Economic Sense

ETHANOL AND ENDOGENOUS TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE

Matt Bogard — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 23:19:14 GMT

No-Jobs Bill?

Matt Bogard — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:19:25 GMT

Both the house and senate have now passed a jobs bill, but other than a payroll tax cut included in one version, it seems neither bill provides any proven mechanism to create jobs. Neither make an effort to correct recent wayward policies that may actually des [...]

Time for TIME to Get Real

Matt Bogard — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:17:00 GMT

In a recent article in Time Magazine, ( Getting Real About the High Price of Cheap Food) I think that I have witnessed one of the worst pieces of pseudo science I've seen in a long time.

Socialism vs Capitalism

Matt Bogard — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 10:32:14 GMT

According to a recent Rasmussen poll, only 53% of those polled say that they believe that capitalism was better than socialism, 27% were unsure, while 20% preferred socialism.

But, really if truly defined, how many people would really favor socialism over capitalism? What has capitalism meant on the farm, and what has socialism meant for the country as a whole?

Taxing Cattle: Lessons from the Auto Bailout?

Matt Bogard — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 10:31:28 GMT

I recently came across this disturbing story. It is speculation that the EPA may want to impose air pollution taxes on cattle and hog producer's.

Do we really need to sidetrack the livestock industry with unnecessary government interference?

Taxation With or Without Representation?

Matt Bogard — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:12:28 GMT

True taxation with representation implies that our elected officials represent us only in those matters that are authorized by the Constitution

Thanksgiving: A Lesson In Agricultural Economics

Matt Bogard — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:55:06 GMT

The first Thanksgiving story provides an interesting lesson in agricultural economics. Foremost, the celebration was about thanking God for abundance. However, an important aspect is what resulted from a move away from a socialist or common property model of organizing and allocating resources (imposed on them by the Colony’s Sponsors) to a system of private property rights.

Beyond Getting from Point A to Point B

Matt Bogard — Tue, 05 May 2009 00:22:44 GMT

I keep going back to this because I fear for the future of the agriculture industry, the same fate that the auto industry has suffered at the hand of collectivism and government intervention. Oddly enough, this reminds me of a quote from the popular movie 'Pirates of the Carribean'.

'Wherever we want to go, we go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and sails; that's what a ship needs. Not what a ship is. What the Black Pearl really is, is freedom.'

Critics keep saying that they produced cars that Americans didn't want. Will they someday say of Agriculture that in our focus on 'biotech' we produced foods that Americans didn't want?

Got (Green) Milk?

Matt Bogard — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 09:12:16 GMT

Another example of the "Invisible Green Hand" at work, and why we may not need climate change legislation.

Monopoly, Regulation, and Innovation

Matt Bogard — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 11:37:33 GMT

What is ironic is that many of the people cheering on the justice department’s investigation of Monsanto are the same people that want increased regulation and control of the economy in general, and especially the biotech industry. Why is this ironic? Because, these very proposals are what lead to ever more concentration and consolidation. Those crying the loudest about more regulation have to accept that with it comes increased concentration and less competition.

A Biotech Update and Review

Matt Bogard — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:17:51 GMT

A few months back I had a post commenting that the organic movement should embrace biotechnology to be truly sustainable

Do Business/AgBusiness Schools Need a New Curriculum?

Matt Bogard — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:47:38 GMT

From the New York Times: "Critics of business education have many complaints. Some say the schools have become too scientific, too detached from real-world issues. Others say students are taught to come up with hasty solutions to complicated problems. Another group contends that schools give students a limited and distorted view of their role — that they graduate with a focus on maximizing shareholder value and only a limitedunderstanding of ethical and social considerations essential to business leadership."

The Future of Trucks and SUVs in Rural America

Matt Bogard — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:16:59 GMT

The car companies will not have a viable business model again until they can get back to producing and selling the cars that most Americans want,( Trucks and SUVs) and Americans can afford the fuel required to drive them. Due to numerous short sighted governemnt interventions, Americans no longer find it viable to purchase the cars they have revealed such a strong preference for over the last few decades and automakers no longer find it profitable. These government interventions have certainly upset the business model for the Big Three, and more interventions will not likely be successful.

