Concise overviews of key issues, research findings,
and analysis. These are available in Adobe
Acrobat PDF format. |
Diet
and Health  |
Fruit and Vegetable Consumption by Low-Income Americans: Would a Price Reduction Make a Difference?
ERS study found that a 10-percent reduction in prices would encourage low-income Americans to raise consumption of fruit by 2.1-5.2 percent and vegetables by 2.1-4.9 percent. January 2009 HTML
Behavioral Economic Concepts To Encourage Healthy Eating in School Cafeterias: Experiments and Lessons From College Students
ERS describes an experiment in a college cafeteria to assess how various payment options and menu selection methods affect food choices. December 2008 HTML
The Declilne in Consumer Use of Food Nutrition Labels, 1995-2006
ERS examines changes on consumers’ use of nutrition labels on food items between 1995-96 and 2005-06 and finds that use has declined for most components of labels. August 2008
Is Dietary Knowledge Enough? Hunger, Stress, and Other Roadblocks to Healthy Eating
Using a consumer demand model, ERS illustrates how both long-term health objectives and immediate visceral influences (e.g., time pressure) influence food choices. August 2008
Dietary Assessment of Major Trends in U.S. Food Consumption, 1970-2005
ERS investigates trends in U.S. food consumption from 1970 to 2005. Results suggest many Americans still fall short of Federal dietary recommendations for whole grains, lower fat dairy products, and fruits and vegetables. March 2008
Food Stamps and Obesity: What Do We Know?
Results from reviewed studies indicate that for most Food Stamp Program participants, use of food stamp benefits does not result in an increase in Body Mass Index or the likelihood of being overweight or obese. March 2008
Price Trends Are Similar for Fruits, Vegetables, and Snack Foods
Evidence suggest that a wide class of unprepared fresh fruits and vegetables—those that have not been combined with labor-saving attributes—display declining prices along with prices of commonly consumed dessert and snack foods. March 2008
The U.S. Grain Consumption Landscape: Who Eats Grain, in What Form, Where, and How Much?
ERS compared consumption of refined and whole grains with recommendations of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines, considering the consumers’ social, economic, and demographic characteristics. November 2007
Can Food Stamps Do More To Improve Food Choices? An Economic Perspective
Eight economic information bulletins compile evidence to address the question of whether the Food Stamp Program could do more to encourage healthful food choices. September 2007
Food and Nutrition Assistance Programs and Obesity: 1976-2002
ERS investigated the extent to which overweight and obesity have increased over time among food food and nutrition assistance recipients compared with nonrecipient groups. September 2007
Could
Behavioral Economics Help Improve Diet Quality for
Nutrition Assistance Program Participants?
The increasing presence of nontraditional grocery
retailers such as supercenters is generating new
cost-cutting and differentiation strategies among
traditional food retailers. June 2007
|
Who
Has Time To Cook? How Family Resources Influence
Food Preparation
The relationship of household characteristics and
time resources to the amount of time spent preparing
food is relevant for the design of food assistance
programs. May 2007
Possible
Implications for U.S. Agriculture From Adoption
of Select Dietary Guidelines
ERS used its Food Availability data and Food Guide
Pyramid Servings data to calculate possible changes
in U.S. farm production needed if consumers followed
some of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. November
2006
Let’s
Eat Out—Americans Weigh Taste, Convenience,
and Nutrition
Analysis of a survey of U.S. consumers indicates
that respondents want convenience and an enjoyable
dining experience, but the desire for health also
plays a role as does diet-health knowledge. October
2006
Nutrition
Labeling in the Food-Away-From-Home Sector: An Economic
Assessment
Current nutrition labeling law exempts much
of the food-away-from-home sector from mandatory
labeling regulations. What would be the economic
costs if the sector were included in the regulations,
and how might producers and consumers respond? April
2005
Understanding
Fruit and Vegetable Choices Economic and Behavioral
Influences
Promotional advice that is flexible in accommodating
a range of preferences and lifestyles maybe more
effective than nutrition information alone in influencing
consumers’ food choices. November 2004
U.S.
Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Who, What, Where,
and How Much
The variety of produce available to Americans has
blossomed in recent years, and ERS has analyzed
data from national USDA surveys to investigate how
consumers are responding.
November 2004
What
Determines the Variety of a Household’s Vegetable
Purchases?
ERS has investigated factors that influence the
purchase of vegetables, and identified the obstacles
to selecting a variety. November 2004
How
Much Do Americans Pay for Fruits and Vegetables?
