Public Funding for Research into Specialty Crops
Open accessAbstract
Specialty crops have become increasingly important relative to other categories of agricultural production in the United States over the past 50 years, especially during the past 25 years. The growth in the value of production of specialty crops has not been matched by commensurate growth in public agricultural research spending. The specialty crops' share of spending on crops research (or on all agricultural research) has remained approximately constant during a period when the specialty crops' share of the value of production has increased significantly. This article reviews trends in the economic importance of specialty crops, and public funding for specialty crops research, and examines arguments and evidence about whether the total funding for specialty crops research is too little and whether the share of agricultural research funding allocated to specialty crops should increase. Although the evidence is mixed, we conclude that specialty crops research is underfunded and that a case can be made for increasing the share of agricultural research funding going to specialty crops. A producer check-off program with a matching government grant could be developed to give incentives to both the industry and the government to help enhance research funding.
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A major effect of current US agricultural subsidies is income transfer to farmers.
“Rather, a major effect of these agricultural subsidies is income transfer to farmers.”
From Population Approaches to Improve Diet, Physical Activity, and Smoking Habits: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (2012) · cites this paper as [186]
In general, analyses focusing on recent US policy have concluded that over the past 2 decades, agricultural subsidies alone have not distorted the relative costs of fruits and vegetables and other foods relative to animal products, sugars, and edible oils.
“In general, analyses focusing on recent US policy have concluded that over the past 2 decades, agricultural subsidies alone have not distorted the relative costs of fruits and vegetables and other foods relative to animal products, sugars, and edible oils.184–187”
From Population Approaches to Improve Diet, Physical Activity, and Smoking Habits: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (2012) · cites this paper as [186]
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References 18 · Cited by 41
Research works printed but not linked: 5
- Alston, J.M. "Spillovers." Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics 46 (3): 2002: 315-46.
- Alston, J.M., P.G. Pardey, and V.H. Smith, eds. Paying for Agricultural Productivity, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999.
- Bradford, K.J., J.M. Alston, and N. Kalaitzandonakes. "Regulation of Biotechnology for Horticultural Crops." Chapter 29 of R.E. Just, J.M. Alston, and D. Zilberman (eds). Regulating Agricultural Biotechnology: Economics and Policy. Springer-Verlag publishers, 2006.
- Carman, H.F. and J.M. Alston. "California's Mandated Commodity Programs." Chapter 2 in H. Kaiser, J.M. Alston, J. Crespi, and R.J. Sexton (eds). The Economics of Commodity Promotion Programs: Lessons from California. New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing, 2005.
- Pardey, P.G., J.M. Alston, and R.R. Piggott (eds.) Agricultural R&D in the Developing World: Too Little, Too Late? Washington DC: International Food Policy Research Institute, 2006.
- Authors
- Alston, J. M., & Pardey, P. G.
- Affiliations
- University of Minnesota (US)
- Venue
- HortScience
- Published
- 2008-08
- Volume
- 43
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1461-1470
- ISSN
- 0018-5345 (ISSN-L)
- 2327-9834
- OpenAlex
- W1861534045
- Cited by
- 41
- References
- 18
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 4 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 2 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 6.57
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- HortScience (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA)
- Funders
- University of Minnesota
- University of California, Davis
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Agricultural economics and policies
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › General Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agricultural Economics and Practices
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Information Systems and Management › Research, Science, and Academia
- Keywords
- specialty crops, agricultural research funding, research funding allocation, horticultural research
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