Pollan's Big Ideas about Big Food

Matt Bogard — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 21:58:05 GMT

Michael Pollan claims that farm 'subsidies' are leading to obesity, and in the face of health care reform, insurance companies will form a new political force opposed to farm programs.

WHAT ARE STUDENTS LEARNING ABOUT AGRICULTURE?

Matt Bogard — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 01:03:59 GMT

Great harm is also being done if these kids are not learning about the tools of modern agricultural biotechnology, and even worse if they are being taught that it is harmful!

Thinking Rationally About Biotech

Matt Bogard — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 09:26:49 GMT

Freedom Fries or Social Justice: Agriculture and Obesity

Matt Bogard — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 14:22:22 GMT

The agriculture industry has and will continue to come under attach for contributing to obesity. It will be done in the name of protecting the poor from themselves and the greed of agribusiness, as well as combating climate change. The end result will be forcing us to 'eat for social justice.' In the context of food and agriculture, this adds a whole new meaning to the term 'Freedom Fries.'

A Second Stimulus?

Matt Bogard — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:34:56 GMT

Last February I noted in an AgWeb post that “The evidence indicates that ‘marginal’ tax cuts may lead to increased economic activity and therefore increased tax revenues. It is certainly something to consider for the next stimulus package.”

The Real Price at the Pump

Matt Bogard — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 11:21:18 GMT

Speaking of subsidies...

UNNATURAL CAUSES: WHY OMIT BIOTECH?

Matt Bogard — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:18:36 GMT

I recently came across ‘Unnatural Causes’ a 7 part documentary about racial and economic inequalities in public health. On the surface, this does not seem so bad, but many of the policies they recommend in doing this show a lack of understanding of economic science and modern agriculture.

The Stats on Animal Abuse

Matt Bogard — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:40:46 GMT

They have no 'empirical' evidence to infer from their 'random' samples that these abuses are 'agribusiness-as-usual' for the whole population of dairy farmers.

Supply, Demand, Steak, and Freedom

Matt Bogard — Sun, 17 May 2009 19:15:36 GMT

In a free society, you can have your steak and eat it too!

Agriculture and Free Markets

Matt Bogard — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 13:30:12 GMT

How does a free market oriented blogger like myself approach the issue of government funding and farm programs?
With the amount of lobbying, rent seeking, and government intervention that goes on across the board in all industries, Agriculture does not stand out any more than government programs related to other industries. Agricultural programs are not the drag on our economy that they are made out to be when compared to government interventions in other industries. That is why my posts are often more concerned with interventions in the ag industry that could be detrimental to our ability to provide safe, healthy, environmentally friendly, and abundant food.

The Importance of Market Prices

Matt Bogard — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:12:39 GMT

With high food and gas prices, and the recent fallout in home prices, many people have called for more government control of markets. Extremist environmentalists find it hard to accept that market outcomes can lead people to use resources optimally, taking into account the effects of their consumption on others and future generations. Prices are not arbitrary instruments set by big business at the expense of the consumer. Long ago, the economist F.A. Hayek made this point very clear, without the use of complex mathematics and equations.

MICROARRAY ANALYSIS: MORE ON BIOTECH SAFETY

Matt Bogard — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:03:00 GMT

‘Microarray analyses reveal that plant mutagenesis may induce more transcriptomatic changes than transgene insertion’ i.e. we shouldn't be any more concerned with unintended consequences of transgenic crops vs. more conventional or organic crops.

EARTH DAY: SAVING THE PLANET, OR SAVING RHETORIC

Matt Bogard — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 07:24:49 GMT

Apparently saving the environment, or sustainably feeding the world is only a priority when the effort is local, non-profit, government funded, or organic , natural and low tech.