Contrary to assumptions that fruits and vegetables
are expensive, especially when purchased fresh,
a consumer can meet daily recommendation of three
servings of fruits and four servings of vegetables
for 64 cents. November 2004
Low-Income
Households’ Expenditures on Fruits and Vegetables
Americans generally eat less fruits and vegetables
than is recommended in USDA’s Food Guide Pyramid,
and low-income households eat even less than higher
income households. November 2004
Fruit
and Vegetable Consumption: Looking Ahead to 2020
Factors shaping food consumption are rising income,
higher educational attainment, improved diet and
health knowledge, more frequent eating out, and
a growing population that will become older and
more racially and ethnically diverse. November
2004
The
Demand for Food Away from Home: Full-Service or
Fast Food?
Population trends and rising incomes are expected
to sustain growth in spending for food at full-service
and fast food restaurants.
January 2004
See also “Food programs and food security.”
|
Farm
Economy |
|
Million-Dollar Farms in the New Century
ERS documents the growing importance of very large farms in agricultural production. While a large majority of U.S. farms are small, those with annual sales above $1 million account for roughly half of agricultural sales. December 2008 HTML
Profile of Hired Farmworkers, A 2008 Update
ERS examines the size, importance, and composition of the hired farmworker force, updating information published in 2000. These workers make up a third of the farm labor force. July 2008
Economic Organization of U.S. Broiler Production
ERS describes the boiler industry’s organization, use of production contracts, animal housing features, enterprise cost structures, and farm household finances.
June 2008
Agricultural Contracting Update, 2005
Over half of all transactions for U.S. farm products involved commodities bought and sold in open markets. But formal contractual arrangements cover a growing share of production. April 2008
The Changing Economics of Hog Production
ERS examines the economic factors that underlie the dramatic decline in number of hog operations over the past 15 years and the increasing concentration of production on large, specialized hog farms. December 2007
Characteristics and Production Costs of U.S. Hog Farms, 2004
Once dominated by small, owner-operated crop-hog farms, hog ownership is increasingly concentrated. Traditional farrow-to-finish operations are being replaced by operations specializing in a single production phase. December 2007
Profits, Costs, and the Changing Structure of Dairy Farming
ERS examines economic factors in the dramatic decline in the number of dairy farms over the past 15 years and the increasing concentration in the industry. September 2007
Structure
and Finances of U.S. Farms: Family Farm Report,
2007 Edition
U.S. farms are diverse in size, the commodities
produced, financial performance, and business structure,
but the overwhelming majority are family farms.
See also brochure.
June 2007
Cost
Pass-Through in the U.S. Coffee Industry
ERS uses data from the coffee industry to examine
to what extent changes in commodity costs affect
manufacturer and retail prices. March 2007
Off-Farm
Income, Technology Adoption, and Farm Economic Performance
ERS examines the relationship between off-farm work,
farmers’ technology choices, and the economic
performance of farms and farm households. February
2007
Did
BSE Announcements Reduce Beef Purchases?
ERS examines retail purchases of beef and beef products
for evidence of response to the 2003 government
announcements of finding cows infected with Bovine
Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). December 2006
|
U.S.
Dairy at a Global Crossroads
Current dynamics in world dairy markets and the
potential for trade policy reform are bringing the
U.S. dairy sector to a crossroads as it faces global
competitive forces. November 2006
Possible
Implications for U.S. Agriculture From Adoption
of Select Dietary Guidelines
ERS used its Food Availability data and Food Guide
Pyramid Servings data to calculate possible changes
in U.S. farm production needed if consumers followed
some of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. November
2006
How
Low has the Farm Share of Retail Food Prices Really
Fallen?
ERS estimates the share of retail food prices farmers
earn on two commodity groups—fruits and vegetables.
While the farm share has been shrinking, the decrease
is less than previously believed. August 2006
Understanding
U.S. Farm Exits
The rate of entry into farming is nearly as high
as the exit rate, keeping the U.S. farm count stable.
