No abstract

Limited Dependent variable regression techniques are used to measure price distortitons caused by initial payments as price floors. The result indicate that the degree of uncertainty producers have regarding the price floor is the critical issue in the level of price distortions.

Determining irrigation requirements for fresh market tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) production is essential to obtain optimum yields, cost-effective water use, and minimize nitrate leaching. The objective of this study was to determine the appropriate irrigation rate for polyethylene-mulched fresh market tomato grown in Virginia. This study investigated irrigation regimes by applying water based on evapotranspiration (ET) calculations in three spring and three fall seasons. Plants were grown using 0.0 × ET, 0.5 × ET, 1.0 × ET, 1.5 × ET, and 2.0 × ET. Additional irrigation treatments involved tensiometers installed at 12-inch depth in the bed, programmed to irrigate at soil moisture set points of −20, −40, and −60 kPa. Tensiometer treatments were able to irrigate up to nine times per day if soil moisture fell below the designated moisture set point. Measurements included fruit yield, plant and fruit nitrogen (N) uptake, and inorganic soil nitrate-N (NO3-N) at 0 to 10-, 10 to 20-, and 20 to 30-inch depths. Overall, the 0.5 × ET treatment provided optimum yields in all growing seasons except Spring 2010, which was unseasonably hot and dry. A tensiometer treatment (−40 kPa) provided optimum yields in all growing seasons, and was able to adjust irrigation in a hot and dry season. Residual soil NO3-N at 0 to 10 inches generally exhibited an inverse relationship with yield; greater yields resulted in less residual soil NO3-N. In most treatments throughout the duration of this study, plant N uptake + fruit N uptake accounted for most of the N fertilizer applied (68% to 151%). In conclusion, an irrigation rate of 0.5 × ET and a tensiometer treatment (−40 kPa) provided minimal irrigation inputs to obtain optimum marketable yields while also minimizing residual soil nitrate that may be prone to leaching after the season.

This paper calculates the historical ex ante producer surplus of initial payments acting as price floors to Saskatchewan wheat and barley producers. To do this, a Nerlovian-type partial adjustment model and rational expectations are used. The Nerlovian model is somewhat unique in that it is argued that the Nerlovian partial adjustment model can be expanded to a multi-product partial adjustment model, and this is strongly supported by the data. The calculation of the ex ante producer surplus to Saskatchewan producers indicates that initial payment policy is causing only minor market distortions.Dans le prtsent document, on Ctablit la partie exctdentaire des paiements par anticipation initiaux B la production qui servent de prix plancher aux producteurs de blC et d'orge de la Saskatchewan. Pour cela, on s'est bask sur un modble a ajustement partiel de type Nerlovian et les attentes rationnelles. Le modble Nerlovian est particulier en ce sens qu'on suppose que le modkle a ajustement partiel peut s'etendre a de nombreux produits, ce que confirment nettement les donnCes. Le calcul de la part excidentaire du paiement original verse aux producteurs de la Saskatchewan revkle que la politique du paiement initial n'entraine que de trks 1Cgbres perturbations sur le marchC. of the GATT negotiations is on the trade-distorting impacts of domestic agricultural policies. The most commonly used measure of the level of government transfer of income to the domestic agricultural sector is the producer subsidy equivalent (PSE).