Analysis of effects of reduced supply of water on agricultural production and irrigation water use in Southern California
( August 2012, pdf) Josué Medellín-Azuara, Jessica A. Vergati, Daniel A. Sumner, Richard E. Howitt and Jay R. Lund
To illustrate the vulnerability of agriculture and the broader economy to reductions in the supply of water, this study estimated the overall economic impacts of potential supply reductions of irrigation water in Southern California.

Economic Implications of the Import Duty and Excise Tax Drawback for Wine Imported into the United States
( August, 2011, pdf, 1MB) Daniel A. Sumner, James T. Lapsley and John Thomas Rosen-Molina.
This study explains how wine imports and exports and related grape prices and quantities are influenced by a federal program that allows refunds to wine exporters of 99% of the import duties and excises taxes paid on “commercially interchangeable” wine imports.

Political Market Power Reflected in Milk Pricing Regulations
(August 2009, pdf) Byeong-il Ahn and Daniel A. Sumner. Government policy on quantity supplied or price may have effects on the market similar to monopolists. An exploration of political power of producers in market pricing implemented through policy.

Farm Subsidies and Obesity in the United States: National Evidence and International Comparisons.
(December 2008, pdf)Julian M. Alston, Daniel A. Sumner, Stephen A. Vosti. :470-47. Many commentators have claimed that farm subsidies have contributed significantly to the “obesity epidemic” by making fattening foods relatively cheap and abundant. But U.S. farm policies have generally small and mixed effects on farm commodity prices.

The direct economic effects of a policy to provide government subsidized price discounts for the purchase of fruit and vegetable by food stamp recipients.
January 2008 (pdf, 88kb) Karen M. Jetter.
This study evaluates the direct benefits and costs to consumers and producers from changes in prices, consumption and production, of a policy to offer government price discounts on fresh fruit and vegetable to food stamp recipients.

Impacts of Reductions in U.S. Cotton Subsidies on West African Cotton Producers.
(July 2007, pdf)  Alston, Julian M., Daniel A. Sumner and Henrich Brunke.  Oxfam America, Boston, MA, 34 pp. This study estimates the reductions in income to cotton farmer households in Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mali if counter-cyclical payments, marketing loans, and direct payments programs were eliminated in the United States.

Perspectives on Farm Policy Reform
(April 2007, pdf) Julian M. Alston and Daniel A. Sumner. This article reviews what has happened to U.S. domestic farm policies and related agricultural trade policies over the past 10 years. The article is concluded with an overview of the policies as they stand today as well as potential outcomes in the 2007 Farm Bill.

2007 Farm Bill
AIC Farm Bill briefs provide information on the 2007 Farm Bill of particular relevance for California. 

Effects of Milk Marketing Order Regulation on the Share of Fluid Grade Milk in the United States 
(November 2007, pdf) Joseph V. Balagtas, Daniel A. Sumner and Aaron Smith.   An econometric model exploits regional and temporal variation in policy implementation to identify the effect of marketing orders on the Grade A share of milk.

A Framework for Assessment of California Agroecosystems
Tom Tomich, Kelly Garbach, Canter, Agricultural Sustainability Institute, UC Davis (pdf, 2400 kb, 2007)

Modeling Agroecosystem Services for Policy Analysis
John Antle, Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics, Montana State University  (pdf, 190 kb, 2007)

Evaluating Regulation and Conservation Policy for California’s Agri-environmental Externalities
Nicolai V. Kuminoff,   Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Virginia Tech. (pdf, 575 kb, 2007)

Using Biophysical Information in Policies for Agroecosystem Services in California
Louise Jackson, Department of Air, Water, and Land Resources, UC Davis (pdf, 440 kb, 2007)

U.S. Farm Programs and African Cotton.  International Food and Agricultural Trade Policy Council Issues Brief, No. 22
(February 2007 html) Daniel A. Sumner. This Brief describes the domestic and international factors influencing US cotton policy: the US Farm Bill, the US-Brazil WTO cotton case, and the WTO's sectoral initiative on cotton.