ERS examines the numbers as well as the forces driving
farm exits. June 2006
The
First Decade of Genetically Engineered Crops in
the United States
ERS summarizes the impact of developments in agricultural
biotechnology on seed suppliers and other biotech
firms, farmers, and consumers, as well as environmental
impacts. April 2006
The
Value of Plant Disease Early-Warming Systems: A
Case Study of USDA's Soybean Rust Coordinated Framework
ERS examines and evaluates, as a case study, USDA's
coordinated framework for soybean rust surveillance,
reporting, prediction, and management. April
2006
Farm Structure
and Economic Well-Being
Two ERS Economic Briefs examine the role of farm
payments in economic well being, the impact of commodity
payments on farms and farmers, and the distribution
of payments. March 2006
Agricultural
Contracting Update: Contracts in 2003
A growing share of farm product transactions are
made through agreements between farmers and buyers
prior to crop harvest or livestock production. Contracts
covered 39 percent of the value of agricultural
production in 2003, up from 36 percent in 2001,
and contracting shows a strong upward trend. January
2006
Contracts,
Markets, and Prices: Organizing the Production and
Use of Agricultural Commodities
Demand for specific product attributes is making
contracts the choice over traditional spot markets
for many livestock commodities and some major crops—e.g.,
sugar beets, fruit, tomatoes. November 2004
|
Food
Assistance and Food Security |
| A Comparison of Household Food Security in Canada and the United States
Using nationally representative surveys from the United States and Canada, ERS compares rates of food insecurity in economic and demographic subgroups of the two countries. December 2008 HTML
Household Food Security in the United States, 2007
Eighty-nine percent of U.S. households were food secure throughout the entire year in 2007 (access at all times to enough food). Rates of food insecurity were essentially unchanged from 2005 and 2006. November 2008
Can Food Stamps Do More To Improve Food Choices? An Economic Perspective
Eight economic information bulletins compile evidence to address the question of whether the Food Stamp Program could do more to encourage healthful food choices. September 2007
Food and Nutrition Assistance Programs and Obesity: 1976-2002
ERS investigated the extent to which overweight and obesity have increased over time among food food and nutrition assistance recipients compared with nonrecipient groups. September 2007
|
Could
Behavioral Economics Help Improve Diet Quality for
Nutrition Assistance Program Participants?
The increasing presence of nontraditional grocery
retailers such as supercenters is generating new
cost-cutting and differentiation strategies among
traditional food retailers. June 2007
Characteristics
of Low-Income Households With Very Low Food Security:
An Analysis of the USDA GPRA Food Security Indicator
ERS provides information on the composition, location,
employment, education, and other characteristics
of households that experienced very low food security. May 2007
Food
Insecurity in Households With Children
Diets and eating patterns of American children are
disrupted when their families cannot always afford
enough food. July 2003
Reducing
Food Insecurity in the United States: Assessing
Progress Toward a National Objective
The Healthy People 2010 initiative (Health and Human
Services Department) has a goal of reducing the
prevalence rate of food insecurity in the U.S. by
2010 to 6 percent, half of the 1995 level of 12
percent. May 2002 |
| ERS conducts a Food
Assistance and Nutrition Research Program (FANRP)
that addresses the research needs of USDA’s
food assistance and nutrition programs—through
internal research and through partnerships with
other agencies and organizations.
See food assistance
briefs |
|
Food
Industry and Markets |
| The U.S. Organic Handling Sector in 2004
ERS surveyed certified organic manufacturers, processors, and distributors in the United States to collect information on basic characteristics of the sector, as well as its marketing and procurement practices. May 2008
Price Trends Are Similar for Fruits, Vegetables, and Snack Foods
Evidence suggest that a wide class of unprepared fresh fruits and vegetables—those that have not been combined with labor-saving attributes—display declining prices along with prices of commonly consumed dessert and snack foods. March 2008
The
U.S. Food Marketing System: Recent Developments,
1997-2005
The increasing presence of nontraditional grocery
retailers such as supercenters is generating new
cost-cutting and differentiation strategies among
traditional food retailers.
May 2007
Food
Spending in American Households,
2003-04
Using data from the most recent Consumer Expenditure
Survey, ERS presents information on nationwide urban
food expenditure patterns by select demographic
and socioeconomic characteristics. March 2007
Cost
Pass-Through in the U.S. Coffee Industry
ERS uses data from the coffee industry to examine
to what extent changes in commodity costs affect
manufacturer and retail prices. March 2007
The
Changing Face of the U.S. Grain System
Specialty grains coming onto the market (e.g., fiber-enriched
wheat) are requiring adjustments in the marketing
system, including information documentation and
management, in order to preserve their added value
or prevent accidental commingling with standard
grains. February 2007
The
Impact of Big Box Stores on Retail Food Prices and
the Consumer Price Index
Using ACNielsen Fresh Foods Homescan data, ERS investigates
the impact of nontraditional retailers such as Wal-Mart
and Costco on food prices for similar package sizes,
focusing on dairy products and eggs. December
2006
Food
Industry Mergers and Acquisitions Lead to Higher
Labor Productivity
Analysis of eight major food processing industries
suggests that mergers and acquisitions contributed
to the general improvement in labor productivity
over a 20-year period, echoing an earlier ERS study.
