Food assistance funds in the United States have generally gone to areas most in need. Assistance ... more Food assistance funds in the United States have generally gone to areas most in need. Assistance in the most needy U.S. counties averaged $21.98 per person in 1967. By 1976, it had increased to $153.91. Corresponding figures for the least needy counties were $2.04 in 1967 and $26.35 in 1976. Food assistance payments accounted for almost 18 percent of each real dollar increase in per capita retail food sales in the neediest counties. Additional food spending was influenced more by increases in food assistance payments than by increases in earned income.
The Older Americans Act of 1965, amended in 1972, states that many senior citizens eat inadequate... more The Older Americans Act of 1965, amended in 1972, states that many senior citizens eat inadequately because they lack financial means, knowledge, and mobility to purchase and prepare nourishing foods. This report examines how food purchasing patterns of senior citizens compare with other age groups. The age of household head exerts a considerable influence on family food expenditure patterns. Households in which the head was 65 years or over spent more per person on food prepared at home and less on food away from home than households headed by persons of other age groups.
Understanding the fo od purchasing patterns of senior citi zens is of increasing importance not o... more Understanding the fo od purchasing patterns of senior citi zens is of increasing importance not only fr om the standpo int of consumer interests and fo od marketing, but also from the view of public policy. The number of persons 65 years and older has risen at almost three times the rate of the rest of the U.S. population since 1970. Current demographic trends indicate a continued high growth rate. Because they already com prise a significant portion of the U.S. population (11 percent), the elderly have an important influence on what ty pes of foods will be marketed over the next decade. In terms of public pol icy, the foreward to the 1972 amendments to the Older Americans Act of 1965 stated that many elderly Americans were not eating ade quately because they lacked the financial means, knowledge, and mobility to purchase and prepare nourishing foods. Since pa ssage of the amendments to that Act, fo od expend iture data have become available, making it possible to exam ine the actual fo od purchasing patterns of a geographically disperse cross-sec tion of elderly Americans. This article reports the findings of the first-stage effort to analyze these data. The study was under ta ken as a static comparison. Fo o d-purchasing patterns of households with elderly Americans were compared with those households with persons in other age groups. The specific questions addressed include: 42 PORTION OF FOOD DOLLARS SPENT BY AGE OF HOUSEHOLD HEAD
The portion of income spent on food by income group is an important measure of the con sumer's st... more The portion of income spent on food by income group is an important measure of the con sumer's standard of living. It is also a useful tool in assessing the impact of family food pro grams on the food buying patterns of low income recipients. There are three common mea sures of the percent of income spent on food. The first is from the Department of Commerce, which simply divides household expenditures for food by national income. This measure, however, does not give the portion of income spent on food by income group. Nor do es the measure tell us any thing about the spending patterns of consumers. The other two mea sures are developed from surveys and do provide data by income group (in addition to region, race, urbanization, size of family, and age of family head). The first of these is USDA's Household Food Consumption Sur vey which provides data on both a poundage and expenditure basis. These surveys are conducted about every 10 years. The last survey for which data are available was con ducted in 1965. Data from the 1977 survey will not be available until 1979. The second is the Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES) which is conducted periodically by the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. The mo st recent data are from 45,000 households and cover a 2-year period (July 1972-June 1974).
Long-term MINOR COST COMPONENTS BY MARKETING SUBGROUP rates, while not fluctuating as much, have ... more Long-term MINOR COST COMPONENTS BY MARKETING SUBGROUP rates, while not fluctuating as much, have risen steadily since 1967. Even with this escalation in the cost of money, firms almost dou bled their borrowing since 1967. This increase is due in part to the inability of firms to raise investment capital through tradi tional methods because of a depressed stock market and the higher inflation-induced costs of corporate bonds. In the past decade, the corporate bond rate has frequently been above the short-term bank loan interest rates as investors have been unwilling to pledge their capital for the long term in an inflationary period. Some of the capital requirements were met by an increase in rent ing.
The food marketing system is the largest user of national media advertising among all industries.... more The food marketing system is the largest user of national media advertising among all industries. Food manufacturers, retailers, and service companies spent $2.5 billion in 1978, more than twice the amount spent for automobile and gasoline advertising, the second largest user. In addition, another $3 billion was spent for' nonfood items (health and beauty aids, alcoholic beverages, smoking materials, and pet foods) largely sold in grocery stores. Ninety percent of the money spent for mass media advertising is for television. Other major types include newspapers, general interest magazines, newspaper supplements, network and spot radio,' and outdoor billboards.
The Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs issued its report "Dietary Goals fo... more The Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs issued its report "Dietary Goals for the United States" in early 1977. The report was important, some argued, in that it began to deaf in a straightforward way with the contemporary human nutrition problems in the United States. Rather than focusing on the minimum requirements for dietary balance, the need for a moderation in intake of certain foods was stressed. Others argued just as forcefully that the available scientific evidence could not support the specific recommendations made in the committee report. And that in the absence of such information, consumers were being advised to change their eating habits in ways that could bring economic hardships to part of the food and agriculture system without improving the national health.
For years people have observed that there are new participant forces influencing the food and agr... more For years people have observed that there are new participant forces influencing the food and agricultural policy agenda. Don Paarlberg's 1974 "new agenda" speech is a well-known example. The recurring theme of these talks is that the policy context must be broadened to explicitly encompass the new "food policy" setting. Rather than focus on those issues which distinguish between food and farm policy, my approach is to search for a middle ground. Simply stated, the theme of this talk is that a broad food policy statement encompasses both the traditional farm and the contemporary nutrition programs. My contention is that such a broad policy is not new at all. But, while the policy per se has been essentially unchanged, program emphasis to implement the policy has been evolving over the years. The emphasis in recent years, I will argue, has been on the development of programs relating to the nutrition, safety, and quality aspects of the broader food policy.
Wew agricultural and food legislation became effective on September 29, 1977, when the President ... more Wew agricultural and food legislation became effective on September 29, 1977, when the President signed S. 275, the "Food and Agriculture Act of 1977." This act, the most comprehensive of all the so-called "farm bills" since the thirties, treats many subjects: farm commodity programs, grain reserves, domestic food assistance, research (agricultural and human nutrition) and education, conservation, wheat foods promotion, grain inspection, advisory committees, and several other areas. This "omnibus bill" could (under certain conditions) involve Federal budget outlays exceeding $12 billion annually, or near $50 billion for the life of the legislation. New food and agricultural legislation becai*ie effective on September 29, 1977. The provisions of the bill may be used to help establish a research agenda for policy analysts. This article highlights what appear to be the most important research issues. Specifically discussed are the payment limitation, economic and natural disaster risk protection, the flexible loan level and international grain trading, the current plantings concept and production control, grain reserves, and domestic and foreign food assistance.
Food prices in 1979 will likely increase about 10 percent, the same rate as last year. Higher pri... more Food prices in 1979 will likely increase about 10 percent, the same rate as last year. Higher prices for farm commodities, particularly meat, and higher marketing costs are the primary causes. This paper puts the food price situation into historical perspective and reviews the 1979 USDA food price forecast.
The research provides theoretical and statistical models of the food stamp redemption process. Th... more The research provides theoretical and statistical models of the food stamp redemption process. The existence of a lag structure in the use and redemptionof food stamps is also investigated. The results suggest that food stamps are used by recipients within the month they are received. However, there appears to be some lag in the redemption of the stamps by the Federal Government, probably the result of lags in the banking system. The research also shows that a very small percentage of stamps are not used and redeemed at some time.
The purpose of this paper is to call attention to the important role that the statistical model a... more The purpose of this paper is to call attention to the important role that the statistical model and the data source play in the determination of a numerical estimate of price response. Price "elasticities" are estimated from both time-series and cross-sectional viewpoints using the same data base and essentially the same method of estimation, ordinary least squares regression (OLS). In each case the data are organized in a slightly different manner. The results obtained are reasonable from a statistical point of view, and yet each set suggests vastly different policy implications.
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 1981
Most political analysts failed to predict that the election of 1980 would be close; few foresaw t... more Most political analysts failed to predict that the election of 1980 would be close; few foresaw the landslide that would bring major changes in the policy-making machinery. The results surprised almost everyone. Ronald Reagan carried all but 6 states, and the Republicans won the Senate for the first time in a quarter century. The balance of power in the House of Representatives also shifted toward the conservatives—Republicans gained 33 seats.
