa & Middle East Sub-Saharan Africa is characterized by high population growth and limited financial resources that constrain imports and negate the region's growth in agricultural output, while North Africa and the Middle East import large quantities of commercial agricultural products, both to compensate for production shortfalls and to meet their increasing demand for food and feed grains. ERS provides long-term projections of production and trade in North African and Middle Eastern countries and analyzes 37 countries of Sub-Saharan Africa in annual updates of its Food Security Report. More...
Ag Chemicals & Production Technology Many factors (economic, policy, environmental) affect technology adoption, and whether adoption will adequately address environmental issues. Analysis and survey data show how farmers choose their suite of pest, nutrient, soil, and water management practices, and how technology characteristics, natural resource endowments, operator and farm characteristics, and public policies affect the choice of conservation strategies. More...
Agribusiness/Industry Concentration Agribusiness firms sell farm inputs and services to farmers, buy output from farmers to manufacture and process into food products, or sell food to consumers. ERS research analyzes both the causes of agribusiness concentration (that is, the emergence of fewer but larger firms in certain markets) and its effects on farm and retail food prices, industry structure, and innovation. More...
Agricultural Market/Trade Projections USDA provides short-term (1 year) projections and longrun (10-year) baseline projections of the U.S. agricultural sector for market and policy analysis and for Federal budget estimates. Projections cover key agricultural crop and livestock commodities, agricultural trade, and aggregate indicators such as farm income and food prices. More...
Agricultural Productivity Markets, policies, research, education, soils, and climate all affect the level of production, the resource mix used to produce output, and the technology adopted by producers. This topic quantifies the links between inputs and outputs (both marketed and non-marketed) and explores the factors that explain how productivity increases. More...
Agricultural R&D; and Productivity Investigating the creation and diffusion of new technology is important because technological progress is fundamental to economic growth and the long-run economic productivity of U.S. agriculture. Research investments and scientific advances—largely in the public sector—have fueled the tremendous rate of productivity growth in the agricultural sector over the past century. Recent advances in agricultural science and technology have been largely undertaken by the private sector, and have been facilitated by changes in the structure of the agricultural inputs industry, important advances in biological research, and an increased emphasis on intellectual property protection. More...
Agricultural Research & Development Policy This topic deals with the appropriate role of public sector agricultural research in a rapidly changing research environment. Both economic theory and empirical studies suggest that public support for scientific research can improve social welfare. Economic analysis is important for the development of agricultural research policy, particularly priority setting for funding public investment. More...
Animal Health & Welfare Animal health and welfare has become an increasingly important consideration in deliberations concerning public health, food cost, technology, and trade policy. ERS experts provide research and analysis on the impact of domestic and international animal health and welfare policies and regulations on livestock production, health, and food costs. More...
Aquaculture Aquaculture is defined as the production of aquatic animals and plants under controlled conditions for all or part of their lifecycle. During the last two decades, the value of U.S. aquacultural production rose to nearly $1 billion. Interest in aquacultural production is on the rise because restrictions on the wild harvest of many seafood species may diminish wild harvest seafood supplies. ERS provides background, data, and analysis on the domestic aquaculture industry and U.S. trade in aquacultural products. More...
Argentina Argentina is one of the world's leading exporters of grains, beef, oilseeds, and oilseed products. ERS economists provide data and analysis on Argentina's agricultural supply, consumption, trade, and policies. More...
Barley Barley comprises about 2 percent of U.S. feed grain production. ERS analysts provide information and data on supply, use, and prices of barley. More...
Biotechnology This topic includes research on biotechnology in crops and livestock production, including adoption, economic and environmental impacts, marketing, labeling and trade issues resulting from differences in consumer preferences. More...
Biotechnology R&D; See Agricultural R&D; and Productivity > Biotechnology R&D; More...
Brazil Brazil, one of the premier agricultural producing and exporting countries of the world, is both a competitor of the United States in agricultural trade (soybeans and products, poultry meat) and a supplier to the United States of important agricultural products (coffee, orange juice). ERS economists provide data and analysis on Brazil's agricultural supply, consumption, trade, and policies. More...
Canada Canada, a large exporter of wheat, canola, red meats, and barley, is the largest market for U.S. agricultural exports and is a partner with the United States and Mexico in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). ERS economists provide data and analysis on Canadian agricultural supply, consumption, and trade, and on Canadian policies related to agriculture. More...
Cattle/Beef The United States has the largest fed-cattle industry in the world, and is the world's largest producer of beef, primarily high-quality, grain-fed beef for domestic and export use. Beef production is related to the cattle cycle, a series of peaks and troughs in herd size and production that typically lasts from 8 to 12 years. Because the cattle/beef industry is a major user of feed grains, beef production is also affected by grain supplies and prices. ERS analyzes conditions and events that influence supply, demand, trade, and prices in domestic and global cattle and beef markets. More...
China The income of China's 1.3 billion people is expected to continue expanding rapidly throughout the next decade, stimulating demand for more and better quality food products and magnifying China's position as a growing, though volatile, market for agricultural commodity exporters. ERS economists provide timely analysis, research, and data on China's agricultural supply, consumption, trade, and policies. More...
Commodity Trade For most U.S. agricultural commodities, more than one-quarter of total production or use is exported or imported, making trade critical to U.S. agriculture. ERS analyzes U.S. trade and estimates total trade by commodity for non-U.S. countries. Limited information on bilateral trade for selected foreign countries with non-U.S. trading partners is available. More...
Conservation Policy This topic includes research on policies designed to conserve natural resources used in agricultural production, such as soil, water, wildlife, and wetlands, and impacts on the environment. More...
Consumer food safety behavior Information plays a key role in consumers' perceptions of the risks of foodborne disease. ERS research focuses on consumers' risk perceptions and their willingness to change preparation and consumption practices to follow food safety recommendations. More...
Corn Corn is the most widely used and produced feed grain in the United States, and U.S. corn exports represent about 70 percent of world exports. ERS economists provide information and data on supply, use, and prices of corn, as well as research reports on pricing, trade, and costs of production. More...
Costs of Production Under Congressional mandate, USDA is required to develop annual estimates of the costs of producing wheat, feed grains, cotton, and milk. Estimates are also produced for such major crop and livestock commodities as soybeans, rice, cow-calf, and hogs. Cost estimates are required by USDA for use in program adjustments and policy analysis, and the data provide important input for a variety of ERS research in such areas as farm structure and performance, technology adoption, and international competitiveness. Current data series include cost estimates that date back to 1975 for most commodities. More...
