The core research and data program of the Economic Research Service covers the breadth of USDA programs touched by the Farm Bill: farming, nutrition, conservation, rural development, research, and energy. Below we highlight some recent research focusing on these issues.
- Commodity Programs and Risk Management
- Conservation
- Nutrition
- Rural Development
- Local and Regional Foods
- Research
- Energy
- Organic Agriculture
- Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
- Some Key Supporting Data
Commodity Programs and Risk Management
- "Federal Commodity Programs Price Loss Coverage and Agriculture Risk Coverage Address Price and Yield Risks Faced by Producers," Amber Waves, August 2018
- Federal Risk Management Tools for Agricultural Producers: An Overview, June 2018
- "The 2012-13 Drought Heightened Federal Disaster Assistance Payments for Livestock Producers," Amber Waves, May 2018
- Federal Natural Disaster Assistance Programs for Livestock Producers, 2008–2016, January 2018
- The Evolving Distribution of Payments From Commodity, Conservation, and Federal Crop Insurance Programs, November 2017
- "Applications for the Noninsured Crop Disaster Program Increased After the Agricultural Act of 2014," Amber Waves, July 2017
- "Managing Agricultural Risk Under Different Scenarios: Selected 2014 Farm Act Programs," Amber Waves, February 2017
- "Historical Analysis of MPP-Dairy Suggests Limited Impact on Average Margins but Considerable Potential for Risk Reduction," Amber Waves, February 2017
- "Changes in Farmers' Financial Status May Affect Crop Insurance Demand," Amber Waves, November 2016
- "Farm Bill Income Cap for Program Payment Eligibility Affects Few Farms," Amber Waves, August 2016
- "Federal Crop Insurance Is Associated With Higher Levels of Short-Term Farm Debt," Amber Waves, October 2015
- "2014 Farm Act Shifts Crop Commodity Programs Away From Fixed Payments and Expands Program Choices," Amber Waves, July 2014
- The Effects of Premium Subsidies on Demand for Crop Insurance, July 2014
- Changing Farm Structure and the Distribution of Farm Payments and Federal Crop Insurance, February 2012
- Trends in U.S. Farmland Values and Ownership, February 2012
- Identifying Overlap in the Farm Safety Net, November 2011
- An Analysis of the Limited Base Acre Provision of the 2008 Farm Act, October 2011
- Alternatives to a State-Based ACRE Program: Expected Payments Under a National, Crop District, or County Base, September 2011
- Fruit and Vegetable Planting Restrictions: Analyzing the Processing Cucumber Market, February 2011
Conservation
- "The Effect of Conservation Payments on Farmer Adoption Varies Across Conservation Practices," Amber Waves, May 2018
- "Cost-Effective Strategies for Reducing Cropland Nutrient Deliveries to the Gulf of Mexico," Amber Waves, September 2018
- Tillage Intensity and Conservation Cropping in the United States , September 2018
- "Study Finds Crop Insurance Has Small Effect on Environmental Quality," Amber Waves, September 2017
- "Gathering Experimental Evidence To Improve the Design of Agricultural Programs," Amber Waves, August 2017
- "Conservation Compliance in the Crop Insurance Era," Amber Waves, July 2017
- "Options for Improving Conservation Programs: Insights From Auction Theory and Economic Experiments," Amber Waves, February 2015
- "Additionality in Agricultural Conservation Programs," Amber Waves, September 2014
- Options for Improving Conservation Programs: Insights from Auction Theory and Economic Experiments, January 2015
- An Economic Assessment of Policy Options To Reduce Agricultural Pollutants in the Chesapeake Bay, June 2014
- "2014 Farm Act Continues Most Previous Trends in Conservation," Amber Waves, May 2014
- The Role of Conservation Programs in Drought Risk Adaptation, April 2013
- Water Conservation in Irrigated Agriculture: Trends and Challenges in the Face of Emerging Demands, September 2012
- Baselines in Environmental Markets: Tradeoffs Between Cost and Additionality, February 2012
- Nitrogen in Agricultural Systems: Implications for Conservation Policy, September 2011
- Grassland to Cropland Conversion in the Northern Plains: The Role of Crop Insurance, Commodity, and Disaster Programs, June 2011
- The Influence of Rising Commodity Prices on the Conservation Reserve Program, February 2011
Nutrition
- Participation in USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Effect of Local Labor Market Conditions in Oregon, September 2018
- Household Food Security in the United States in 2017, September 2018
- "Participation in SNAP Varies Across States But Is Generally Decreasing," Amber Waves, September 2018
- "Number of People Participating in USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Continues To Fall," Amber Waves, April 2018
- The Food Assistance Landscape: FY 2017 Annual Report, March 2018
- "Distance to Grocery Stores and Vehicle Access Influence Food Spending by Low-Income Households at Convenience Stores," Amber Waves, March 2018
- "Supermarkets, Schools, and Social Gatherings: Where Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Other U.S. Households Acquire Their Foods Correlates With Nutritional Quality," Amber Waves, February 2018
- "ERS's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Policy Index Captures State Differences in Program Administration," Amber Waves, February 2018
- "Eligibility Requirements for SNAP Retailers: Balancing Access, Nutrition, and Integrity," Amber Waves, January 2018
- Design Issues in USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Looking Ahead by Looking Back, January 2018
- "Low-Income Areas With Low Supermarket Access Increased in Urban Areas, But Not in Rural Areas, Between 2010 and 2015," Amber Waves, April 2017
- "Illuminating SNAP Performance Using the Power of Administrative Data," Amber Waves, November 2016
