ABSTRACT
This book answers the questions: What is happening to American agriculture, and why? Steven C. Blank uses portfolio theory to analyze both macro- and microeconomic data that paints a clear picture of the trends in agriculture, and explains why these trends are consistent with market evolution and global economic development. He clarifies agriculture's specific role in economic development with a focus on the current and future globalizing commodity markets.The book features empirical research that demonstrates the link between farm-level investment decisions and regional and national economic trends. It shows how the dynamic environment of industrialization and globalization of agriculture is part of a continuing development that is driven by technological innovation. This all points to a future with a very different agricultural production sector and some extremely important policy choices that will face the entire country.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part I|103 pages
American Agriculture and Globalization
part II|63 pages
The Economics of Agriculture and Global Development
part III|52 pages
Global Agriculture's Effect on Market Evolution
part IV|158 pages
American Production Agriculture's Response
part V|83 pages
American Agricultural Policy Questions