The accelerated rise in food prices - especially those on those of animal origin - from late 1972 to the present time, has thrust to the forefront the question of farm price controls. But opinions differ widely on whether direct price controls at the farm level would be successful, desirable, or practical to administer. In the present situation, the question also involves the issue of whether or not price controls at the farm level are necessary or justified by the present or prospective circumstances. This is especially relevant if the upward movement of key farm prices is likely to be of relatively short duration, and the rise in prices consumers pay for foods can be halted by other means.

Rural development is an idea whose time has apparently come on a world-wide basis. Highly diverse economies such as, for example, both the United States and India, have generated problems on the rural scene that cannot be solved by technological change in agriculture alone.

As economists our greatest contribution to policymakers is likely to stem from our ability to make conditional forecasts—conditional forecasts of the outcome of specific possible or actual courses of action on the part of (1) government policymakers, (2) participants in the economy of interest, or (3) participants in other economies. But these conditional forecasts are not easy to come by, given the present state of the arts in our profession. In the first place, we do not yet have models which include parameter estimates in which we can place a great deal of confidence. Secondly, we do not at present have models which adequately encompass the vast number of relationships and constraints characteristic of a given economic system.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the cost and potential for extension field application of four computer systems. Each system was designed to provide a nutritionally balanced least cost ration for feeding one dairy cow for one day given a variety of roughages and concentrates.

Advances in storage, transportation, packaging and management have removed many of the old barriers between the Northeast's fluid milk markets. As the barriers disappear, the resulting market interdependence increases the importance of carefully aligning the minimum base prices set for unprocessed milk in the Northeastern federal milk marketing orders. For if these prices should get out of line, the lack of spatial barriers can encourage intermarket transfers which run counter to the orders’ objectives.

Resource economists, planners, and local, state and regional officials have long been concerned with water quality and supply management issues within the New England area. The primary responsibility for the planning and implementation of the majority of water resource programs within the region rests with local and state authorities. There are, however, efforts to approach many water supply and quality problems, particularly those which extend over a number of municipal and state jurisdictions, on a coordinated, regional basis, for example, through the various federal-state River Basins Commissions established throughout the United States.

It is generally appreciated that characteristics and features such as mountains, forests, snow-fall, lakes, secondary road networks and major highway systems from population centers greatly influence the type of activities and uses which ultimately develop on lands in a particular region. It is not surprising for example, that up-state New York and central New England have developed into areas of year-round vacation and tourism, since the composite “bundles” of characteristics offered by these areas include many features appropriate and necessary for such use. These general characteristics could be termed “macro-land use influences”. Once these macro-land use influences have attracted a certain type land use, however, the next question is: What specific characteristics influence the use of a specific acre or parcel of land? What are the “micro-land use influences”? Intuition would cause one to conclude that a parcel of land in the proximity of such things as a ski-slope, lake, exceptionally scenic area, access road or perhaps a vacation home, would be under strong pressure to be used for a vacation home also. Such characteristics, of course, would not be sufficient to determine land use, but they could certainly influence its ultimate use.

Market researchers are frequently interested in determining the differences in attitudes of various groups of consumers. For example, they may want to know if significant shifts in attitudes have oocurred over time or if attitudes vary by sex, income, race or market.

The rapid population growth of the United States and the well documented concentration of that population into a few major metropolitan areas has caused significant amounts of land to shift from agricultural to urban uses. Since World War II, the shifts in land use have caused considerable concern in the Northeast, particularly in those states containing parts of the BosWash megolopolis. Concern over the loss of open space land and the rapid decline in agricultural firms led several state legislatures to consider methods of halting, or at least controlling, the spread of cities into the rural hinterland. Maryland was the first state to pass legislation to protect open space and agriculture, enacting its law in 1955. Connecticut followed with its law in 1963 and New Jersey in 1964. All of these legislative acts declare that it is in the public interest to preserve open space lands, including farms and forests. The wording may vary from state to state but the intent is clear. These legislatures were trying to hold land in open space uses, or at least to avoid forcing their conversion because of high taxes.

Apple production in Maine has averaged slightly over 1.6 million bushels per year during the five year period 1966–1970, and annual cash receipts averaged about $4.1 million for the same five year period. This $4.1 million of cash receipts represents only about 2 percent of Maine's total agricultural receipts, but it is a major source of income for the relatively small number of producers involved.

Field machinery is an integral part of a farm that produces crops and has to be taken into consideration in farm planning. This machinery presents the farm manager or analyst with problems that differ from other working or fixed farm resources. The reason is that field machinery consists of a set of machines which is an interdependent system, particularly in terms of size, performance and cost factors related to capacity. Maintaining control over the problems of matching machines for size or power and properly timing each field operation by crop or rotation is a difficult and time consuming task with current methods.

During the past several years there has been increasing interest in “consumer protection”, and much emphasis has been placed on the provision of sufficient information to enable consumers to make wise choices. Currently there is a controversy as to whether information concerning food products should include a date printed in a form that is meaningful to the consumer. The question is not whether dating should be used at all, since most manufacturers do mark on their products the date of manufacture and other information, in coded form. The question, rather, is whether the consumer should be able to read or de-code the date information, or whether such information should remain unknown to the buyer.

This study analyzes the struggle for survival by trees growing along Massachusetts roadsides. Street tree problems have been prevalent for many years. Several organizations have proposals to help solve the street tree dilemma. A majority of the proposed cures have dealt with the application of sound arboricultural principles and latest technological advances. The tree authorities attempted to strengthen their programs by attending short courses and seminars. The utility companies have also sought to solve the problems of keeping their distribution lines clear of obstructions from trees so that both trees and utilities can exist harmoniously.

Recently there has been considerable controversy surrounding agriculture in general, and especially the recent rise in food prices. Demands are being made on American agriculture to adjust to supposedly new conditions and opportunities. What I would like to do today is to take a brief look at some of the problems facing agriculture and see if they have really changed.

Recent Congressional testimony has focused on the desirability of eliminating certain income tax “preferences” that are important in agriculture. Specifically, separate proposals have urged that capital gains treatment pertaining to livestock, vineyards and orchards be eliminated and that the cash method of tax accounting no longer be permitted. The justification for these proposals is based on the continued activity of wealthy individuals in tax loss or tax sheltered farming, despite provisions of the Tax Reform Act of 1969 to limit such ventures. Furthermore, it is argued that these tax preferences result in a greater subsidy to the high tax bracket individual than low tax bracket individual and thus place low income bonafide farmers at a competitive disadvantage which could force them out of business.

The results of a study to determine the optimum number, size and location of potato packing plants in Maine were recently published. These results indicated that economic efficiency of the industry as a whole could be improved with a movement toward fewer and larger plants since aggregate costs of the three marketing functions—assembly, packing, and distribution to consumption centers—could be reduced. In addition to the economic efficiencies involved, the large plant is better able to respond to orders from buyers desiring a uniform and high quality pack in large volume. A small grower-packer, handling only his own potatoes, may not have the volume of potatoes necessary to offer a particular type of pack with any continuity.

“As a rule, people feel acute concern about the future, beyond the horizon of the present, only when times are out of joint and when the prospect looks menacing. In o our generation we are living in one of these times of unusually intense stress and anxiety” Arthur J. Toynbee, Change and Habit. Oxford University Press, 1966.