- "Restricting Sugar-Sweetened Beverages From SNAP Purchases Not Likely To Lower Consumption," Amber Waves, March 2015
- Household Food Security in the United States in 2013, September 2014
- "2014 Farm Act Maintains SNAP Eligibility Guidelines and Funds New Initiatives," Amber Waves, July 2014
- Participation in SNAP and Unemployment Insurance: How Tight Are the Strands of the Recessionary Safety Net?, November 2013
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Access at the State and County Levels: Evidence From Texas SNAP Administrative Records and the American Community Survey, September 2013
- Effects of the Decline in the Real Value of SNAP Benefits From 2009 to 2011, August 2013
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Participation Leads to Modest Changes in Diet Quality, April 2013
- Food Insecurity Among Households With Working-Age Adults With Disabilities, January 2013
- Food Security Improved Following the 2009 ARRA Increase in SNAP Benefits, April 2011
Rural Development
- "Impacts of the Value-Added Producer Grant Program on Business Outcomes," Amber Waves, May 2018
- "Small Business Loans and Rural Business Growth," Amber Waves, February 2018
- Rural America at a Glance, 2017 Edition, November 2017
- "Veterans Are Positioned To Contribute Economically to Rural Communities," Amber Waves, September 2017
- Rural Manufacturing at a Glance, 2017 Edition, August 2017
- Structure and Finances of U.S. Farms: Family Farm Report, 2014 Edition, December 2014
- Rural America at a Glance, 2014 Edition, November 2014
- Rural Employment Trends in Recession and Recovery, August 2014
- Emerging Energy Industries and Rural Growth, November 2013
- Rural Veterans at a Glance, November 2013
- Farm Activities Associated With Rural Development Initiatives, May 2012
- Impacts of Regional Approaches to Rural Development: Initial Evidence on the Delta Regional Authority, June 2011
Local and Regional Foods
- "Shopping at Farmers' Markets and Roadside Stands Increases Fruit and Vegetable Demand," Amber Waves, March 2018
- "School Districts in the Northeast Are Most Likely To Serve Local Foods on a Daily Basis," Amber Waves, May 2017
- "Local Foods and Farm Business Survival and Growth," Amber Waves, March 2016
- "Many U.S. School Districts Serve Local Foods," Amber Waves, March 2015
- "The Size and Scope of Locally Marketed Food Production," Amber Waves, February 2015
- Trends in U.S. Local and Regional Food Systems: A Report to Congress, January 2015
- Direct and Intermediated Marketing of Local Foods in the United States, November 2011
- Local Food Systems: Concepts, Impacts, and Issues, May 2010
Research
- "Agricultural Research in High-Income Countries Faces New Challenges as Public Funding Stalls," Amber Waves, May 2018
- "Agricultural Productivity Growth in the United States: 1948-2015," Amber Waves, March 2018
- "U.S. Agricultural R&D in an Era of Falling Public Funding," Amber Waves, November 2016
- "Productivity Growth Is Still the Major Driver in Growing U.S. Agricultural Output," Amber Waves, September 2016
- "U.S. Agricultural Productivity Growth: The Past, Challenges, and the Future," Amber Waves, September 2015
- "Public Agricultural Research Investment Helps Determine Productivity Growth," Amber Waves, March 2012
- "Rising Concentration in Agricultural Input Industries Influences New Farm Technologies," Amber Waves, December 2012
- The Complementary Roles of the Public and Private Sectors in U.S. Agricultural Research and Development, September 2012
- Research Investments and Market Structure in the Food Processing, Agricultural Input, and Biofuel Industries Worldwide, December 2011
Energy
- Agriculture's Supply and Demand for Energy and Energy Products, May 2013
- "Long-Term Prospects for Agriculture Reflect Growing Demand for Food, Fiber, and Fuel," Amber Waves, September 2012
- "Ethanol Strengthens the Link Between Agriculture and Energy Markets," Amber Waves, June 2012
Organic Agriculture
- "Growing Organic Demand Provides High-Value Opportunities for Many Types of Producers," Amber Waves, February 2017
- "Support for the Organic Sector Expands in the 2014 Farm Act," Amber Waves, July 2014
- "Growth Patterns in the U.S. Organic Industry," Amber Waves, October 2013
- "Who Is Adopting Organic Farming Practices?" Amber Waves, October 2013
Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
- "For Beginning Farmers, Business Survival Rates Increase With Scale and With Direct Sales to Consumers," Amber Waves, September 2016
- "Beginning Farmers and Ranchers and the Agricultural Act of 2014," Amber Waves, June 2014
- Working the Land With 10 Acres: Small Acreage Farming in the United States, April 2014
- Beginning Farmers and Ranchers at a Glance, January 2013
Some Key Supporting Data
- Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS): An annual survey of farm and ranch operators that provides a direct linkage between commodity production practices, farm financial performance, and the farm household.
- Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America: Provides county-level mapping for over 60 economic and demographic indicators.
- Food Environment Atlas: Assembles county-level food environment indicators to provide a spatial overview of a community's ability to access healthy food.
- Food Access Research Atlas: Measures access to affordable, nutritious food by census tract using indicators such as distance to grocery stores and vehicle availability.
- Maps and State Rankings of Major Land Uses, 2012: Provides State-by-State data on area of cropland, grassland, forest, urban, and other land use categories.
- Visualizing U.S. Farmland Ownership, Tenure, and Transition: Details about agricultural land tenure, ownership, and transition for 25 States, 6 regions, and the contiguous U.S.