7 Things to know about biotech food

Matt Bogard — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:16:15 GMT

Get Schooled up on the Politics of Food

Matt Bogard — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 11:59:57 GMT

From the description in this story, it appears that a large portion of the class is focused on politically motivated films and books, with an agenda critical of modern agriculture and most family farms. Perhaps there should be a co-requisite or a companion course that also looks at the science and environmental impacts of food choices.

Earth Liberation Front: Resistance

Matt Bogard — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:50:22 GMT

Of course, considering ELF as the source, we would not expect their publications to be considerate of all of the evidence, it's not like they are TIME magazine or anything.

ECONOMIES OF SCOPE IN BEEF AND ETHANOL PRODUCTION?

Matt Bogard — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 15:09:09 GMT

Greed, Envy, and Compensation

Matt Bogard — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:18:18 GMT

If greed has ever been a problem, then it will be our envious regulatory response that keeps us from solving it.

Constitution Day

Matt Bogard — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:16:01 GMT

It is Constitution Day, and considering the massive amount of spending we have seen in Washington, the confiscation of private enterprises, as well as the increasing amount of regulation and loss of personal liberty that seems to be on the horizon (including our freedom to produce and consume the foods we want using the practices we find to be most effective under the security of our property rights) we should consider the role and the importance of the Constitution.

Taxing our Farms and Businesses

Matt Bogard — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 13:07:31 GMT

Will small businesses and farms be affected if taxes are increased for those earning over $250k per year?

What meets the criteria for being a small business?

DO WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SPECULATION

Matt Bogard — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 08:20:06 GMT

Critics seem to forget that the role of futures markets is to provide risk management tools to suppliers and producers of commodities.

Ethanol and Food Prices

Matt Bogard — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 09:04:38 GMT

Another Cheap Shot

Matt Bogard — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 09:33:20 GMT

(from the anti-ethanol crowd)

LOCAL FOOD

Matt Bogard — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:00:46 GMT

” It is a maxim of every prudent master of a family, never to attempt to make at home what it will cost him more to make than to buy.”

What about eating local?

Agvocates Could Face New Speech Tax

Matt Bogard — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 17:46:11 GMT

With increased use of alternative media, falling poll numbers, and an electoral war being waged against incumbent candidates, alternative media has become America’s next great villain. Perhaps in the minds of the Cass Sunstein’s of the world it needs its own version of a sin tax to nudge us into viewing only government approved websites and blogs.

Defining Consensus

Matt Bogard — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:43:05 GMT

This may seem a little off topic compared to some of my past posts, but people’s perceptions about global warming can affect agriculture as much as perceptions about GM foods or any other aspect of modern agriculture.

Starbucks Goes rBGH Free

Matt Bogard — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:17:56 GMT

CLONING, BIOTECHNOLOGY, AND DIVERSITY

Matt Bogard — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:30:02 GMT

Many critics claim that modern agriculture ( including biotechnology and cloning) leads to monoculture and lack of diversity.. ......but diversity within plants and animals can be just as important as divesty among crops and livestock. Modern agriculture will provide us with the tools to for continued utilization of diverse genetics.

Behavioral Economics

Matt Bogard — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 11:12:34 GMT

Many people have come to think that 'behavioral economics' may justify the unprecedented amount of government intervention in the economy and improve our lives.

Avatar, Property Rights, and the Environment

Matt Bogard — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 10:42:17 GMT

Contrary to what some environmental activists may preach about property rights and environmental exploitation, property rights often evolve as a mechanism to specifically ensure that we are living in harmony with others and the environment.

PARADE: Anti-Antibiotics

Matt Bogard — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:12:42 GMT

This article is confusing the use of sub-therapeutic feed grade antibiotics with those used to treat human illnesses, or is at least failing to make the distinction clear.

CLONING CATTLE

Matt Bogard — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 14:53:33 GMT

Cloning will be beneficial to producers, consumers, and the environment, but when we talk about cloning livestock, do we really expect to be consuming food directly from cloned animals?