Cotton Cotton is the world's most widely used textile fiber, and the United States accounts for 20 percent of world cotton output. ERS economists analyze data on U.S. and international supply, demand, and trade of cotton, including textile and apparel trade. More...
CPI for Food The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for food measures changes in average retail prices for food items surveyed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. ERS examines current factors affecting the CPI for food and forecasts food price inflation. The agency's research and reports examine how supply and demand factors affect food price inflation over time. More...
Credit & Financial Markets Policy Federal intervention in credit and financial markets serving agriculture and rural America is both substantial and multifaceted. How Federal credit and monetary policy, as well as the operations of financial assistance programs and government-sponsored enterprises, affect the cost and availability of credit is a major concern. More...
Credit & Financial Markets Financial markets facilitate economic growth and development by channeling money from savers to borrowers. Market, policy, and technological developments that affect the performance of rural financial markets can have widespread consequences for borrowers and the whole rural economy. More...
Cropping Practices Changes in farmer practices, especially since the end of World War II, have greatly increased agricultural productivity, but also raise concerns about over-reliance on commercial fertilizers and chemical pesticides. ERS researches the factors that influence farmers' decisions to use environmentally preferred pest, nutrient, and soil management practices such as crop rotations and crop residue management, and considers the potential environmental and economic effects of these decisions. More...
Crops In 2001, crop production had a market value of 96.8 billion dollars and accounted for almost half of the total market value associated with agricultural production. ERS economists conduct research and analysis on a wide range of U.S. crops including grains, oilseeds, fruits, vegetables, cotton, sugar, and tobacco. More...
Dairy Milk has a farm value of production second only to beef among livestock industries and equal to corn. ERS provides research and analysis on farm milk output; production, marketing, and consumption of dairy products; international markets and trade in dairy products; and government dairy programs. More...
Development Programs & Policy Among the most important development programs for rural areas are Federal infrastructure, business, housing, and general assistance programs. ERS research monitors and explains the latest developments in these programs, including year-to-year changes in program funding and the geographic distribution of Federal assistance. More...
Diet Quality & Nutrition ERS assesses nutrient intake and dietary quality of U.S. consumers, with a focus on certain vulnerable groups--children, elderly, and low-income households. ERS research focuses on specific nutrients and the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), a USDA-created summary measure of overall diet quality, to examine differences in nutrient intake and dietary quality and factors that contribute to those differences. More...
Diet, Consumption, & Health Diet and consumption choices affect nutrient intake and health. Four of the 10 leading causes of death in the United States have links to diet and cost over $200 billion annually in treatment and lost productivity. ERS research examines dietary quality, nutrient intake, and the roles of economic factors and nutrition education and information. More...
Dry Edible Beans Produced on 1.7 million acres by nearly 11,000 farms, retail sales of dry beans total an estimated $1.8 billion. ERS economists analyze U.S. supply, demand, prices, and trade for dry beans and several major individual bean classes such as pinto, navy, kidney, black, Great Northern, lima, and blackeyes. More...
E-Commerce in Agriculture Information technology and e-commerce can greatly lower the costs and tremendously improve the speed of transmitting data around the globe. Different households, firms, and countries will adopt these new technologies at different rates, which will affect incomes, industrial structure, and trade. Evidence is mixed regarding the impact of e-commerce on productivity in the United States and on trade. ERS provides information about the types, extent, and issues surrounding e-commerce in U.S. agriculture including the effect on trade, the digital divide, data needs, and research issues. More...
East & Southeast Asia East and Southeast Asia encompass some of the largest and fastest growing markets for U.S. agricultural exports. ERS economists provide data and analysis on agricultural supply, consumption, trade, and policies of key countries in the region, including Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. More...
Eastern Europe Patterns of U.S. trade with the countries of Eastern Europe have changed dramatically since they began their transition from planned to market economies in the early 1990's. Traditional grain and oilseed markets in the region have shrunk, while exports of poultry and other high value products have increased. This trade will undergo a further shift as these countries accede to the European Union. ERS specialists analyze agricultural supply, consumption, trade, and policies of key countries in the region, with a particular emphasis on Poland and Hungary. More...
Economics of foodborne disease In 2000, ERS estimated the cost from five bacterial foodborne pathogens as $6.9 billion. The five bacterial pathogens are: Campylobacter (all serotypes), Salmonella (nontyphoidal serotypes only), E. coli O157 and non-O157 STEC, and Listeria monocytogenes. The cost estimate includes medical costs, productivity losses from missed work, and an estimate of the value of premature death that takes into account the age distribution of those taken ill. The estimate excludes travel costs in obtaining medical care, lost leisure time, and so forth. Estimates for Salmonella were updated in 2003. More...
Education & Labeling Policy Information policy involves providing information to consumers or producers about specific product attributes, the proper use of a product, or best production practices. ERS evaluates the efficacy of information policy for a broad range of issues including nutrition, food safety, and conservation. More...
Environmental Policy This topic includes research on policies designed to reduce environmental impacts from agricultural production on soil, water, air, wildlife, and wetlands, and conserve these resources for future use. More...
European Union The European Union (EU) is one of the most important competitors with the United States in world agricultural markets, one of the largest markets for U.S. agricultural exports, and one of the key participants in negotiations on agricultural trade in the World Trade Organization (WTO). ERS economists analyze and forecast EU production, consumption, and trade of commodities important to the United States. Special attention is given to common agricultural policy reforms, EU enlargement, and specific issues that affect U.S. trade, such as the EU's nontariff barriers to trade. More...
Exchange Rates Exchange rates are a critical measure of a country's trade competitiveness. ERS economists provide real exchange-rate data and forecasts to assist in measuring U.S. trade competitiveness for various commodities and countries. More...
Farm & Commodity Policy U.S. agricultural programs for wheat, feed grains, cotton, rice, oilseeds, sugar, peanuts, and dairy are designed to enhance and stabilize agricultural prices and farm income. ERS analyzes existing and proposed agricultural policies and programs, such as direct and counter-cyclical payments, marketing assistance loans, price support programs, and export programs. More...
Farm Employment & Wages Hired farmworkers account for about 12 percent of farm production expenses nationwide, but up to 50 percent of expenses in some crop producing enterprises, and provide necessary labor during critical production periods. ERS monitors changing trends in farm labor use, identifies factors affecting the supply of and demand for farm labor, and assesses the effects of changing farm labor policy and programs on farm employment and wages, labor costs, and working conditions. More...