Food assistance funds in the United States have generally gone to areas most in need. Assistance ... more Food assistance funds in the United States have generally gone to areas most in need. Assistance in the most needy U.S. counties averaged $21.98 per person in 1967. By 1976, it had increased to $153.91. Corresponding figures for the least needy counties were $2.04 in 1967 and $26.35 in 1976. Food assistance payments accounted for almost 18 percent of each real dollar increase in per capita retail food sales in the neediest counties. Additional food spending was influenced more by increases in food assistance payments than by increases in earned income.
The Older Americans Act of 1965, amended in 1972, states that many senior citizens eat inadequate... more The Older Americans Act of 1965, amended in 1972, states that many senior citizens eat inadequately because they lack financial means, knowledge, and mobility to purchase and prepare nourishing foods. This report examines how food purchasing patterns of senior citizens compare with other age groups. The age of household head exerts a considerable influence on family food expenditure patterns. Households in which the head was 65 years or over spent more per person on food prepared at home and less on food away from home than households headed by persons of other age groups.
Understanding the fo od purchasing patterns of senior citi zens is of increasing importance not o... more Understanding the fo od purchasing patterns of senior citi zens is of increasing importance not only fr om the standpo int of consumer interests and fo od marketing, but also from the view of public policy. The number of persons 65 years and older has risen at almost three times the rate of the rest of the U.S. population since 1970. Current demographic trends indicate a continued high growth rate. Because they already com prise a significant portion of the U.S. population (11 percent), the elderly have an important influence on what ty pes of foods will be marketed over the next decade. In terms of public pol icy, the foreward to the 1972 amendments to the Older Americans Act of 1965 stated that many elderly Americans were not eating ade quately because they lacked the financial means, knowledge, and mobility to purchase and prepare nourishing foods. Since pa ssage of the amendments to that Act, fo od expend iture data have become available, making it possible to exam ine the actual fo od purchasing patterns of a geographically disperse cross-sec tion of elderly Americans. This article reports the findings of the first-stage effort to analyze these data. The study was under ta ken as a static comparison. Fo o d-purchasing patterns of households with elderly Americans were compared with those households with persons in other age groups. The specific questions addressed include: 42 PORTION OF FOOD DOLLARS SPENT BY AGE OF HOUSEHOLD HEAD
The portion of income spent on food by income group is an important measure of the con sumer's st... more The portion of income spent on food by income group is an important measure of the con sumer's standard of living. It is also a useful tool in assessing the impact of family food pro grams on the food buying patterns of low income recipients. There are three common mea sures of the percent of income spent on food. The first is from the Department of Commerce, which simply divides household expenditures for food by national income. This measure, however, does not give the portion of income spent on food by income group. Nor do es the measure tell us any thing about the spending patterns of consumers. The other two mea sures are developed from surveys and do provide data by income group (in addition to region, race, urbanization, size of family, and age of family head). The first of these is USDA's Household Food Consumption Sur vey which provides data on both a poundage and expenditure basis. These surveys are conducted about every 10 years. The last survey for which data are available was con ducted in 1965. Data from the 1977 survey will not be available until 1979. The second is the Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES) which is conducted periodically by the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. The mo st recent data are from 45,000 households and cover a 2-year period (July 1972-June 1974).
Long-term MINOR COST COMPONENTS BY MARKETING SUBGROUP rates, while not fluctuating as much, have ... more Long-term MINOR COST COMPONENTS BY MARKETING SUBGROUP rates, while not fluctuating as much, have risen steadily since 1967. Even with this escalation in the cost of money, firms almost dou bled their borrowing since 1967. This increase is due in part to the inability of firms to raise investment capital through tradi tional methods because of a depressed stock market and the higher inflation-induced costs of corporate bonds. In the past decade, the corporate bond rate has frequently been above the short-term bank loan interest rates as investors have been unwilling to pledge their capital for the long term in an inflationary period. Some of the capital requirements were met by an increase in rent ing.
The food marketing system is the largest user of national media advertising among all industries.... more The food marketing system is the largest user of national media advertising among all industries. Food manufacturers, retailers, and service companies spent $2.5 billion in 1978, more than twice the amount spent for automobile and gasoline advertising, the second largest user. In addition, another $3 billion was spent for' nonfood items (health and beauty aids, alcoholic beverages, smoking materials, and pet foods) largely sold in grocery stores. Ninety percent of the money spent for mass media advertising is for television. Other major types include newspapers, general interest magazines, newspaper supplements, network and spot radio,' and outdoor billboards.
The Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs issued its report "Dietary Goals fo... more The Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs issued its report "Dietary Goals for the United States" in early 1977. The report was important, some argued, in that it began to deaf in a straightforward way with the contemporary human nutrition problems in the United States. Rather than focusing on the minimum requirements for dietary balance, the need for a moderation in intake of certain foods was stressed. Others argued just as forcefully that the available scientific evidence could not support the specific recommendations made in the committee report. And that in the absence of such information, consumers were being advised to change their eating habits in ways that could bring economic hardships to part of the food and agriculture system without improving the national health.
For years people have observed that there are new participant forces influencing the food and agr... more For years people have observed that there are new participant forces influencing the food and agricultural policy agenda. Don Paarlberg's 1974 "new agenda" speech is a well-known example. The recurring theme of these talks is that the policy context must be broadened to explicitly encompass the new "food policy" setting. Rather than focus on those issues which distinguish between food and farm policy, my approach is to search for a middle ground. Simply stated, the theme of this talk is that a broad food policy statement encompasses both the traditional farm and the contemporary nutrition programs. My contention is that such a broad policy is not new at all. But, while the policy per se has been essentially unchanged, program emphasis to implement the policy has been evolving over the years. The emphasis in recent years, I will argue, has been on the development of programs relating to the nutrition, safety, and quality aspects of the broader food policy.
Wew agricultural and food legislation became effective on September 29, 1977, when the President ... more Wew agricultural and food legislation became effective on September 29, 1977, when the President signed S. 275, the "Food and Agriculture Act of 1977." This act, the most comprehensive of all the so-called "farm bills" since the thirties, treats many subjects: farm commodity programs, grain reserves, domestic food assistance, research (agricultural and human nutrition) and education, conservation, wheat foods promotion, grain inspection, advisory committees, and several other areas. This "omnibus bill" could (under certain conditions) involve Federal budget outlays exceeding $12 billion annually, or near $50 billion for the life of the legislation. New food and agricultural legislation becai*ie effective on September 29, 1977. The provisions of the bill may be used to help establish a research agenda for policy analysts. This article highlights what appear to be the most important research issues. Specifically discussed are the payment limitation, economic and natural disaster risk protection, the flexible loan level and international grain trading, the current plantings concept and production control, grain reserves, and domestic and foreign food assistance.
Food prices in 1979 will likely increase about 10 percent, the same rate as last year. Higher pri... more Food prices in 1979 will likely increase about 10 percent, the same rate as last year. Higher prices for farm commodities, particularly meat, and higher marketing costs are the primary causes. This paper puts the food price situation into historical perspective and reviews the 1979 USDA food price forecast.
The research provides theoretical and statistical models of the food stamp redemption process. Th... more The research provides theoretical and statistical models of the food stamp redemption process. The existence of a lag structure in the use and redemptionof food stamps is also investigated. The results suggest that food stamps are used by recipients within the month they are received. However, there appears to be some lag in the redemption of the stamps by the Federal Government, probably the result of lags in the banking system. The research also shows that a very small percentage of stamps are not used and redeemed at some time.
The purpose of this paper is to call attention to the important role that the statistical model a... more The purpose of this paper is to call attention to the important role that the statistical model and the data source play in the determination of a numerical estimate of price response. Price "elasticities" are estimated from both time-series and cross-sectional viewpoints using the same data base and essentially the same method of estimation, ordinary least squares regression (OLS). In each case the data are organized in a slightly different manner. The results obtained are reasonable from a statistical point of view, and yet each set suggests vastly different policy implications.
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 1981
Most political analysts failed to predict that the election of 1980 would be close; few foresaw t... more Most political analysts failed to predict that the election of 1980 would be close; few foresaw the landslide that would bring major changes in the policy-making machinery. The results surprised almost everyone. Ronald Reagan carried all but 6 states, and the Republicans won the Senate for the first time in a quarter century. The balance of power in the House of Representatives also shifted toward the conservatives—Republicans gained 33 seats.
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Papers by William Boehm