AmberWaves September 2006 > Features

Food Assistance: How Strong Is the Safety Net? by Michael LeBlanc, Biing-Hwan Lin, and David Smallwood Food assistance programs increase food spending and combat poverty, but their effect on nutrition is more uncertain. Income Volatility Complicates Food Assistance by Constance Newman Income volatility is especially high for poorer households, so targeted food assistance programs must account for swings in eligibility. Global Agriculture and the Doha Round— Market Access Is the Key by Anne Effland, Mary Anne Normile, and John Wainio Includes audio podcast interview Despite benefits of freer trade, high agricultural tariffs remain a sticking point in suspended Doha Round trade talks. Agricultural Policy Affects Land Use and the Environment by Ruben N. Lubowski, Roger Claassen, and Michael J. Roberts Policies that shift less productive cropland in and out of cultivation may have larger than anticipated environmental effects.