Farm Financial Indicators This portion of the state fact sheets contain the farm income and balance sheet statements for each state for the two most current years that data are available. State Fact Sheets More...
Farm Financial Management The many challenges to successful farm management posed by the dynamic policy and economic environment in which farms operate mean that farmers are confronting greater risks and greater flexibility to make changes in their business plans and organizations. This topic measures the financial status of farm and ranch businesses including their degree of indebtedness and vulnerability to changes in income, cash flow, input costs, and interest rates, and identifies economic, policy, demographic, and other factors that contribute to the financial performance of farms. More...
Farm Financial Performance Farm operators, land owners, and providers of production contracts all contribute to farm income. ERS measures the distribution of farm earnings among these participants, as well as the providers of land, labor, capital, and managerial inputs used in production, through analyses of sector value-added accounts. Factors that affect the value-added, profitability, and financial performance of the U.S. agricultural sector are presented and analyzed. More...
Farm Income Estimates Estimates and forecasts of the financial performance of farm businesses are presented here, identifying resource, economic, policy, demographic, and other factors that explain how differences in the management and performance of farms affects farm income. The organization and business linkages of farms are tracked to determine how form of business affects the distribution of income. More...
Farm Income Forecasts Forecasts of the financial performance of farm businesses are presented here, identifying resource, economic, policy, demographic, and other factors that explain how differences in the management and performance of farms affects farm income. The organization and business linkages of farms are tracked to determine how form of business affects the distribution of income. More...
Farm Income Policy Enhancing and stabilizing farm income is a fundamental feature of U.S. agricultural policy. ERS provides short- and long-term projections of farm income and analyzes the impacts on farm income of existing and proposed agricultural policies and programs. More...
Farm Risk Management Farm incomes can vary widely from year to year, depending on events as diverse as weather and foreign markets, and farmers have a variety of tools to deal with risks. ERS research on farm risk management examines yield and price uncertainty, crop and revenue insurance, use of futures and options, and other farm risk management strategies. More...
Farm Structure, Income, & Performance This topic measures, forecasts, and explains indicators of economic performance for the U.S. farm sector and major crop and livestock farm types. Analyses and data provide a perspective on the financial health of the U.S. agricultural economy. Distributional analyses identify sub-sectors and business types that are performing well relative to past trends and to other groups and types of farms. Factors contributing to the financial performance of these successful farm, such as assessment of debt repayment difficulties of specific farm types, industry sub-sectors, and regions of the country, are analyzed. More...
Farm Structure/Characteristics Farm structural characteristics underlie the efficiency and competitiveness of the farm sector, the well being of farm households, the design of public policies, and the nature of rural areas. Farm structure covers the number and size of farms; farm specialization and diversification; ownership and control of resources; business arrangements, including contractual agreements; the concentration of production; and the characteristics of farmers and their households, including earnings from farming and other sources. More...
Farm/Rural Finance & Tax Federal tax and credit policies affect farms and other businesses, governments, and households, both directly and through their impact on lenders and other economic entities. ERS focuses on how recent tax and credit developments and proposed Federal policy changes will affect farmers and other rural residents. More...
Fertilizers Many economic and policy factors influence the adoption of organic and chemical nutrient management practices and technologies, as well as the economic and environmental implications of that adoption. Research assesses the extent of adoption for such nutrient management strategies as soil testing, crop rotation, nitrogen inhibitors, the use of manure, fertilizer application method and timing, and precision agriculture. More...
Finance & Tax The cost and availability of credit to the agricultural and rural sectors of the economy are affected by the performance of lending institutions serving these sectors. Likewise, Federal income, payroll, and estate tax provisions influence the profitability and competitiveness of farm and nonfarm rural businesses and the well-being of rural households. More...
Food & Nutrition Assistance Policy ERS' Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Program (FANRP) addresses research issues involving the Nation's food and nutrition assistance policies and programs. FANRP research is designed to meet the critical information needs of the Administration, Congress, program managers, policy officials, clients, the research community, and the public at large. More...
Food & Nutrition Assistance Programs USDA administers numerous domestic food assistance programs that serve about one in five Americans at some point during the year. The programs work individually and in concert to provide a nutrition safety net for children and low-income adults and are a major component of the Federal safety net. Together, these programs account for about half of total USDA outlays. ERS conducts and funds research and evaluations of these programs—such as the Food Stamp Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and child nutrition programs—focusing on the benefits of improved diets and food choices, factors that influence diet and nutrition, and program outcomes. More...
Food Consumption Eating is one of life's most pleasurable activities. Food choices affect the diet quality of individuals and the type of crops that America's farmers grow. ERS maintains indicators of annual per capita food supplies in the United States—a critical component of the Nation's nutrition monitoring efforts—and analyzes the economic implications of food consumption choices. More...
Food Expenditures ERS analyzes and reports food expenditures, which contributes to an understanding of consumers' food choices. Estimates of food expenditures and research are based on the ERS food expenditures series and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Expenditure Survey. More...
Food irradiation Exposing meat and poultry to ionizing irradiation can control many foodborne pathogens. Benefit/cost analyses by ERS find positive net benefits for many meat and poultry products. More...
Food Loss, Recovery, & Gleaning Growing concern about hunger, resource conservation, and the environmental and economic costs associated with food waste, has raised public awareness about food loss. Current and ongoing ERS research on food loss, recovery, and gleaning includes such topics as estimating the amount of food loss in the United States, increasing food recovery from farmers' markets, and exploring distribution patterns for recovered food by Mid-Atlantic food banks and food rescue organizations. More...
Food Market Structures Most of the $901 billion worth of food purchased in 2002 reached the dinner table via the world's most sophisticated food marketing system. Economic analysis of changes in the food sector's industrial organization, such as consolidation of firms, contributes to a better understanding of how changes in prices affect consumer choices and firms' production decisions. More...
Food Price Spreads The food marketing sector's share of the food dollar has increased by 5 percent over the last decade, due to increased consumer demand for food marketing services and to a faster rate of increase in the price of food marketing services relative to farm prices. ERS provides estimates and analyses of farm-to-retail price spreads and marketing costs to address these issues. More...
Food Prices, Spreads & Margins Food prices, spreads and margins influence the decisions of buyers and sellers in food markets, and are themselves the result of the interactions of market participants. ERS conducts research on prices of individual food items, forecasts the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for food, and estimates farm-to-retail price spreads. More...
Food Processing Food processors transform raw agricultural and marine products into intermediate foodstuffs and edible final products. ERS studies changes in the sector's organization, technology, and production costs, and examines how those changes affect farm prices, food prices, and product qualities. More...
