The Intended and Unintended Effects of US Agricultural and Biotechnology Policies

Using economic models and empirical analysis, this volume examines a wide range of agricultural and biofuel policy issues and their effects on American agricultural markets and related agrarian insurance markets. Beginning with a look at the distribution of funds by insurance programs—created to support farmers but often having important effects on crop processors as well—the book then examines the demand for biofuel and the effects of biofuel policies on agricultural price uncertainty. Also discussed are genetically engineered crops—which are assuming an increasingly important role in arbitrating tensions among energy production, environmental protection, and the global food supply—and the effects of genetic engineering on worldwide food markets. By addressing some of the most challenging topics at the intersection of agriculture and biotechnology, this volume informs crucial debates.