Jobs Summit: High Unemployment No Surprise

Matt Bogard — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 13:40:04 GMT

With climate gate, it might have been possible to keep the evidence about climate change behind closed doors. But with the economy, everything is out in the open and the evidence is freely available. This makes more government spending and regulation a very hard sell, and it is surprising that some policy makers continue to try to make the case for it. What's not surprising is the continued high rates of unemployment.

Wal-Mart and Green Labels: What will it lead to

Matt Bogard — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 23:38:41 GMT

In a recent New York Times article ( here) Wal-Mart's plan to add labeling to food that indicates a 'green index' was laid out.

Picking Winners and Losers

Matt Bogard — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 18:32:25 GMT

In my last post I hinted at the fact that environmental policies like the proposed Clean Water Restoration Act may do more harm than good. In past posts I've warned how the increased levels of government intervention could lead to the same problems in agricultrue as we have seen in the Auto Industry. Recently, in a post on the AgWeb blog Sound Off Scott Ruppert provides a great example of what can happen.

Clean Water Restorarion Act

Matt Bogard — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 11:01:16 GMT

The Clean Water Restoration Act ( see a recent and related AgWeb News Headline here) attempts to remove the requirement that bodies of water be ‘navigable’ to be federally regulated. Unfortunately, many don’t think critically about environmental problems.

Giving Credit to Carbon Credits

Matt Bogard — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:41:25 GMT

I recently attended a forum on agricultural carbon credits. While I'm not taking the position that the science is settled with regard to what needs to be done about global warming, I do believe that carbon credits offer one of the better proposals out there.

DO INDIVIDUALS HAVE THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS?

Matt Bogard — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:34:22 GMT

In the context of our history and our founder’s writings, we see that the clause regarding the militia fails to limit in any way the rights of the people to keep and bear arms. In this context the following statement is certainly equivalent to the one in question, being the 2^nd amendment:

‘Because a well regulated militia is necessary for the security of a free state, and because it both draws from the ranks of ,and its power is held in check by, armed citizens, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.’

Organic and Biotech

Matt Bogard — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:57:18 GMT

Given all of the environmental and health benefits from biotech foods, you would think that more supporters of organic production and 'sustainble agriculture' would be supportive of biotech crops.

Laying Out The Facts

Matt Bogard — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 13:14:05 GMT

There has certainly been a problem in the past with closed mindedness and fact spinning with regard the environmental and health benefits of biotechnology.

Avatar Movie: Anticapitalist? Not Really

Matt Bogard — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 03:03:05 GMT

I remember my geography teacher playing a song ( 'Beds are Burning' by Midnight Oil) and proceeding to tell us how freedom and capitalism was destroying the planet. I hope such a great movie like Avatar is not misused in the same way.

Are We the Government?

Matt Bogard — Wed, 19 May 2010 17:10:16 GMT

To be clear, we are the government in all those areas where the government acts in accordance with the specifically enumerated powers of the constitution.

'Boot' on 'Throat'? How American is That?

Matt Bogard — Sat, 29 May 2010 10:52:39 GMT

It looks like the government’s boot is going to come down on one American farmer after another. It may not happen publicly though until they have taxed and regulated the industry into bankruptcy or some crisis occurs, so just like with the auto industry, the financial industry, and the oil spill, they can walk in and act like they had nothing to do with it and say 'we'll keep our boot on their throat until this is fixed.' How American is that?

Time to Change the (sustainable cotton) Sheets

Matt Bogard — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:37:48 GMT

So the next time you buy clothes or sheets look for the “Made from 100% Biotech Cotton” label. Wait, I don’t think there is one. It seems the textile and retail clothes industry is missing a huge opportunity to market their ‘greenness’!

Climategate

Matt Bogard — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:23:47 GMT

There is just too much uncertainty at all levels of analysis to recommend major changes to combat climate change, especially given the sacrifices that would have to be made in terms of jobs and economic growth.