Food Retailing Grocery stores (supermarkets, superettes, small grocery stores, and convenience stores) and specialized foodstores (including retail bakeries, meat, seafood, and produce markets) sell 82 percent of all retail food consumed at home, and the top 20 retailers now account for 51.9 percent of sales compared with 34.8 percent in 1972. ERS research analyzes consolidation (merging) of retail food stores and its effects on consumers and grocery suppliers, expenditures by households on food-at-home, and whether low-income households face higher food prices than other households. More...
Food Safety Foodborne disease is primarily caused by pathogens that can enter the food supply anywhere from the farm to the kitchen. ERS analyses include estimating the costs of foodborne disease, conducting benefit/cost analyses of alternative regulatory options, and analyzing the impact of information labeling on markets. More...
Food Safety Policy USDA, along with other Federal agencies, has responsibility for many regulatory programs and non-regulatory initiatives to assure a safe and affordable food supply. ERS research helps decisionmakers assess the effectiveness of proposed and current programs by providing economic analyses of their costs, benefits, and the distribution of benefits and costs across the population. More...
Food Security ERS develops national measurements of food security (households' access to enough food for active, healthy living) from a special supplement to the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey. The survey asks households a series of questions about behaviors and experiences that characterize difficulty in meeting food needs. ERS also examines annual changes in food security, food insecurity, and hunger, measures the differences in the prevalence of food insecurity and hunger among States and between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and develops methods of assessing community food security. More...
Food Stamp Program The Food Stamp Program (FSP) is the largest of the Federal Government's efforts to alleviate hunger. ERS research on the FSP addresses such issues as factors that have contributed to the program's caseload decline, how to improve access to the program for low-income working households, and how to obtain administrative cost savings and preserve program integrity. More...
Food Wholesaling Food wholesale firms assemble and store goods, and transport them to retailers, food service firms, farmers, other wholesalers, and institutions such as schools and government. ERS research examines how structural changes in the number and size of food wholesaling firms and their contracting methods affect prices and other market outcomes. More...
Foodborne pathogens The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that foodborne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year. ERS estimates the human illness costs of foodborne disease to help policymakers identify the magnitude of the societal impact of foodborne disease. More...
Fruits & Tree Nuts With a farm value of $11.9 billion and per capita use of 297.7 pounds, fruit and tree nuts for both the fresh market and for processing account for 13 percent of U.S. crop value. ERS economists analyze U.S. supply, demand, prices, and trade for fresh and processing fruits and tree nuts. More...
General Economic Conditions & Outlook Both domestic and global macroeconomic conditions can have significant impacts on U.S. agriculture. ERS accounts for macroeconomic factors when deriving assumptions underlying USDA's long-term baseline projections. More...
Genetically Engineered Inputs The use of genetically engineered inputs such as Bt crops and herbicide-tolerant crops has grown tremendously over the past decade, and with it public interest in both its potential benefits and drawbacks. Consumers, policymakers, and investors alike have a stake in the safe and effective use of these new technologies. ERS conducts research on the use of genetically engineered production inputs and the impacts from their use in crops and livestock More...
Global Climate Change Global climate change is a contentious issue fraught with both environmental and economic implications for the United States and the rest of the world. Proposed international strategies to help mitigate the effects of climate change, as well as voluntary measures domestically, will almost certainly affect agricultural production and commodity markets in the United States. For that reason, ERS continues to study the potential effects of climate change on national and regional agriculture, as well as ways in which the agriculture industry might contribute to mitigation strategies. More...
Global Food Security Worldwide, some 1 billion people in 70 lower income countries are hungry, and the situation could grow worse in the poorest countries. Ironically, most of these people live in rural areas where food is produced. But food availability does not guarantee food security, which depends also on the ability to buy food and to utilize it effectively. Individual health and education levels, as well as local conditions such as safety of the water supply, affect the ability to utilize food effectively. More...
Global Resources & Environmental Issues Agriculture in the United States is inextricably bound to changes in land, water, and biological resources. ERS conducts ongoing research on the role of agriculture in environmental change, as well as how this change affects productivity and food security. More...
Government food safety policies USDA, along with other Federal agencies, has responsibility for many regulatory programs and non-regulatory initiatives to assure a safe and affordable food supply. ERS research helps decisionmakers assess the effectiveness of proposed and current programs by providing economic analyses of their costs, benefits, and the distribution of benefits and costs across the population. More...
HACCP To encourage the private sector to produce safer meat and poultry, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued the Pathogen Reduction/Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (PR/HACCP) rule in 1996. Federally regulated livestock and poultry slaughter and processing establishments are required to: Develop a HACCP plan to identify and control pathogens in their products, Meet targets for microbial pathogen reduction, Conduct microbial testing to determine compliance with the targets, Establish and follow written sanitary standard operating procedures. More...
Health Outcomes Poor or inadequate diets are linked to 4 of the top 10 causes of death—heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes—and to other health conditions, such as overweight, hypertension, and osteoporosis. ERS research on the health outcomes of a poor diet includes estimating the costs of diet-related illness and premature death. More...
Hogs/Pork The United States is the world's second-largest pork producer and a major player in the world pork market, ranking second as both an importing and exporting country. ERS provides market analysis on the domestic and world pork markets, including domestic supply and utilization, farm and retail pork prices, and international trade. More...
Housing Housing has an enormous influence on the quality of life of rural residents and is an important focus of USDA's rural development efforts. ERS housing research investigates the factors affecting the availability, adequacy, and affordability of rural housing and assesses the effectiveness of Federal assistance programs for meeting the housing needs of rural households. More...
Hungary Among the East European countries, Hungary has most successfully transitioned to a market economy and is perhaps best prepared for accession to the European Union. But some of this success is the result of heavy intervention in grain and livestock markets, which has led to trade disputes with the United States and WTO. ERS economists analyze agricultural supply, consumption, trade, and policies of Hungary. More...
Income, Poverty, & Welfare Rural per capita income is growing faster than inflation, and the percentage of rural people in poverty has fallen. But, the 2001 recession slowed rural income growth and reduced earnings. Despite rural growth prior to the recession, the large gap between the average rural income and the much higher average urban income remains. Recent research about food security suggests that part of the income gap may be due to lower costs of living in rural areas. Stronger evidence points to lower rural educational attainment, less competition for workers among rural employers, and fewer highly skilled jobs in the rural occupational mix. More...
