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United States Department of Agriculture - Economic Research Service - The Economics of Food, Farming, Natural Resources, and Rural America...

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the economics behind the headlines

ERS research provides context to these and other current events:
Wendy’s new ads reflect possible tomato shortage Biotech crops said to boost grower income Risks from microbial contamination are a global concern see related ERS research>

new from ERS

	Dissecting the retail tobacco dollar The year 2003 may mark the start of a downward trend for consumer expenditures on tobacco products. Consumption declined enough to offset the higher cost of cigarettes, causing annual consumer expenditures to fall for the second time since before World War II. (October 19, 2004)

	The Conservation Reserve Program and rural America In rural communities with high proportions of farmland enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), how are the economies affected? In focus: rural employment and business, rural population and beginning farmers, land use, and recreational opportunities. (October 8, 2004) See Research Brief.

	Nutrition education for Food Stamp recipients New web page ties together information and resources on Food Stamp Nutrition Education (FSNE), including links to State-level maps and data and research tools for assessing FSNE impact. (October 22, 2004)

	2004 awards for food assistance and nutrition research The Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Program (FANRP) made awards for grants and cooperative agreements to fund research on program design and operations; on food assistance as a safety net; and on obesity, diet quality, and health. (October 14, 2004) See press release.

	Will China's dramatic economic growth continue? China's rapid economic growth has been driven by high investment, gains in productivity, and liberalized trade and investment. Growth is likely to continue, but the economy faces some possibly unsustainable pressures. (October 12, 2004)

	Data on farm and farm-related employment: update New data for 2001, the latest available industry-level data, show that farming and its related industries provided 24.4 million jobs, or about 14.6 percent of total U.S. employment. Farm production accounted for 3.1 million of these jobs. (October 8, 2004)