California Agroecosystem Services: Assessment, Valuation and Policy Perspective - Proceedings from the Sept 2007 workshop
Combined pdf of all papers below (pdf, 3120 kb)

Aggregate Costs and Benefits of Government Invasive Species Control Activities Daniel A. Sumner, Henrich Brunke and Marcia Kreith. (pdf, 163kb, September 2006. Forthcoming in the Proceedings of The International Conference on the Future of Agriculture: Science, Stewardship, and Sustainability, August 7-9, 2006.)

Effects of Price Premiums for Multiple Product Attributes on Product Quality: California Processing Tomatoes (Nov. 2006, pdf, 81 kb) by Corinne Alexander, Rachael E. Goodhue, Sandeep Mohapatra, and Gordon C. Rausser.

EU Support Reductions Would Benefit California Tomato Growers and Processors (October - December 2006 California Agriculture, pdf, 5.75 mb)
Bradley J.Rickard and Daniel A. Sumner. Simulation model results from a 50 percent reduction in European Union trade barriers and subsidies.

Economic Consequences of Invasive Species Policies in the Presence of Commodity Programs: Theory and Application to Citrus Canker
(September 2005, pdf) Albert K. A. Acquaye, Julian M. Alston, Hyunok Lee, Daniel A. Sumner. This paper focuses on how policies to exclude, monitor and control, or eradicate invasive species interact with other policies

Economic Reform and the Changing Pattern of China's Agricultural Trade (pdf)
Paper by Colin A. Carter and Xianghong Li presented at the June 1999 International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium: China's Agricultural Trade and Policy: Issues, Analysis and Global Consequences.

Economic Consequences of European Union Processing Tomato Subsidies (pdf)
Daniel A. Sumner, Bradley J. Rickard, and David S. Hart analyze the impacts of EU processed tomato industry export subsidies, import barriers, and domestic subsidies on EU producers, consumers and taxpayers and on processed tomato market participants outside the EU.

Agriculture in the Sacramento Region, Trends and Prospects
This link provides a detailed portrait of agriculture in the lower Sacramento Valley, and of the economic and policy trends that are shaping its future.

AIC ISSUES BRIEFS

Wild Pigs in California: The Issues
AIC Issues Brief #33, December 2007 (pdf, 270kb). Marcia Kreith. This Issues Brief tells the story of the wild pig in California, its economic and environmental impacts and evolving policy concerns. Regulated in California as a big game mammal, the wild pig is a non-native species.

California International Agricultural Exports in 2006 (AIC Issues Brief #32, pdf, 360kb)
by Omid Rowhani and Daniel A. Sumner
This year was the fifth consecutive year that California witnessed increases in agricultural export value to foreign destinations. California exports increased by 5 percent in 2006 and reached a record high with total exports nearing $9.8 billion.

California International Agricultural Exports in 2005 (AIC Issues Brief #31, pdf, 92kb)
by Omid Rowhani and Daniel A. Sumner
In 2005 California’s agricultural exports surpassed $9 billion for the first time. The $9.3 billion in exports is a new record and represents a 13 percent increase from 2004.

The 2002 Census of Agriculture: A Wealth of Useful Data (no.26, Aug. 2004, pdf)
by Daniel A. Sumner, Henrich Brunke, José E. Bervejillo
The recently released 2002 Census of Agriculture provides a wealth of new information that will help frame production, marketing and policy decisions about American agriculture

California’s International Agricultural Exports in 2002 (no.23, Nov. 2003, pdf)
José E. Bervejillo and Daniel A. Sumner. The value of California’s agricultural exports in 2002 remained unchanged from 2001 at about $6.5 billion. The data reported in this AIC Issues Brief describe international agricultural exports for 2002 as well as revisions for 2000 and 2001.

Role of NAFTA in California Agriculture: a Brief Review (no. 21, 2003, pdf)
Henrich Brunke and Daniel A. Sumner summarize the results of a study the Agricultural Issues Center conducted in collaboration with the California Farm Bureau Federation thirteen years after an agreement for free trade with Canada and eight years after Mexico was added to create the North American Free Trade Agreement.