India India, the world's second most populous country, is emerging after years of isolation as a potentially significant market and is moving gradually towards global integration through liberalized trade and market-oriented policies. ERS economists provide data and analyses on India's agricultural supply, demand, trade, and policy changes. More...
Industrial Organization of Food Markets Meatpacking and retailing are examples of industries undergoing significant firm consolidation. ERS analyses of these changes are important for understanding how these changes affect prices, which, in turn, affect consumers' choices and firms' production decisions. More...
Industry Concentration and R&D; Emerging agricultural inputs, such as genetically modified seeds and pharmaceuticals for livestock, are the products of expensive R&D; programs. Factors such as complementarities in research and production, and ownership of the intellectual property embodied in these inputs can shape competition in these industries. Understanding R&D; requires keeping up with industries evolving structure of input industries—including the strategic behavior and economic consequences of mergers and acquisitions. More...
Industry food safety actions Food processing plants control food safety because of a genuine concern over the safety of their products, fear of a loss of marketsdue to sales of contaminated products, lawsuits by consumers, and government regulation. ERS research is evaluating the impact of these forces. More...
Industry While agriculture, forestry, fishing, and mining remain important sectors in some rural economies, service and retail industries have accounted for most of the job growth in rural America over the past few decades. ERS research focuses on the full range of industries important to the rural economy. More...
Infrastructure Infrastructure consists of the physical facilities, the--bricks and mortar--that undergird transportation, electric, telecommunications, water and sewer systems throughout rural America. As a key factor affecting the economic development of rural communities, ERS research assesses the condition, financing, and importance of infrastructure systems in rural areas. More...
Intellectual Property Rights Critical to understanding private R&D; behavior is the role of intellectual property rights. Patents, plant variety protection certificates, trade secrets and other protection instruments strongly influence R&D; decisions made in the private sector, where the majority of agricultural research is now pursued. More...
International Agriculture International markets absorb a large share of U.S. agricultural output and supply many food and fiber products to U.S. consumers. ERS specialists provide wide-ranging research and analysis on production, consumption, and trade of key agricultural commodities and on agricultural policies of countries and regions important to U.S. agriculture, as well as on international trade agreements and food security issues. More...
Irrigation & Water Use U.S. agriculture competes for water resources with other sectors, including environmental and urban users. Policies and trends in water allocation, conservation, and management all have a profound impact on irrigated agriculture. ERS conducts research and analysis of water markets, producer decisions, and water-related policies, as well as the adoption of water conserving technologies. More...
Japan Japan imports $30-40 billion worth of agricultural products each year and is the largest farm trade destination for the United States. The size of Japan's imports affects prices in many markets, especially U.S. and Australian beef markets. ERS economists analyze Japan's agricultural production, consumption, trade, and policies. More...
Korea With a small arable land base, the Korean peninsula relies heavily on agricultural imports. Rapid economic growth has stimulated demand for high-value agricultural products. ERS economists analyze Korea's agricultural production, consumption, trade, and policies. More...
Labor & Education The Nation's 25 million rural workers face a fast-changing job market in which formal education and specialized job skills are increasingly critical to stable employment and good wages. Rural labor and education research at ERS examines the implications of an economy being transformed by advances in computers and information technology, as well as the causes and consequences of a large and persistent market for low-wage, low-skill workers in rural areas. More...
Land Use Agricultural production, environmental resource availability, and land values are greatly affected by changes in land use. ERS examines major land-use trends in the United States, how land management policy affects land-use practices, and the nonmarket benefits of rural land-use choices. More...
Landownership & Tenure Changing patterns of landownership have an impact on the U.S. agricultural system. ERS research in this area includes monitoring and analyzing changes in ownership, rental, and operation of farm and rural lands. More...
Lenders Federally insured depository institutions, government-sponsored enterprises, public financial assistance programs, private firms, and individuals provide financial capital in the form of credit or equity investments. ERS assesses the financial condition of the major sources of financial capital for farmers and other rural residents and the trends and policy developments affecting their performance. More...
Livestock Market Structure The livestock industry is made up many thousands of producers, marketers, and processors of animal products, coordinated through mechanisms ranging from spot market sales to contracting to vertically integrated corporations. ERS experts provide analyses, research, and data on the activity and performance of the industry and on its changing structure. More...
Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, Aquaculture Animal products are staples in American diets, wardrobes, and medicine chests. Over half of U.S. farms raise animals, and animals and animal products contribute substantially to agricultural trade. ERS experts compile and analyze data on supply and demand for U.S. animal products, and on industry structure, pricing, trade, farm policies, production systems, and processing. More...
Long-term Baseline Projections The USDA Baseline provides longrun (10-year) projections for the U.S. agricultural sector and is used for budget estimates and policy analysis. Projections cover selected agricultural crop and livestock commodities, agricultural trade, and aggregate indicators such as farm income and food prices. Projections are based on specific assumptions for the macroeconomy, policy, weather, and international developments. More...
Macroeconomics & Food/Nutrition Assistance Food and nutrition assistance programs affect the budgets, expenditures, and work decisions of both recipient and tax-paying households, which affect production and income throughout the economy; in turn, macroeconomic activity affects poverty levels and the need for food assistance programs. Recent analyses of such interactions have examined the impact of welfare reform and economic growth on food stamp caseloads, the effect of changes in the Food Stamp Program on agricultural activity, and the economywide consequences of transforming food stamp benefits to cash benefits. More...
Macroeconomics & Trade Exports of agricultural commodities significantly affect the economic performance of the U.S. agricultural sector. ERS analysts evaluate the impact of international financial developments in significant market countries on U.S. agricultural exports. More...
Macroeconomics & U.S. Agriculture The U.S. agricultural sector is affected by four key macroeconomic variables: exchange rates, interest rates, income growth, and terms of trade. ERS analyzes the impact of changes in these macroeconomic factors on U.S. agriculture. More...
Manure Management Properly managed manure is a valuable resource, but manure waste from confined animal feeding operations can jeopardize water quality and public health. As market forces and other factors have spurred a trend toward larger confined production units, policymakers have sought to enact measures to reduce nutrient loadings from these operations. ERS experts analyze the extent of manure problems, their economic and environmental implications, and the economics of management practices. More...
Market Analysis Animal products account for about one-half of farm cash receipts in the United States and contribute significantly to the U.S. balance of trade. ERS provides market and trade outlook and projections of inventories, product supplies, prices, exports, and imports for U.S. livestock and animal products. More...
