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Announcements for Friday, May 4, 2012

Announcements

  • New baby girl for Jessica Schuring

    Congratulations to Jessica Schuring and her husband Craig on the birth of their new baby girl Kennedy Renee Schuring. Kennedy was born at 3:28pm on Sunday, April 29th, weighing in at 6 lbs. 14 oz,. and is 19 1/2 in. long. The department wishes its best to Jessica and her new family!

  • New photocopier training for grad students

    A new photocopier has been placed in Rm 280 (grad computer lab) for Econ grad student use. Please continue to bring classwork and exams to the main office for duplication.

    To gain access to the photocopier you will enter into the copier your net-id and password. You will have the capability to make copies and scan documents which will go directly to your computer.

    A training for the new photocopier is scheduled for Wednesday, May 9 at 2 PM.

News

  • USDA Awards Grant to Center for Agricultural and Rural Development

    The Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) is the recent recipient of a $768,000 competitive grant through the US Department of Agriculture. The grant is directed toward the continuation of CARD's work in policy analysis, with its focus on farm and agriculture; the environment; rural economies; and consumer, food and nutrition. The award also marks CARD’s successful transition away from congressional funding towards competitive grants, showing its capacity to thrive in a post earmark environment.

    Iowa State Professor Cathy Kling, interim director of CARD, says that while the recent shift away from earmarks posed some new challenges, the center’s ability to compete effectively for grant funding highlights the significance of their work.

    "In the new funding landscape, we are continuously challenged to demonstrate that we have the expertise and capacity to deliver cutting edge, policy relevant research that meets the highest academic standards," said Kling. "I am delighted that CARD faculty and staff were successful in our first attempt to compete for these significant research dollars.

    “We will be able to support critical model infrastructure as well as deliver research findings addressing a plethora of issues such as the design of farm programs, water quality, health and nutrition programs, rural development, and many others," she said.

    CARD conducts innovative public policy and economic research on agricultural, environmental, and food issues designed to inform and benefit society. CARD researchers develop and apply economic theory, quantitative methods, and interdisciplinary approaches to create relevant knowledge. Communication efforts target state and federal policymakers; the research community; agricultural, food, and environmental groups; individual decision makers; and international audiences. CARD is located in the Department of Economics at Iowa State University.

  • Prescott, retail specialist, forecasts a happy Mother's Day ahead for Iowa retailers

    Ron Prescott, the retail and small business specialist with Iowa State's Extension and Outreach Community and Economic Development and Department of Economics, reports that new National Retail Federation data projects that Iowa retailers should see an increase in their Mother's Day sales. Sales nationally may peak at $152.52 per person, which Prescott says is an 8.4 percent increase over last year. Read the full release at:http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2012/may/mothersday

  • Welcome Lee Schulz, assistant professor and extension livestock economist

    The Department of Economics wishes to welcome Lee Schulz, who will serve as assistant professor and extension livestock economist at Iowa State University.

    Schulz brings with him interests and experiences which span issues throughout the meat supply chain. Through applied research and first-hand knowledge with livestock production, he has expertise in topics including animal identification and traceability, fed cattle trade, feeder cattle pricing, animal welfare and handling, meat demand, and price risk management and analysis. His research on a host of livestock economic issues has resulted in multiple publications and numerous outreach contributions.

    Schulz grew up on a cow-calf farm in central Wisconsin. He obtained a BS from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, an MS from Michigan State University, and a PhD from Kansas State University.

    "Iowa State University is well recognized for its excellence and leadership in the field of economics and its commitment to extension. I'm excited to join the faculty," he said. "The livestock extension program at ISU has a long, storied history that I look forward to maintaining and building upon."

    Schulz will focus his efforts on a range of integrated research and extension activities, with particular focus on livestock industries. His broader interests cover aspects throughout the meat supply chain, ranging from production level supply issues to end-user consumer demand issues. He will provide leadership and expertise to relevant stakeholders and policy makers.

  • Wednesday's Environmental/Resources Department Workshop with Ruiqing Miao, Iowa State University

    Ruiqing Miao, Iowa State University, will present Wednesday's Environmental/Resource Economics Workshop entitled "Land Use Consequences of Crop Insurance Subsidies and Sodsaver," starting at 12 PM in 468D Heady Hall.

    Abstract: There have long been concerns that federal crop insurance subsidies may significantly impact land use decisions. It is well known that classical insurance market information asymmetry problems can lead to a social excess of risky land entering crop production. Our conceptual model shows that the problem will arise absent any information failures. This is because the subsidy is i) proportional to acres planted, and ii) greatest for the most production risky land. Using field level data, we follow this observation through to establish the implications of subsidies for the extent of crop production, with particular emphasis on the U.S. Prairie Pothole Region where the cropland growth is likely to have marked adverse environmental impacts. Simulation results show that were crop insurance subsidies eliminated then about 6% of land under federal crop insurance would be reallocated to grassland. Sodsaver, if applied, would reduce grassland conversion by 1.6%.

Funding Opportunities

Papers and Presentations

  • Presentations made by Cathy Kling

    "Market- Based Regulation of Agricultural Nonpoint Source Externalities" presented at the Conference entitled "Providing Environmental Services from Agriculture in a Budget-Constrained Environment" supported by USDA Economic Research Service, the Farm Foundation, and Resources for the Future, April 18, 2012, Washington DC.

    "Markets and Regulation: Alternatives or Complements?" presented at the 2012 Agricultural Outlook Forum, sponsored by USDA, February 23, 2012, Washington DC

    "The Potential for Agricultural Land Use Changes in the Raccoon River Basin to Reduce Flood Risk" presented at the University of Iowa Hydraulics Laboratory, December 2011, Iowa City Iowa.