Earth Day: A Great Time to Agvocate

Matt Bogard — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 11:24:15 GMT

In the past Earth Day Elitists may have presumed that “farmers are too stupid to farm sustainably, too cruel to treat their animals well, and too careless to worry about their communities” but they can’t get away with those prejudices anymore.

Campus Sustainability Day

Matt Bogard — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:34:23 GMT

Apparently, October 21st is Campus Sustainability Day, and is being celebrated on many campuses across the country. I wonder what's on the menu on your local college campus?

Why study Agricultural Economics?

Matt Bogard — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:04:12 GMT

Agricultural Economics is a very applied field covering many topics beyond those stereotypically thought of as pertaining to agriculture. These may include finance and risk management, environmental and natural resource economics, game theory, or public policy analysis to name a few.

Big Fat America or Big Fat Facade ?

Matt Bogard — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:03:38 GMT

At first I thought that Forbes was emulating TIME magazine with more point of view journalism targeting agriculture and family farms. However, to Forbes credit, this was located on the 'opinion' tab if you go to the website. I often find that when one evokes the term 'Factory Farm', it is just like profanity- strong words used in place of better reasoning. Other cases I've seen this sort of shibboleth is in the attempt to appear to be pro family farm while stealthily advocating polices that would be detrimental to all producers.

Green Jobs

Matt Bogard — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 11:13:01 GMT

Green jobs created by government are not equivalent to those created by the free market. Let the market create green jobs where they are needed most. The ag industry has already set the example.

Evidence on Tax Cuts

Matt Bogard — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 09:45:25 GMT

It is unfortunate that certain policies often get categorized as being either 'liberal' or 'right wing'. As a result, good policies are often neglected, or are never considered based on their actual merits. There are many cases where this is true, but one in particular has to do with marginal tax cuts that include tax cuts for the wealthy.

A Rush to Innovation?

Matt Bogard — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 10:47:14 GMT

On my way to a late lunch yesterday I got a chance to catch a bit from the Rush Limbaugh show. He was talking about a story from CNN Money entitled "Recession's latest victim: U.S. innovation."

The Gulf Oil Spill and the Role of Government

Matt Bogard — Wed, 05 May 2010 10:48:41 GMT

In the context of the current oil spill disaster in the Gulf, have we learned anything about disaster response since Katrina?Without considering the evidence over emotional rhetoric, we are likely just setting ourselves up for 'disaster.' Emotional rhetoric seems to take precedence in our national debates, whether it comes to EPA blog posts attacking family farms, regulating salt in our diets, banning sustainable pharmaceutical technologies in livestock production, or raising taxes on farms and small businesses.

More Regulation for Global Agriculture

Matt Bogard — Sun, 24 May 2009 13:00:26 GMT

According to an ACES news release entitled 'Globalized Agriculture Requires Regulation' from the University of Illinois , freedom and liberty in the ag sector are likely to see some major restrictions in the next few years.

Economic Sense

Matt Bogard — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 09:26:22 GMT

Taking a Cheap Shot at Ethanol

Regulating Commerce: Agricultural History

Matt Bogard — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 23:51:56 GMT

An important case in both agricultural and supreme court history is Wickard v. Filburn. In this case a farmer’s crop was being taxed because he produced more than was allowed under the AAA. His defense was that the federal government had no power or business telling him what he could grow on his private property in his state. But , as quoted from Ayn Rand’s book Atlas Shrugged

‘ …the government’s plans cannot be held up by the matter of your consent.’

OBESITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Matt Bogard — Wed, 28 May 2008 07:42:47 GMT

There is little scientific consesnsus to support the drastic lifestyle changes that many extermist environmentalists advocate to reduce climate change.

Perception is Reality

Matt Bogard — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:46:28 GMT

How can Europeans be so skeptical of biotechnology, but more willing than Americans to accept nanotechnology?

Politics and Science

Matt Bogard — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:39:30 GMT

It is naive to think that democracy, or an election that replaces one set of politicians and bureaucrats with another will usher in a new age of enlightenment.