Marketing, Labeling, & Trade The increasing supply of food made possible through biotechnology will lead to reduced food prices, thereby offering benefits to consumers. However, if some consumers (foreign or domestic) wish to avoid foods produced through biotechnology, there will be costs associated with keeping biotech and non-biotech foods separate. ERS research measures these costs and examines the likely impacts of this product differentiation. More...
Measuring Rurality ERS has developed several classification schemes to measure rurality and to capture the economic and social diversity in rural America. These schemes classify areas on the basis of population size, proximity to a metropolitan area, degree of urbanization, population of the largest city, commuting patterns, as well as primary economic activity and policy relevancy. More...
Meat Price Spreads Livestock producers' share of the consumer's retail dollar is indicated by the differences (spreads) between the values of an animal at the farm, wholesale, and retail levels. ERS analysts calculate farm values for Choice steers and slaughter hogs and wholesale and retail values for the meat produced by Choice steers, slaughter hogs, and broilers to determine price spreads. More...
Meatpacking The $70 billion slaughtering and processing industry, which turns cattle, hogs, sheep, and poultry into meat and other products, has consolidated rapidly in recent years. ERS experts provide data and analyses on the operation, cost, size, structure, and performance of this industry. More...
Mexico Mexico is the United States' third largest export market for agricultural commodities and the third most important supplier of agricultural commodities to the United States. The markets of North America (the United States, Canada, and Mexico) are increasingly integrated through the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). ERS analyzes Mexico's agricultural production, consumption, trade, and policies, focusing on their impact on the United States. More...
NAFTA The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is a comprehensive trade liberalizing agreement among Canada, Mexico, and the United States. ERS economists provide data and analysis concerning the impact of NAFTA on conditions in the U.S. agricultural sector. More...
Natural Amenities & Rural Growth People once moved to rural areas in search of fertile farmland, mineral deposits, and timber; today people move to rural areas in search of a pleasant environment for residence and recreation. ERS research examines the importance of natural amenities in determining population and employment growth experienced by communities in both rural and urbanized settings. More...
Natural Resources, Environment, & Conservation Connections among farming practices, conservation, and the environment are increasingly complex, and increasingly important components in U.S. farm policy. ERS examines the economic factors that affect resource use (land, water and biological resources) and estimates costs and benefits to farmers, consumers, and the government of meeting conservation and environmental goals. More...
Newly Independent States Economic reform during the 1990s has transformed the Newly Independent States (NIS)—the former member states of the Soviet Union—from a major importer of grain into a major importer of meat, with significant implications for U.S. agricultural export prospects. ERS provides data and analysis on agricultural supply, consumption, trade, and policies for Russia and Ukraine—the two key countries of the region. More...
North America & Caribbean The United States, Canada, and Mexico are major agricultural trade partners, and together they form the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Canada and Mexico are the destination for over one-fourth of U.S. exports and the source of over one-third of U.S. imports of agricultural products. Countries and territories in the Caribbean are markets for U.S. exports. ERS regional specialists provide research, analysis, and data about the agricultural production, consumption, trade and policies of Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. More...
Nutrition Information & Education Some nutrition information programs aim to produce nutritionally literate consumers by providing information such as nutrition information labels on food packages and the food guide pyramid. In contrast, nutrition education programs are targeted at specific groups and emphasize dietary behavior change. ERS provides advice and technical assistance to other USDA agencies to develop evaluation components in their nutrition education programs. ERS research examines the economics of food labeling and consumer use of information. More...
Oats Oats comprise less than 1 percent of U.S. feed grain production. ERS analysts provide information and data on supply, use, and prices of oats. More...
Obesity in America Overweight and obesity have become major health concerns for the Nation's adults and children: overweight adults are at greater risk of morbidity and mortality associated with several acute and chronic medical conditions, and the number of overweight and obese children, adolescents, and adults has increased. ERS contributes to a growing body of research on factors associated with obesity. More...
Organic Agriculture & Production U.S. agricultural producers are increasingly turning to organic farming methods to lower input costs, decrease reliance on nonrenewable resources, and increase profits. Certified organic farming systems rely on practices such as cultural and biological pest management to reduce the use of synthetic chemicals in crop production and antibiotics in livestock production. ERS research on this topic aims to assess the impact of organic production systems on farm income, marketing practices, environmental quality, and more. More...
Organic Agriculture & Production See ag chemicals & production technology > organic agriculture & production More...
Peanuts Peanut production, concentrated in the southeastern and southwestern regions of the United States, generates an annual crop value of about $700 million. ERS economists provide current market analysis, research, and data on production, consumption, prices, and trade for peanuts and byproducts. More...
Pest Management & IPM (Integrated Pest Management) Pest management strategies are a vital component of any farm operation, but the economic benefits of pesticides must be balanced against their potential impact on human health and the environment. In 1993, the USDA, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency began working together to reduce pesticide use and promote integrated pest management strategies, which emphasize natural pest control methods. ERS researchers examine the impact of economic, environmental, and policy incentives on the adoption of alternative chemical and nonchemical pest management practices and technologies in crop production, including pesticides, biological controls, organic practices, biotechnology, and other strategies. More...
Pesticides U.S. farmers have greatly increased land productivity through the use of synthetic chemical pesticides. Increasingly, the agriculture industry must weigh a multitude of economic, environmental, legal, and policy factors when making decisions on pesticide use and the adoption of new technologies. Pesticide use is regulated closely by the Federal Government through laws including the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA); and the methyl bromide provisions of the Clean Air Act. ERS research emphasizes the factors underlying the adoption of pesticides and other pest control technologies and the economic and environmental implications of laws, policies, and regulations affecting pesticides and pest management. More...
Poland Poland, with 39 million people, is the largest market for U.S. agricultural and food products in Eastern Europe, but its transition from planned to market economy has brought dramatic changes. Historically large exports of grain and protein meal have fallen precipitously, while exports of poultry and other animal products have increased. ERS researchers analyze market and policy changes that affect Poland's agriculture, its agricultural relationships with other countries, and U.S. trade. More...
Population & Migration ERS research assesses the impact of demographic change, shifting economic trends, and new policy implementation on the well-being of rural people and places, with a particular emphasis on at-risk population groups such as single parents, the working poor, children, the elderly, and racial/ethnic minorities. More...
Population, Employment, & Income This portion of the state fact sheets contains the latest available population, employment, per capita income, and earnings per job estimates for rural and urban areas of each state. These estimate are used by ERS to assess rural economic conditions and trends. State Fact Sheets More...
