In coastal communities with uniform flood risk, amenity value is comprised of two components – view and access. Having controlled for view, it is assumed that any residual amenity value represents the benefit derived from accessing the beach for leisure/recreational purposes. However, as properties closer to the beach typically have improved viewsheds, the two amenities are highly correlated, and disentangling view and access is problematical. A spatial autoregressive hedonic model captures ease of beach access via a network distance parameter that varies independently from property viewshed, collinearity effects are mitigated, and access and view can be disentangled.

A visitor's decision to use a particular recreational site is influenced by the individual's taste as well as the characteristics of the site. For this reason, improved knowledge of the visitors' interests and factors influencing their choices are vital for both planning and policy formulations in coastal development. This study examines visitor characteristics and desired site-specific characteristics in order to determine the factors affecting use of the Louisiana coast for specific recreational purposes. We use a multinomial logit model and internet survey data to evaluate the factors affecting individuals' decisions to visit coastal Louisiana for a specific use. Results suggest that the major variables affecting the choice of coastal recreational activities include environmental quality of the site, income, and travel time.

In this paper we consider factors that affect both crop prices and yields in order to examine supply responses of major crops in the Southeast. Due to the variable nature of crop production in the Southeast, previous studies that ignore price and yield risk may fail to capture one of the salient features of the region's agriculture. Our results indicate supply elasticity values for corn, cotton, and soybeans of approximately 0.670, 0.506, and 0.195, respectively. Compared with the results of studies in other regions, corn and cotton acres respond more to price changes and soybean acres respond less to price changes.

Subsidized crop insurance may encourage conversion of native grassland to cropland. The Sodsaver provision of the 2008 farm bill could deny crop insurance on converted land in the Prairie Pothole states for 5 years. Supplemental Revenue Assistance payments, which are linked to crop insurance purchases, could also be withheld. Using representative farms, we estimate that Sodsaver would reduce expected crop revenue by up to 8% and expected net return by up to 20%, while increasing the standard deviation of revenue by as much as 6% of market revenue. Analysis based on elasticities from the literature suggests that Sodsaver would reduce grassland conversion by 9% or less.

We investigate whether social capital in the form of community involvement affects farmers' choice to use sustainable agricultural practices. Using associational memberships as a measure of community involvement we study its effects on agricultural practices among Georgia farmers. Our findings show that, first, community involvement had a positive effect on the decision to adopt sustainable agricultural practices, and, secondly, it also had a positive effect on the extent to which farmers adopt these practices. These findings establish an additional dimension to the benefits that would accrue to policies that promote social interaction and civic engagement in rural areas.

This research examines whether mandatory price reporting (MPR) impacted price relationships among U.S. hog markets. Markets are cointegrated before and after MPR enactment, but not fully integrated in either period. Terminal markets adjust to shocks in the Iowa-Southern Minnesota market more quickly and Iowa-Southern Minnesota prices adjust to shocks in terminal markets more slowly following MPR enactment. Granger causality tests indicate a causal flow from terminal markets to Iowa-Southern Minnesota prices before MPR and a causal reversal after MPR enactment. These results likely reflect decreases in volume of negotiated sales, particularly in terminal markets, and greater reliance on mandatorily reported prices for market information.

This study offers insights on consumer acceptance and willingness to pay for three value-added blueberry products. A modified payment card approach was used. The analytical framework adopted allows the researcher to attach straightforward economic interpretation to the estimated impacts of willingness to pay factors. Results show consumer socio-economic characteristics are important determinants but play different roles depending on the products. Information on health benefits may also be important. However, it is found that outside information or consumer self-stated awareness of blueberries' health benefits have different impacts. These impacts may function as substitutes rather than complements to each other.

U.S. cheese consumption has grown considerably over the last three decades. Using a censored demand model and Nielsen Homescan retail data, this study identifies price and non-price factors affecting the demand for differentiated cheese products. Own-price and expenditure elasticities for all of the cheese products are statistically significant and elastic. Results also reveal that a strong substitution relationship exists among all cheese products. Although demographic influences are generally smaller than those related to prices and expenditures, empirical findings show that household size, college educated female heads of household who are age 40 and older, residing in the South, Central, and Western regions of the United States, as well as Black heads of household, have positive statistically significant effects on consumers' cheese purchases.