The Invisible Green Hand

Matt Bogard — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:37:57 GMT

Last week there were many activities going on across the country having to do with Earth Day. Every year I cringe wondering where Agriculture will show up in the spotlight. Ultimately, acting in our own self interest, guided by prices, the market leads producers to decisions that benefit themselves as well as the environment. I hope that this theme finds its way into future Earth Day Celebrations.

The Mystery of Capital ( and the Clean Water Restoration Act)

Matt Bogard — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 16:26:49 GMT

This is just another illustration of the impact of government controls on individuals and specifically the agriculture industry.

Financial Reform or More Handouts to Wall Street

Matt Bogard — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 09:51:37 GMT

Now, congress is planning a financial reform package. While commentators are claiming that this is a way to 'punish' Wall Street and prevent the next crisis (based on the false assumptions that the crisis was due only to excessive greed and very complicated derivatives), it is nothing of the sort. It is nothing more than another handout staked on taxpayer dollars.

WHO'S TO BLAME

Matt Bogard — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:27:01 GMT

Everyone wants to talk about subsidies to ‘Big Ag’ and how they are responsible for everything from obesity to world hunger.In reality we all know how much fuel prices have increased over the last year, and they are likely playing a much larger role in food price issues than biofuels or 'Big Ag.' It is time to look beyond sterotypes and consider the benefits of biotechnology if we are going to meet the word's demand for food and fuel.

Is GMO Free the Next Ford Pinto

Matt Bogard — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 16:24:27 GMT

Does corporate greed put our lives and environment at risk?

The Economy, Corn, & the Supreme Court

Matt Bogard — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 21:32:20 GMT

Just some random thoughts….

Financial Reform Impacts the Farm

Matt Bogard — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 09:57:44 GMT

The financial reform bill certainly has the potential to prolong the recession and have a negative impact on many sectors of the economy including agriculture.

Rush Was Right (According to Nation's Chief Economist)

Matt Bogard — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:59:00 GMT

With democrats like Florida Governor Sink supporting extension of these tax cuts, it looks like we may start to see the kind of bipratisan and independent brace of evidence based policies that Mr. Limbaugh advocated long ago and head of a double dip recession

"ose"gate

Matt Bogard — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 20:37:00 GMT

5 ‘sweet’ scams that define the "ose"gate conspiracy: 1) The Sugar Switcheroo Scam 2) Big Fat Lies Scam 3) The Subsidy Scape Goat Scam 4) The Dilemma of the Omnivore’s Dilemma 5) The Political Correctness Scam

A Cheap Food Policy

Matt Bogard — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 14:52:00 GMT

In a really great essay I read this week (A Cheap Food Policy: Good or Bad?), an Ohio State Ag Economist stands up for modern agriculture and family farms taking on myths and agendas related to farm subsidies, high fructose corn syrup, and sustainability.

A Video Discussing Sustainability

Matt Bogard — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 20:53:00 GMT

A video discussion between two office workers with different ideas about sustainability

A Guide to Sustainable Agriculture

Matt Bogard — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 02:18:00 GMT

Takes on myths about modern agriculture perpetuated by films like Food Inc & popular meda, presents facts about 'factory farming', corn, organic food & pesticides, biotechnology, livestock production & climate change, meat consumption and climate change .

A Tea Party Thanksgiving - Was Rush Right?

Matt Bogard — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 23:10:00 GMT

An article in the New York Times takes on the history of economic thought related to the first Thanksgiving, but isn't that successful.

Trickle Down Economics

Matt Bogard — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 09:37:00 GMT

Those using the term 'trickle down' to describe economic policies, like tax cuts, either aren't being intellectually honest or simply don't understand the underlying processes and don't care to debate the evidence.