Potatoes With an annual farm value of $2.5 billion and per capita use of 140 pounds in 2001, potatoes rank first in value and consumption among all vegetables produced and consumed in the United States. ERS economists analyze U.S. supply, demand, prices, and trade for fresh and processing potatoes. More...
Poultry & Eggs The U.S. poultry industry is among the world's largest producers and exporters of poultry products. ERS experts analyze domestic production, prices, and supply, and the issues affecting future output and trade. More...
Production Input Industries Commercial inputs—including pesticides, fertilizer, machinery, energy, seed, and biotechnology products—have an impact on crop production, as well as on natural resources such as air, water, and wildlife. ERS researches the factors that influence the choices farmers make among various inputs, and how these inputs can be used more efficiently. More...
Program Operations & Integrity To be successful, the USDA food and nutrition assistance programs must deliver benefits in a manner that inspires public confidence by operating efficiently and ensuring that public funds are not subject to wasteful or fraudulent use. A number of ongoing ERS projects examine integrity issues in the Food Stamp Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the Summer Food Service Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program. More...
Program Outcomes USDA administers 15 food assistance programs—including the Food Stamp Program, the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)—that take a variety of forms and provide different types of food benefits to recipients. A variety of outcomes are used to measure the impact of these programs on diet and health, including food expenditures, food security/insecurity, nutrient availability, nutrient intake, nutritional status, and health status. More...
Residues in Food The use of pesticides in food production results in residues on foods. ERS research has examined the dollar value consumers might place on reducing the human health risks induced by dietary intake of pesticides. More...
Returns to Agricultural Research Even as society is placing broader demands on the research system, taxpayer support for public agricultural research is unlikely to increase. Key elements still require direct public support, while stronger intellectual property righrts have increased potential returns for private investment. New mechanisms to build a more effective public-private partnership are emerging. More...
Rice Rice is the primary staple for more than half the world's population, and the United States plays a key role in international markets. ERS provides analysis on domestic and global rice supply, use, prices, trade, and policy. More...
Risk assessment for foodborne hazards Food safety agencies, like all government agencies, make choices about how to maximize the impact of their budgets. By combining economics with risk assessments and conducting benefit/cost analyses of alternative public policies, ERS analyses can help identify the types of policies with the greatest net benefit to society. More...
Risk Management Policy Risk management has become a priority of U.S. agricultural policy in recent years, with crop and revenue insurance now covering about 200 million acres. ERS research on risk management policy includes studies on crop and revenue insurance issues and on the use of other tools such as futures, options, and tax-deferred savings accounts for farmers. More...
Rural Amenities & Urbanization In addition to producing food, fiber, and timber, rural lands also contribute tangible and intangible amenities such as open space, aesthetic landscapes, wildlife habitats, environmental services, agrarian cultural heritage, rural lifestyles, and recreational opportunities. ERS research evaluates the relative importance of these amenities in various contexts, based on an examination of existing public programs, particularly farmland preservation programs in areas of rapid urban development. More...
Rural America Rural America comprises 2,052 counties, contains 75 percent of the Nation's land, and is home to 17 percent (49 million) of the U.S. population based on the 2003 Federal definitions of nonmetropolitan counties. ERS research and policy analysis focuses on the socioeconomic well-being of low-income households, the effectiveness of Federal assistance programs in rural areas, and the factors influencing the rural infrastructure, agribusiness, and industrial base of rural areas. More...
Rural Policy USDA operates a number of programs aimed at furthering the economic development of Rural America and is responsible for coordinating the rural activities of other Federal agencies. ERS assesses funding, policy decisions, and the economic impact of Federal housing, infrastructure, community service, and business development programs of importance to rural areas. More...
Russia Economic reforms after the breakup of the USSR in 1991 have transformed Russia from one of the world's largest importers of grain to one of the world's largest importers of meat. Direct meat imports have replaced grain imports that were supplying an inefficient and highly subsidized livestock sector. The United States has substantially reduced its grain exports to Russia and become Russia's main foreign supplier of meat. ERS analyzes Russian agricultural production and trade, policy developments, and key current issues as they relate to agriculture. More...
Safe food handling Consumer trade-offs in adhering to recommendations for safe handling and preparation of foods include the time for extra cleaning in the kitchen as well as (possibly) less palatable taste and texture. Peer pressure and risk information are also effective in motivating safe food handling. For more information, see the Consumer Food Safety Behavior briefing room. More...
Sheep Sheep are raised for both meat (lamb or mutton) and wool. The U.S. sheep and wool industries have seen significant change since the mid-1970s, marked by smaller inventories, declining production, shrinking revenues, and fewer operations. Historically, lamb and mutton have been viewed as byproducts of wool production, even though wool receipts have accounted for only about one-quarter of revenue. As wool revenues have declined, producers have turned their attention to lamb and mutton production. ERS economists, in cooperation with other USDA agencies, provide market analysis and research on the U.S. sheep industry, focusing on domestic supply, demand, and trade. More...
Short-term Projections USDA provides short-term (1 year) projections for the U.S. agricultural sector, which are used for market and policy analysis. Projections cover key agricultural crop and livestock commodities, agricultural trade, and aggregate indicators such as farm income and food prices and are available through a series of outlook reports. More...
Small Farms The National Commission on Small Farms, established in 1997 by the Secretary of Agriculture, defines 9 out of 10 U.S. farms as "small farms." ERS analyzes small farm issues using an ERS-developed farm typology to divide small farms into more homogeneous, mutually exclusive groups based on farm and operator characteristics. Analyses using the farm typology—which includes limited-resource, retirement, residential, farming occupation/lower sales, and farming/higher sales farms—give a detailed picture of small farmers today. More...
Soil Conservation Soil conservation policies and activities are instrumental in reducing soil erosion from wind and water, maintaining soil productivity, and preventing pollution of water and air from sediment and windblown dust. ERS examines the adoption, costs, and benefits of soil conservation measures and the evolution and effectiveness of soil conservation programs. More...
Sorghum Grain sorghum comprises about 5 percent of U.S. feed grain production. ERS analysts provide information and data on the supply, use, and prices of grain sorghum. More...
South America South America is an important source of agricultural products, especially soybeans and soy products, coffee, corn, wheat, beef, fruit juices, and poultry meat. In some of these markets, its exports compete directly with U.S. exports. ERS economists provide data and analysis on agricultural supply, consumption, trade, and policies of key countries on the continent, including Argentina and Brazil. More...