County Right-to-Farm Ordinances in California: An Assessment of Impact and Effectiveness (no. 15, May 2001, pdf)
Matthew Wacker, Alvin D. Sokolow and Rachel Elkins perform a comparative study of county-adopted ordinances and their implementation in 15 agricultural counties in California's Central Valley and coastal regions.

Farmland Conversion: Perceptions and Realities (no. 16, 2001, pdf)
Nicolai V. Kuminoff, Alvin D. Sokolow and Daniel A. Sumner examine both the numbers that measure farmland conversions and the related public perceptions about the causes and consequences of conversion--the basis of arguments about the seriousness of the problem and its policy solutions. Also available (online only) are two appendices to the Issues Brief describing the authors' calculations for total agricultural land and farmland conversion.

Management Changes and Impacts of the 1996 Farm Act (no. 5, March 1998, html)
Warren E. Johnston and Lyle P. Schertz summarize the findings of a 1997 panel of professional farm managers on the impact of the 1996 Farm Act in the Sacramento Valley.

RESEARCH WORKING PAPERS

Effects of Milk Marketing Order Regulation on the Share of Fluid-Grade Milk in the United States by Joseph V. Balagtas, Aaron Smith, and Daniel A. Sumner. May 2007, Forthcoming in AJAE. This study presents an econometric model that exploits regional and temporal variation in policy implementation to identify the effect of marketing orders on the grade A share of milk.

Domestic Support and Border Measures for Processed Horticultural Products (pdf) by Bradley J. Rickard and Daniel A. Sumner. This study models reform of agricultural policies that apply to different stages along the vertical supply chain and show the importance of even limited input substitution between raw materials and other inputs. April 2007.

United States South Korea Free Trade Agreement: What it Would Mean for California Agriculture (pdf) by Hyunok Lee and Daniel A. Sumner. This study provides detailed information and analysis of the potential effects of a South Korea United States Free Trade Agreement for California Agriculture on a commodity-by-commodity basis. March 2007.

Hurricanes and Invasive Species: the Economics and Spatial Dynamics of Eradication Policies (pdf)
Albert K.A. Acquaye, Julian M. Alston, Hyunok Lee, and Daniel A. Sumner.
This paper examines the economic impacts of citrus canker in oranges and the eradication policy in Florida, taking into account the relationship between costs and benefits of eradication and the spatial and dynamic aspects of infestation.
Chapter 7 in A.G.J.M. Oude Lansink (Ed.), New Approaches to the Economics of Plant Health. Springer Publishing. Forthcoming in March 2007.

Are Agricultural Policies Making Us Fat? Likely Links between Agricultural Policies and Human Nutrition and Obesity, and Their Policy Implications (pdf, 240kb, Fall 2006) by Julian M. Alston, Daniel A. Sumner, and Stephen A. Vosti. This paper addresses the likely effects of agricultural subsidies on obesity both in the United States and abroad.

Political Market Power of Milk Producers Reflected in U.S. Milk Pricing Regulations (July 2006, pdf, 1.06mb) by Byeong-Il Ahn and Daniel A. Sumner. This paper assesses the political market power of milk producers relative to buyers in two ways.

An Analysis of the Private Costs and Benefits to Californians from Eating the USDA Recommendations for Fruits and Vegetables 2001 (pdf)
Karen M. Jetter, James A. Chalfant, and Daniel A. Sumner discuss the potential costs and benefits to producers and consumers in California, should Californians increase their intake of fruit and vegetables to meet recommendations for a cancer prevention diet.

Economic Impact of the Canadian Cattle and Beef Industry of a Disruption of Exports of Boxed Beef to the United States (doc)
Daniel A. Sumner and José Bervejillo. This report evaluates the potential damage to the Canadian cattle and beef industry if legal challenges were to halt exports of boxed beef from Canada to the United States in the near future. August 2005.

Analyzing Vertical Market Structure and Its Implications for Trade Liberalization and Market Access (pdf)
A working paper by Sexton, R.J., I. Sheldon, S. McCorriston, and H. Wang. University of California, Davis, June 2004.