Agriculture and Economics: A year in review

Matt Bogard — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 21:34:00 GMT

Agriculture and Economics: A year in review

Taxes and Deficits

Matt Bogard — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 11:08:00 GMT

Prior to the financial crisis, deficits were falling drastically, while revenues to the government were on the rise. Supply side economics was working.

Agvocating Vitriol?

Matt Bogard — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 19:31:00 GMT

While most of these examples refer to mainstream politicians and their campaign rhetoric,criminalizing this kind of behavior can easily set a precedent for expanded restrictions on other types of political speech given a clever lawyer and an activist judge. We have the First Amendment for a reason, and we should keep it.

Gun Ownership and Crime Rates

Matt Bogard — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 22:25:00 GMT

Rachel Maddow gave a confusing presentation of gun and crime data this week.

Biotech Alfalfa: Who may harm who?

Matt Bogard — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 23:40:00 GMT

What the Coase Theorem tells us is that there is no case for arbitrarily giving organic growers a trump card over those that want to use biotech alfalfa. The principle of polluter pays is not always optimal.

EWG Women and Sustainable Agriculture

Matt Bogard — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 18:44:00 GMT

It seems that the article from EWG implies that small scale and /or organic production methods are more sustainable, and that women are more likely to implement these practices. The truth of the matter is that modern sustainable agriculture is driven by markets and technology, not gender.

National Ag Week

Matt Bogard — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 21:03:00 GMT

Today is National Ag Day and this is National Ag Week

1 Million Dollars...Pennywise Pound Poor Deficit Reduction Ideas

Matt Bogard — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 15:05:00 GMT

Regardless of your opinion about about cutting farm subsidies, they do not belong in the context of a serious conversation about deficit reduction.

Do Large Farms Benefit the Most from Subsidies?

Matt Bogard — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 19:01:00 GMT

Often data is thrown around to give the impression that farm subsidies are a prop for 'big ag' at the expense of small farms. This big vs. small conversation only invokes class envy, and may seem like an argument for politically correct agriculture, but it is not supported by the data when looking at subsidies as a share of income across all farm sizes.

More Misconceptions About Subsidies

Matt Bogard — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 10:14:00 GMT

Subsidies don’t make much difference in terms of government spending and many of the arguments for ending farm subsidies based on sustainability, nutrition, obesity, etc. lack empirical support. Ultimately the argument about farm subsidies comes down to your view on the role of government.

The S&P Credit Downgrade

Matt Bogard — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 14:21:00 GMT

S&P cited political uncertainty as one of the reasons for the credit downgrade. Until we can get past Keynesian economic policies and regulatory uncertainty, economic recovery will remain stagnant.

The Trickle Down Economics of Cap and Trade

Matt Bogard — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:03:00 GMT

We are not really sure how to price carbon, and what we observe (at least in modern agriculture) in all of these instances is that despite the absence of a centrally planned price or quantity of carbon, people are making choices that optimize its use or production.The best approach for dealing with climate change or any environmental problem is to develop resilient market based economies that are able to invest in the technology necessary to adapt to ever changing resource constraints.

The Buffet Tax Deception

Matt Bogard — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 23:54:00 GMT

Should we really be thinking about making national tax policies based on the single random anecdotal observation of a celebrity businessman?

Occupy Wall Street: Hitching a Ride on the Tea Party Express?

Matt Bogard — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 01:24:00 GMT

Time will tell if those occupying Wall Street calling for ending the Fed and crony capitalism are the true voice of the movement, or if they will ultimately find themselves tools for more interventionism through a progressive policy agenda.

Why Occupy Wall Street Will Keep Up (the Wrong?) Fight

Matt Bogard — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 11:06:00 GMT

If the movement is more concerned about wealth redistribution and things like ‘true cost’ market regimes, they are fighting the wrong fight.

Finely Textured Beef: What is seen and unseen

Matt Bogard — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 10:29:00 GMT

Consumers say they want healthy sustainable food. They want it to be safe. They want it to be affordable. The market delivered with finely textured lean beef.Now in a classic illustration of group think, lead by celebrities, anti-farm activists, and advocates of big government, these same producers are being punished for catering to the expressed desires of their harshest critics.

