Browse Site

 : : Research
 : : 2007 Farm Bill
 : : Education
 : : Related Sites
 : : About Us
 : : Home


 

NOTE:
Many reports contain multiple sections, which can be easily accessed through "Bookmarks" in the PDF file

Research

In keeping with the Buy California Initiative's mission to enhance the competitiveness of the specialty crop industry, the institute funds objective, timely research that illuminates policy, economic and regulatory issues as they relate to specialty crops.

Specific research objectives include:

• Identifying economic, policy, regulatory and other factors that impact the long-term viability of California's specialty crop industries and recommending solutions to problems.
• Providing a research-based framework for state- and federal-level policy discussions related to specialty crops.
• Conducting multidisciplinary research that is reflective of the diversity of the specialty crop industry with regard to commodity, geography and scale.

Research projects will reflect the multitude of factors that shape the specialty crop economy, including government policies and regulations, trade agreements and global competition, production costs, industry consolidation, labor, land use, transportation, technology and marketing, among other things. All research shall attempt to answer fundamental questions about how to achieve long-term viability for California's specialty crops.

Completed Research Project Reports

Biofuels and Energy
"Assessment of Biofuels in California and Potential for Future Utilization" (Williams, Ahern, Ochwat)	Exec Summary - Mar 2005 Final Report - Mar 2005
"Clustering of Independent Independent Dairy Operators for Generation of Bio-Renewable Energy: A Feasibility Study" (Hurley, Ahern, Williams)	Exec Summary - Sept 2006 Final Report - Sept 2006
"California Renewable Energy Overview for Agriculture" (Hamilton)	Final Report - Sept 2007
California Representative Farm Models
"Representative Farm Models: Thompson Seedless Grapes" (Noel)	Final Report - Apr 2006
"Impact of Increased Minimum Wage on Southern San Joaquin Valley Navel Orange Producers" (Donnelly and Noel)	Final Report - Aug 2006
"Specialty Crop Representative Farm Models: Forecasts, Policy Analysis and International Comparative Studies" (Paggi, Yamazaki, Qiao)	Final Report - Sept 2007
Conservation/Environment
"Improving the Effectiveness And Efficiency of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program" (Ochwat)	Exec Summary - Jun 2006 Final Report - Jun 2006
"A Benefit Transfer Approach to the Estimation of Agro-Ecosystems Services Benefits: A Case Study of Kern County, California" (Qenani-Petrela, Noel, and Mastin)	Final Report - Sept 2007
Economic Impact
"The Economic Impact of California Specialty Crops - A Regional Perspective" (Hamilton)	Exec Summary - Nov 2004 Final Report - Nov 2004
"China: Market or Competitor?" (Rozelle)	Exec Summary - Jan 2006 Final Report - Jan 2006
"The Regional Impact of the Stanislaus County Food Processing Industry and the Food Processing By-Products Use Program" (Hurley and Bylsma)	Exec Summary - Oct 2007 Final Report - Oct 2007
"The Economic Impact of the Stanislaus County Food Processing Industry and the Food Processing By-Products Use Program" (Noel et al.)	Final Report - Oct 2007
Food Safety
"Food Safety Assurances as a Collective Good: Lessons from the Pistachio Marketing Order" (Alston, Brunke)	Exec Summary - Jan 2006 Final Report - Jan 2006
Labor
"A Cross Comparison Between California and Its Domestic and International Competitors With Respect to Key Labor Issues" (Hurley)	Exec Summary - Jun 2004 Final Report - Jun 2004
Market Power
"Grocery Retailer Pricing Behavior for California Avocados: Implications for Producer Prices and Incomes and Industry Promotion Strategies" (Carmen, Sexton)	Exec Summary - Jul 2006 Final Report - Jul 2006
Nutrition
"Examining Potential Changes in Nutrition Recommendations and Implications for Specialty Crops in California" (Rickard, Gonsalves, Sumner)	Exec Summary - Apr 2006 Final Report - Apr 2006
Organics
"The Certified Organic Seed Market: Implications of Delayed Development" (MacDougall)	Exec Summary - Mar 2005 Final Report - Mar 2005
"The Costs, Market, Policies and implications of the Transition from Conventional to Organic Agriculture: A Look at Strawberries in California" (MacDougall, Rosario Alva)	Exec Summary - Oct 2006 Final Report - Oct 2006
Pest Management
"Costs and Benefits of Government Exotic Pest Control Measures in California: A Summary Project Report" (Sumner)	Exec Summary - Jan 2005 Final Report - Jan 2005
Regulatory Policy
"A Synopsis of the Regulatory Environment Affecting California Specialty Crops" (Hurley)	Exec Summary - Jan 2005 Final Report - Jan 2005
"Impact of California's Changing Environmental Regulations on Timber Harvest Planning Costs" (Thompson, Dicus)	Exec Summary - Mar 2005 Final Report - May 2005
"Analysis of the Regulatory Effects on California Specialty Crops: An Examination of Various Issues Impacting Selected Forest Products, Tree fruit, Nut, and Vegetable Crop Industries" (Hurley, Thompson, Dicus, Berger, Noel)	Exec Summary - Mar 2006 Final Report - Mar 2006
"Comparing California's Cost of Regulation to Other States: A Case Study Approach for Agriculture" (Hamilton)	Exec Summary - Nov 2006 Final Report - Nov 2006
"Industry Response to Beef Sector Policy and Regulation: Case Study of Beef Sector in California " (Ahern, Delmore, Thulin)	Final Report - Sept 2007
"Public Funding for Research into Specialty Crops" (Alston and Pardey)	Final Report - Aug 2007
Risk Management
"Estimating the Impacts of Differing Price Risk Management Strategies on the Net Income of Salinas Valley Lettuce Producers: A Stochastic Simulation Approach" (Howard, Noel, Fumasi)	Exec Summary - Jul 2005 Final Report - Jul 2005
"Risk Management Options and Practices of California Specialty Crop Producers" (Lee, Takale)	Exec Summary - Jan 2006 Final Report - Jan 2006
Trade
"The Central American Free Trade Agreement: What's at Stake for California Agriculture" (Paggi, Yamazaki, Josling)	Exec Summary - Jan 2005 Final Report - Apr 2005