October 2006
Effect
of Food Industry Mergers and Acquisitions on Employment
and Wages
Analysis of mergers and acquisitions in eight important
food industries suggests that workers in acquired
plants realized modest increases in employment and
wages relative to other workers. Results also show
that mergers and acquisitions reduced the likelihood
of plant closures. The results are contrary to commonly
held views on mergers. December 2005
Did
the Mandatory Requirement Aid the Market? Impact
of the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act
ERS focused on fed cattle markets in comparing the
mandatory price reporting system developed by USDA
in 2001 with the previous voluntary reporting system.
The study evaluates whether the mandatory system
has improved the amount and quality of information
available to the market. September 2005
|
Greenhouse
Tomatoes Change the Dynamics of the North American
Fresh Tomato Industry
The North American greenhouse tomato industry has
grown rapidly since the early 1990s and now plays
a major role in the fresh tomato industry. ERS looked
at consumption and price trends, competition from
Mexico and Canada, and the rising industry’s
effect on the entire fresh field tomato sector. April 2005
Structural
Change in the Meat, Poultry, Dairy, and Grain Processing
Industries
Consolidation and structural changes in the food
industry have had profound impacts on firms, employees,
and communities in many parts of the United States.
In a 20-year period, eight major food industries
saw the number of plants decline by about a third
and their overall number of required employees drop
by over 100,000 (20 percent). April 2005
Market
Integration in the North American Hog Industries
A significant increase in U.S. hog imports from
Canada over the last 15 years has resulted from
structural changes in the U.S. hog industry and
policy changes in Canada. November 2004
Supermarket
Characteristics and Operating Costs in Low-Income
Areas
Supermarkets serving low-income shoppers differ
in several ways from other stores. But despite generally
higher prices in low-income areas, the stores’
operating costs are not significantly different.
December 2004
Pork
Quality and the Role of Market Organization
Contract arrangements between pork producers and
packers, which account for nearly 70 percent of
hogs sold in 2004, can facilitate industry efforts
to address quality issues. November 2004
Contracts,
Markets, and Prices: Organizing the Production and
Use of Agricultural Commodities
Demand for specific product attributes is making
contracts the choice over traditional spot markets
for many livestock commodities and some major crops--e.g.,
sugar beets, fruit, tomatoes. November 2004
How
Much Do Americans Pay for Fruits and Vegetables?
Contrary to assumptions that fruits and vegetables
are expensive, especially when purchased fresh,
a consumer can meet daily recommendation of three
servings of fruits and four servings of vegetables
for 64 cents. November 2004
The
Demand for Food Away from Home: Full-Service or
Fast Food?
Population trends and rising incomes are expected
to sustain growth in spending for food at full-service
and fast food restaurants. January 2004
Food
Manufacturing Productivity and Its Economic Implications
The food processing and beverage industry accounts
for about one-sixth of U.S. manufacturing activity.
Productivity growth in this materials-intensive
sector has trailed manufacturing as a whole. November
2003
U.S.
Fresh Produce Markets: Marketing Channels, Trade
Practices, and Retail Pricing Behavior
Retail consolidation, technological change in production
and marketing, and growing consumer demand have
altered the traditional market relationships between
producers, wholesalers, and retailers. September
2003 |
Food
Safety |
Did
BSE Announcements Reduce Beef Purchases?
ERS examines retail purchases of beef and beef products
for evidence of response to the 2003 government
announcements of finding cows infected with Bovine
Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). December 2006
Meat
and Poultry Plants' Food Safety Investments: Survey
Findings
A national survey of meat slaughter and processing
plants indicates that market forces, in conjunction
with regulation, have worked to promote the use
of more sophisticated food safety technologies.
May 2004
|
Food
Safety Innovation in the United States: Evidence
from the Meat Industry
Recent industry innovations improving the safety
of the Nation's meat supply include new pathogen
tests, high-tech equipment, supply chain management
systems, and surveillance networks. April 2004
Traceability
in the U.S. Food Supply: Economic Theory and Industry
Studies
Traceability systems generate information on the
flow of food and food products and aid in tracking
food to its source. ERS examined the amount, type,
and adequacy of traceability systems, focusing on
fresh produce, grains and oilseeds, and cattle/beef.
The report’s highlights are in a four-page
brochure. March 2004
See also “Trade
and international markets.”
|
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