Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T17:44:57.908Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

High Tunnels Are My Crop Insurance: An Assessment of Risk Management Tools for Small-scale Specialty Crop Producers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 September 2016

Eric Belasco ,
Suzette Galinato ,
Tom Marsh ,
Carol Miles  and
Russell Wallace
Eric Belasco*
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics at Montana State University
Suzette Galinato
Affiliation:
School of Economic Sciences at Washington State University
Tom Marsh
Affiliation:
School of Economic Sciences at Washington State University
Carol Miles
Affiliation:
Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Washington State University
Russell Wallace
Affiliation:
Department of Horticulture Sciences at the Agrilife Research and Extension Center, Texas A&M University
*
Corresponding Author: Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics, Montana State University, P.O. Box 172920, Bozeman, MT 59717, Phone 406.994.3706, Email eric.belasco@montana.edu.
Get access

Abstract

High tunnels are being used by specialty crop producers to enhance production yields and quality, extend growing seasons, and protect crops from extreme weather. The tunnels are unheated, plastic-covered structures under which crops are planted directly in the soil, and they provide greater environmental protection and control than open-field production. This study uses field-level experiments to evaluate high-tunnel production. The results suggest that investments in high tunnels can provide increased profits and superior protection against adverse risks relative to crop insurance.

Keywords

crop insurancehigh tunnelsrisk managementspecialty crop production
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Agricultural and Resource Economics Review , Volume 42 , Issue 2 , August 2013 , pp. 403 - 418
Copyright
Copyright © 2013 Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Blomgren, T., and Frisch, T. 2007. “High Tunnels: Using Low Cost Technology to Increase Yields, Improve Quality, and Extend the Season.” Center for Sustainable Agriculture, University of Vermont. Available at www.uvm.edu/sustainableagriculture/Documents/HighTunnels.pdf (accessed April 2011).Google Scholar
Conner, D. 2008. “Does Year-round Hoop-house Production Pencil Out?” Presentation at Oregon State University Extension Small Farms Conference, Corvallis, Oregon.Google Scholar
Coolong, T. 2010. “Low Cost High Tunnel Construction.” Article 18356, eXtension Initiative, Lincoln, NE. Available at www.extension.org/pages/18356/low-cost-high-tunnel-construction (accessed May 29, 2012).Google Scholar
Donnell, J., Biermacher, J.T., and Upson, S. 2011. “Economic Potential to Using High Tunnel Hoop Houses to Produce Fruits and Vegetables.” Selected Paper, Southern Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting, Corpus Christi, TX.Google Scholar
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation. 2010. Report to Congress: Specialty Crop Report. Available at www.rma.usda.gov/pubs/2010/specialtycrop.pdf (accessed on May 29, 2012).Google Scholar
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation. 2012. “Crop Year Statistics for 2012.” Available at www3.rma.usda.gov/apps/sob/current_week/crop2012.pdf (accessed on September 12, 2012).Google Scholar
Galinato, S.P., Miles, C.A., and Ponnaluru, S.S. 2012. “2011 Cost Estimates of Producing Tomatoes in High Tunnel in Washington.” Fact Sheet FS080E, Washington State University Extension, Pullman, WA.Google Scholar
Goodwin, B.K., and Ker, A.P. 2001. “Modeling Price and Yield Risk.” In Just, R.E. and Pope, R.D., eds., A Comprehensive Assessment of the Role of Risk in U.S. Agriculture. Norwell, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers.Google Scholar
Goodwin, B.K., and Smith, V.H. 1995. The Economics of Crop Insurance and Disaster Aid. Washington, DC: AEI Press.Google Scholar
Greene, W.H. 2011. Econometric Analysis (7th edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Google Scholar
Jimenez, D., Walser, R., and Torres, R. 2005. “Hoop House Construction for New Mexico: Twelve-foot by Forty-foot Hoop House.” Circular 606, New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service, Las Cruces, NM. Available at www.hightunnels.org/PDF/Hoop_House_Construction_for_New_Mexico.pdf (accessed May 29, 2012).Google Scholar
Lamont, W.J. 2005. “Plastics: Modifying the Microclimate for the Production of Vegetable Crops.” HortTechnology 15(3): 477–481.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lamont, W.J. 2009. “Overview of the Use of High Tunnels Worldwide.” HortTechnology 19(1): 25–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ligon, E. 2011. “Supply and Effects of Specialty Crop Insurance.” Research Working Paper 16709, National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Median, Y., Gosselin, A., Desjardins, Y., Gauthier, L., Harnois, R., and Khanizadeh, S. 2009. “Effect of Plastic Mulches on Microclimate Conditions, Growth, and Yields of Strawberry Plants Grown under High Tunnels in Northern Canadian Climate.” Acta Horticulturae 842: 139–142.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
National Agricultural Statistics Service. 2012. “Agricultural Statistics Data Base (Quick Stats), Prices Received Monthly, Strawberries and Tomatoes, 2002–2011, U.S. Total.” NASS, USDA, Washington, DC. Google Scholar
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2013. “Lubbock Precipitation from 1911-Present.” Available at www.srh.noaa.gov/lub/?n=climate-klbb-pcpn (accessed on April 3, 2013).Google Scholar
Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. 2011. “USDA Provides Update on Seasonal High Tunnel Pilot” web page. Available at http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/usda-updates-high-tunnel-info (accessed January 2011).Google Scholar
Nennich, T.T., and Johnson, P. 2004. “Introduction to High Tunnel Production in Minnesota.” Minnesota High Tunnel Production Manual for Commercial Growers. Minneapolis, MN: Regents of the University of Minnesota. Available at www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/1218.html (accessed on September 26, 2012).Google Scholar
Risk Management Agency, USDA. 2004. Report on Specialty Crop Insurance. RMA, USDA, Washington, DC. Available at www.rma.usda.gov/pubs/2004/specialtycrop.pdf (accessed September 26, 2012).Google Scholar
Risk Management Agency, USDA. 2012. “Summary of Business Reports and Data” web page. RMA, USDA, Washington, DC. Available at www.rma.usda.gov/data/sob.html (accessed April 3, 2013).Google Scholar
State of Tennessee. 2010. “Tennessee Invests in Community Agricultural Projects.” News release, State of Tennessee Newsroom and Media Center, Nashville, TN. Available at https://news.tn.gov/node/5676 (accessed on September 12, 2012).Google Scholar
Wallace, R.W., Miles, C., Wszelaki, A., Inglis, D.A., Roozen, J., Martin, J., and Webb, C.J. 2011. “High Tunnel Lettuce Variety Yield and Quality When Grown in Different U.S. Climates.” HortScience 46(10): S154.Google Scholar
Wallace, R.W., Wszelaki, A.L., Miles, C.A., Cowan, J.S., Martin, J., Roozen, J., Gundersen, B., and Inglis, D.A. 2012. “Lettuce Yield and Quality When Grown in High Tunnel and Open-field Production Systems under Three Diverse Climates.” HortTechnology 22(5): 659–668.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Waterer, D. 2003. “Yields and Economics of High Tunnels for Production of Warm-season Vegetable Crops.” HortTechnology 13(2): 339–343.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
World Trade Organization. 2012. “Dispute Settlement: Dispute DS267. United States — Subsidies on Upland Cotton.” Available at www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/cases_e/ds267_e.htm (accessed July 28, 2012).Google Scholar