International Trade Policy and Negotiations (pdf)
This chapter for the Handbook of Agricultural Economics, by Daniel A. Sumner and Stefan Tangermann, looks at the history, results and analysis of international negotiations on agricultural trade, with an emphasis on the GATT and in particular on the Uruguay Round.

Commodity Policy and California Agriculture (pdf, 38kb)
Sumner, D. A. and H. Brunke. Jan. 2004. Chapter 6 in "California Agriculture: Issues and Challenges." Jerome B. Siebert (ed). University of California, Giannini Foundation.

A National View of Agricultural Easement Programs

Are Agricultural Easement Programs Working?
American Farmland Trust and the Agricultural Issues Center have conducted the most in-depth and comprehensive analysis of agricultural easement programs undertaken in the United States. Includes the followinf reports:
- Report 1 - Profiles and Maps
- Report 2 - How Programs Select Farmland to Fund
- Report 3 - Easements and Local Planning
- Report 4 - Measuring Success in Protecting Farmland with Easements

Conserving Agricultural Land through Compensation
A Guide for California Landowners
Alvin D. Sokolow, Mica Bennett, December 2004
83 pages, 8.5 x 11, softcover
Chapter 1 - Compensatory Objectives: Public Wants, Landowner Needs (.pdf 3235 kb)
Chapter 2 - Introducing the Programs (.pdf 4420 kb)
Chapter 3 - Landowner Rewards and Risks: Financial, Conservation, Family Considerations (.pdf 3999 kb)
Chapter 4 - Financial Rewards: What Programs Compensate Landowners (.pdf 2630 kb)
Chapter 5 - Preferential tax Programs: The Two Versions of the Williamson Act (.pdf 1386 kb)
Chapter 6 - U.S.D.A. Cost-Sharing and Reserve Program (.pdf 5093 kb)
Chapter 7 - Cash for Development Rights: The Agricultural Easement Process (.pdf 2507 kb)
Chapter 8 - The Future of Compensatory Programs in California (.pdf 638 kb)

Compensating Landowners for Conserving Agricultural Land
Compensating landowners is an increasingly important approach for maintaining working landscapes, especially in the face of urban expansion. As an alternative or supplement to government land use planning and regulation, landowner payments recognize the multiple public benefits of keeping farmland in the hands of farmers. The papers included in this collection (products of an April, 2003, conference in Sacramento) describe, evaluate, and suggest variations in a range of compensatory techniques, including: (1) property tax preferences for farmland allowed by state governments; (2) federal cost-share conservation payments administered by USDA; (3) federal payments for the temporary retirement of cropland; and (4) agricultural easements created through the acquisition of development rights from landowners.

Wine on the Web, Susanne Stricker's thesis (in English.) (pdf) Institut für Agrarökonomie der Christian- Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel. December 2003

United States' Agricultural Systems: An Overview of U.S. Dairy Policy (pdf)
Paper by Daniel A. Sumner and Joseph V. Balagtas published in the Encyclopedia of Dairy Sciences.2002

Assessing the Role of NAFTA in California Agriculture: A Review of Trends and Economic Relationships (pdf)
Henrich Brunke and Daniel A. Sumner investigate the impacts the North American Free Trade Agreement on California agriculture. This is a study the Agricultural Issues Center conducted in collaboration with the California Farm Bureau Federation thirteen years after an agreement for free trade with Canada and eight years after Mexico was added to create the North American Free Trade Agreement. November 2002

University of California Executive Seminar on Agricultural Issues, "The WTO and International Trade Prospects" (pdf)
This link contains presentations from the executive seminar on the WTO and international trade prospects. September 2002

Risk and Returns to Policy-Created in a Portfolio Context: California Dairy Quota (pdf)
Paper by Daniel A. Sumner and Norbert L. W. Wilson. March 2002.

Agricultural Policy Negotiation Issues between the European Union and the United States (pdf)
This file contains the power point slides for a symposium organized by AIC for presentation at the annual conference of the American Agricultural Economics Association held in Chicago in August 2001. It features presentations by AIC director Sumner and colleagues from Begium, Italy and France.