Is the Finely Textured Beef Issue Just A Matter of Consumer Preferences?

Matt Bogard — Fri, 04 May 2012 23:37:00 GMT

If I thought this were simply about food preferences, food choices, and consumers making decisions based on those preferences, and the markets responding, then of course this would all be a moot discussion.The goal of the purveyors of the pink slime propaganda isn't simply to persuade consumers to choose alternative products, but to build the sentiment that will support coercive government intervention in the market place.

Farm Bill Fallacies

Matt Bogard — Mon, 28 May 2012 07:23:00 GMT

Eliminating or restructuring the farm bill is not an issue of sustainability or healthy food production. At best it is a size and scope of government debate. Regardless, if we completely eliminate commodity related programs and subsidies, corn is still king and Monsanto will still continue to sell Roundup and GMO soy as long as the 98% of all U.S. farms that are family farms embrace the benefits of modern sustainable agriculture. At a time when the public is increasingly demanding a more sustai

Hybrid Corn vs. Hybrid Cars

Matt Bogard — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 18:36:00 GMT

Which is better for the environment, hybrid corn (with biotech traits) or hybrid cars? Which is most easily adaptable and consumable on a scale large enough to have any meaningful impact on the environment? Yet again another case where the invisible green hand trumps rhetoric and force, and another case where I’m not so sure that ‘carbon’ isn’t already accounted for and rationed by the voluntary decisions of billions of producers and consumers.

Food Democracy -- Not Now, Not Ever

Matt Bogard — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 14:49:00 GMT

Food is an extremely personal and detailed consumption product. Of all areas of our life, food is where we hope to express our choices as precisely and intensely as possible, based on our own private knowledge, tastes and preferences, not bundled with the preferences of others or subject to how some stranger may "vote" about it or some politician or bureaucrat may dictate.

Big Ag Meets Big Data: Part 1

Matt Bogard — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 13:50:00 GMT

An agricultural economist by training, I typically blog about policy related issues. However, by trade I spend a ton of my time doing empirical data analysis (modeling and forecasting). In the next couple posts I'm going to highlight some major trends in the ag industry related to to how we are generating and utilizing data for better informed management and policy decision making. This first post looks at the role of social media in this context.

Just Label It! What's in a name? A free market perspective on labeling gentically modified foods

Matt Bogard — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 12:24:00 GMT

Last week I ran across the Agritalk podcast for March 20th. This reminded me of a post I did last fall from my personal blog economic sense. Is there justification for government intervention requiring labeling of GMO foods?Is there an uncompensated harm? Is there sufficient information so that citizens can recognize the potential harm?Does the market provide a way to avoid the harm?

Will including the words ‘Genetically Modified’ on food labels really serve to inform the public?

Matt Bogard — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 11:23:00 GMT

Whenever one party has better information about their product or service than the buying public, information asymmetries may exist. Proponents of proposition 37 claim that their initiative is to reduce information asymmetry and improve the functioning of markets. But, will including the words ‘Genetically Modified’ on food labels really serve to inform the public or create more confusion?

Consumers have a right to know!

Matt Bogard — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 07:52:00 GMT

Consumers certainly have a right to know about what's in their food. They also have a right to not be misguided by the improper application of food labels. Our farmers and educators are in the best position to inform consumers about the very specific and complicated processes and technologies involved in food production as opposed to some blunt uninformative term on a label that could easily be manipulated for political ends or sensationalized by media.

Big Ag Meets Big Data: Part 2

Matt Bogard — Mon, 06 May 2013 09:20:00 GMT

I just came back from the SAS Global Forum conference where 'big data' was an ongoing theme, which reminded me I needed to post the second installment of my Big Ag and Big Data series. Previously I discussed the role of social media in producing ‘big data’ and tools that may be used to get the most from this data in the ag industry. In this second installment I’m going to discuss other sources of ‘big data.’