South Asia South Asia includes emerging markets in a densely populated region heavily dependent upon agriculture. ERS economists provide data and analysis on agriucltural supply, consumption, trade, and policies of key countries in the region, including India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. More...
Soybeans & Oil Crops The United States is the world's leading producer and exporter of soybeans, and soybeans are second highest in value among U.S.-produced crops. ERS economists provide current market analysis, research, and data on production, consumption, prices, and international trade for soybeans, other oilseeds, and their byproducts. More...
Sugar & Sweeteners The U.S. sweetener industry is the largest in the world with annual consumption of about 9.3 million tons of refined sugar each year and about 12 million tons of corn sweeteners. ERS economists analyze U.S. supply, demand, prices, and trade for beet and cane sugar, and for corn sweeteners. More...
Taiwan Taiwan has been one of the largest markets for U.S. agricultural products since the 1970s, importing grains, soybeans, and an increasing variety of higher valued products. Following Taiwan's membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO) as of January 2002, some policy changes will increase trade potential. ERS provides data and analysis on Taiwan's agricultural production, consumption, trade, and policies. More...
Tax Policy Federal tax policies can have important effects on farm profitability, the number and size of farms, the structure of the farm sector, and the mix of land, labor, and capital inputs used in farming. Research on Federal tax provisions of importance to farmers, and proposed changes to the tax code, assesses the impact on farmers and the food and fiber sector as a whole. More...
Taxes Federal taxes, such as the individual income tax, the estate and gift tax, and social security and self-employment taxes, influence farmland prices, capital purchases, structure, and farm profitability. Research on Federal tax provisions of importance to farmers and other rural residents estimates the financial burdens imposed by these taxes as well as behavioral adjustments made in response to tax policy. More...
Tobacco With a farm value in 2001 of $1.9 billion, tobacco is the United States' ninth largest cash crop. The United States is fourth behind China, Brazil, and India in world production, and second behind Brazil in exports. ERS economists analyze U.S. supply, demand, prices, and trade for tobacco and review the effects of tobacco policy and regulation on tobacco farmers. More...
Tomatoes With a farm value of $1.8 billion and per capita use of 93 pounds, tomatoes (fresh and processing) are second only to potatoes in economic importance and consumption within the vegetable sector. ERS economists analyze U.S. supply, demand, prices, and trade for fresh and processing tomatoes. More...
Top Agricultural Commodities The State Fact Sheets lists the latest top five agricultural commodities for each state, ranked by cash receipts. These data are used as a measure of farm sector performance. State Fact Sheets More...
Top Agricultural Exports This portion of the state fact sheets contain the top agricultural exports by state for the last fiscal year. The export estimates are based on the National Agricultural Statistics Services' crop and livestock production and slaughter estimates. In some cases supplemental data are used. State Fact Sheets More...
Trade Trade is critical to the U.S. agricultural economy: about 20 percent of U.S. agricultural production is exported, and imports account for a varied but growing share of U.S. consumption of agricultural products. ERS economists analyze a wide range of trade-related topics, including U.S. agricultural trade data, trade and the environment, and trade agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). More...
Trade & the Environment This topic focuses on understanding, predicting, and evaluating the environmental impacts of trade liberalization policies that improve market access, enhance export competition, and reduce domestic support for agricultural products. Research examines the effects on international trade in U.S. commodities arising from alternative policies for achieving various domestic environmental targets. More...
Trade Policy About 20 percent of the value of U.S. agricultural production is exported, and a growing share of global agricultural production is traded internationally, making international and individual country trade policy critical to the flow of agricultural goods and a factor in production decisions that may affect environmental quality. ERS economists analyze the implications of trade policies in the United States and abroad for U.S. and global agriculture and the environment. More...
U.S./State Facts The state fact sheets provide information on population, employment, income, farm characteristics, and farm financial indicators for each state. The estimates are updated as new data become available. State Fact Sheets More...
Ukraine Despite favorable natural conditions, Ukrainian agriculture continues to perform far below its potential. An effective reform policy could return Ukraine to its historical position as a major agricultural exporter, with consequences for world agricultural markets. ERS analyzes Ukrainian agricultural production and trade, policy developments, and key current issues. More...
Vegetables & Melons Vegetables and melons account for 16 percent ($15 billion) of all U.S. crop cash receipts but utilize just 2 percent of all harvested cropland. ERS economists analyze U.S. supply, demand, prices, and trade for vegetables and melons, including fresh-market, canned, frozen, dried and dehydrated product. More...
Vulnerable Populations Certain groups of Americans--low-income families, children, and the elderly--are more at risk than others from changes in the economy or other social conditions. ERS research examines the government and private programs that attempt to improve the well-being of these groups and their ability to protect themselves from distress. More...
Water Quality Agricultural activity can affect water quality in various ways. ERS continually examines these effects, as well as the economic benefits of water quality improvement, and the efficacy of government efforts to control the negative impact of agriculture on water quality. More...
Welfare Reform Welfare reform dramatically transformed the Federal safety net and the food assistance landscape for low-income households in the United States. ERS research addresses issues related to the effects of welfare reform on U.S. food assistance programs and the implications of these changes for the nutritional and economic well-being of low-income families and the general economy. More...
Wetlands As government policy regarding the protection of the Nation's wetlands has evolved, ERS has analyzed the role of agriculture and its impact on wetlands protection. Specific areas of emphasis include conversion of wetlands to farm uses, restoration of wetlands from agricultural land, and policies governing agricultural wetland use. More...
Wheat Wheat ranks third in farm value among all U.S. crops ($5.5 billion in 2000), and about half of the crop is exported. ERS economists provide market analysis and research on domestic and global wheat markets, including supply, demand, and trade. More...
WIC Program The mission of WIC is to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk by providing nutritional foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating, and referrals to health care. ERS research on WIC addresses such issues as the impact of WIC on children's intakes of certain major nutrients, identification and evaluation of the best tools for detecting fraud and abuse in the program, and the effects of cost-containment practices by States. More...
Wildlife Agricultural production and practices are sometimes at odds with efforts to preserve the Nation's wildlife. ERS' ongoing research focuses on private landowner incentives for habitat conservation, the nonmarket benefits of wildlife viewing and fishing/hunting, and implications of wildlife policies such as the Endangered Species Act. More...
WTO The Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture under the World Trade Organization (WTO), as well as continuing negotiations to further liberalize agricultural trade, have important implications for agricultural trade and for U.S. agriculture. ERS researchers analyze agriculture-related issues in the WTO and other global trade liberalization efforts. More...
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