California's Future: Maintaining Viable Agriculture at the Urban Edge
The publication provides the views of a dozen experts in fields ranging from biotechnology to local government and legislative policy. A concluding chapter is by Alvin D. Sokolow, extension public policy specialist, UC Davis.

California Farmers and Conservation Easements: Motivations, Experiences, and Perceptions in Three Counties (pdf)
By Ellen Rilla and Alvin D. Sokolow, with the assistance of Robin Kozloff and Cathy Lemp. Research Paper #4 in AIC's California Farmland & Open Space Policy Series, December 2000.

The Agricultural Policy Outlook (pdf)
Slides from the presentation by Joseph W. Glauber on the U.S. agricultural policy outlook, October 26, 2000.

Food Security, Trade and Agricultural Commodity Policy (pdf)
Paper by Daniel A. Sumner presented at the symposium "Challenging the Agricultural Economics Paradigm," Columbus, Ohio,

Agriculture in Urbanizing Communities (pdf)
Outline of the presentation given by Alvin D. Sokolow to the USDA Policy Advisory Committee on Farmland Protection during the July 21, 2000 listening session at UC Davis. Also available in pdf format from the listening session is testimony by Solano County farmer and rancher, Albert G. Medvitz.

Ex ante Economics of Exotic Disease Policy: Citrus Canker in California (pdf)
Draft paper by Karen M. Jetter, Daniel A. Sumner and Edwin L. Civerolo, prepared for presentation at the Conference: “Integrating
Risk Assessment and Economics for Regulatory Decisions,” USDA, Washington, DC, December 7, 2000.

Food Security Papers and Briefing Materials (html)
This site contains brief papers discussing world food security. They are written by scientists from multiple disciplines and universities. .

Value of Improved Data for Agricultural Commodity Policy Analysis, with Emphasis on Food Security (pdf)
Revised paper from a seminar presented by Daniel A. Sumner at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations, Rome, Italy, September 4, 2000.

Evaluating Government Policy for Food Security: Indonesia (pdf)
Slides from the presentation by Rick Barichello to the International Association of Agricultural Economists Workshop on Food Security, Berlin, August, 2000.

Agricultural Trade Policy and Food Security (pdf)
Paper presented by Daniel A. Sumner at the International Association of Agricultural Economists Workshop on Food Security, Berlin, August, 2000.

Agriculture in the Sacramento Region, Trends and Prospects
This link provides a detailed portrait of agriculture in the lower Sacramento Valley, and of the economic and policy trends that are shaping its future.

International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium, "China Working Papers" (html)
This link contains twenty-one academic papers presented at the June 1999 International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium: China's Agricultural Trade and Policy: Issues, Analysis and Global Consequences.

STE Workshop (html)
This link contains ten academic papers presented at the November 1998 North American Forum: Workshop on the Role of the State in International Trade.

RELATED LINKS

AIC Director Daniel A. Sumner's University of California, Davis, Agricultural and Resource Economics Faculty Webpage

AIC Associate Director Julian M. Alston's University of California, Davis, Agricultural and Resource Economics Faculty Webpage

AIC Associate Director Colin A. Carter's University of California, Davis, Agricultural and Resource Economics Faculty Webpage

Volume 17, No. 1, 2003 (pdf)
Food labeling lacks consistency
Long-term scenarios for California agriculture explored

Volume 16, No. 4, 2002 (pdf)
Effects of the farm bill on California commodities
Implications for California dairying

Volume 16, No. 3, 2002 (pdf)
Study generates cost expenditure data for crop insurance programs

Volume 16, No. 2, 2002 (pdf)
Study relates income with vegetable consumption

Volume 15, No. 3, 2001 (pdf)
Production input expenditure studies will help improve crop insurance
USDA grant will boost value-added agriculture

Volume 15, No. 1, 2001 (pdf)
Right-to-Farm Ordinances Reviewed

Volume 14, No. 3, 2000 (pdf)
The Federal Role in Farmland Conservation
Commission Director Outlines Farm Policy Issues

Volume 14, No. 2, 2000 (pdf)
Extended Crop Insurance for California Horticultural Crops

Volume 13, No. 4, 1999 (html)
Bruce Gardner Guest Speaker