USDA Economic Research Service Research Articles

How does eligibility for GusNIP produce prescriptions relate to fruit and vegetable purchases and what factors shape the relationship? A protocol for a secondary analysis of nationally representative data in the USA

IntroductionUS Department of Agriculture (USDA) Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Programme (GusNIP) produce prescription programme (PPR) ‘prescriptions’ provide eligible participants with low income, risk for diet-related chronic disease and food insecurity...

Food-Insecure from the Start

The 2022 infant formula crisis has brought a new meaning to food insecurity, generally understood as “a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food” (USDA Economic Research Service, Definitions of Food Security). The problem has been affecting a specific social category: people caring for infants. As expected, it exacerbated food insecurity and food worries among low income and minority families, but also impacted families commonly perceived as the middle class. There are no easy solutions to the problem which combines post-pandemic supply disruptions with a decadeslong market concentration in the domestic formula sector, with four companies controlling around 90% of the market supply and virtually none coming from other countries due to steep import tariffs on the most formula (Horsley). Throughout the spring and summer of 2022, the formula crisis served as a proxy for the interplay of economic, political, and social conflicts extant in the United States. Besides direct conflicts, like those between formula manufacturers, families in need of formula, and breastfeeding advocates, there are also post-2020 presidential election conflicts between those who accepted the results and those who rejected them. These conflicts will be examined here, as well as the responsibilities of government agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration to ensure that important food staples such as baby formula meet stringent safety criteria, which — given the current shape of the U.S. food system — could lead to depletion of these very supplies when problems arise. While the blame game continues and becomes political, with fingers being pointed at manufacturers, government agencies, the Biden administration and even the babies of migrants detained at the U.S. borders, no longterm policies preventing such a crisis in the future have been established. The measures implemented by the Biden administration to alleviate the problem, including 26 events of Operation Fly Formula to transport infant milk to the U.S. from various parts of the world, reduced the crisis only to a certain extent. Much bolder steps against market concentration in the milk formula sector and towards a smarter imports policy and better hygiene standards in production facilities must be taken to increase the food security of infants and young children in the United States.

Local food systems and health interventions: an exploratory study of farmers perspectives on food prescription programs in the Mississippi delta

ABSTRACT According to the most recent food insecurity statistics published by the USDA Economic Research Service approximately 10.5% of US households face low or very low food security. However, not all geographic regions of the US share the same risks regarding food insecurity, especially considering that communities and individuals in the rural south are more likely to live in contexts of poverty. In fact, statistics from the USDA find that the state of Mississippi is the most food insecure state in the US, with about 15.3% of households facing low or very low food insecurity. Over the last decade or so, a potential solution to the issue of food insecurity has been increasingly tested in pilot programs around the US in the growing food-as-medicine, or food prescription programs. These programs a food prescription typically describes vouchers for free or discounted produce provided by healthcare professionals to address a patient’s diet-affected health conditions. To scale up the initial pilot food prescription programs, the critical roles and viewpoints of local farmers need to be better understood. The research presented here sought to understand the perspective of the local farmer in the Mississippi Delta on the scaling up and the sustainability of such food prescription programs. Ultimately, the inclusion of the farmer, especially the economic integration of marginalised and minority farmers, in the discussion, planning, and implementation of these programs, it is found, brings in more than a food security perspective, and places the issue in the realm of food justice.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program and young children's health: a systematic review.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal nutrition program that supports young children's nutrition. Its potential impacts on child well-being have not been summarized. The objective of this review was to summarize the evidence for the impact of CACFP on children's diet quality, weight status, food insecurity, and cognitive development. Databases searched included MEDLINE, CAB Abstracts, Web of Science Core Collection, ERIC, PsycInfo, Dissertations & Theses Global (Proquest), EconLit, NBER, and the USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS), from database inception to November 12, 2021. Studies were included if the sample drew from child care programs serving children between the ages of 2years and 18years and if a comparison group of nonparticipating programs was included. Two reviewers independently extracted data on study design, year(s) of data collection, region, sample size, participant demographics, outcomes, and risk of bias. Due to the heterogeneity of the studies, a narrative synthesis was used. Nineteen articles were reviewed, most of which had been published since 2012. Seventeen used cross-sectional designs. Twelve evaluated foods and beverages served; 4 evaluated dietary intake; 4 evaluated the child care nutrition environment; 2 evaluated food insecurity, 1 evaluated weight status; none evaluated cognitive outcomes. Studies typically found either a small beneficial association with CACFP or no significant association. Currently, evidence for an association between CACFP and children's health is inconclusive, though it is slightly suggestive of a benefit for some dietary quality outcomes. More research, with stronger study designs, is needed. A protocol for this systematic review was registered with the PROSPERO systematic review protocol registry (PROSPERO 2021 CRD42021254423).

Hospital-Based, Community Teaching Kitchen Integrates Diabetes Education, Culinary Medicine, and Food Assistance: Case Study During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Recent USDA Economic Research Service Population Survey cites a stabilization of food insecurity overall in the USA between 2019 and 2020, but Black, Hispanic, and all households with children cited increases - underscoring that the COVID-19 pandemic caused severe disruptions to food insecurity for historically disenfranchised populations. Describe lessons learned, considerations, and recommendations from the experience of a community teaching kitchen (CTK) in addressing food insecurity and chronic disease management among patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Providence CTK is co-located at Providence Milwaukie Hospital in Portland, Oregon. Providence CTK serves patients who report a higher prevalence of food insecurity and multiple chronic conditions. Providence CTK has five components: chronic disease self-management education, culinary nutrition education, patient navigation, a medical referral-based food pantry (Family Market), and an immersive training environment. CTK staff highlight that they provided food and education support when it was needed most, leveraged existing partnerships and staffing to sustain operations and Family Market accessibility, shifted delivery of educational services based-on billing and virtual service considerations, and repurposed roles to support evolving needs. The Providence CTK case study provides a blueprint for how healthcare organizations could design a model of culinary nutrition education that is immersive, empowering, and inclusive.

Cancer disparities in the context of rurality: risk factors and screening across various U.S. rural classification codes.

Prior cancer research is limited by inconsistencies in defining rurality. The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence of cancer risk factors and cancer screening behaviors across various county-based rural classification codes, including measures reflecting a continuum, to inform our understanding of cancer disparities according to the extent of rurality. Using an ecological cross-sectional design, we examined differences in cancer risk factors and cancer screening behaviors from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and National Health Interview Survey (2008-2013) across rural counties and between rural and urban counties using four rural-urban classification codes for counties and county-equivalents in 2013: U.S. Office of Management and Budget, National Center for Health Statistics, USDA Economic Research Service's rural-urban continuum codes, and Urban Influence Codes. Although a rural-to-urban gradient was not consistently evident across all classification codes, the prevalence of smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, and binge alcohol use increased (all ptrend < 0.03), while colorectal, cervical and breast cancer screening decreased (all ptrend < 0.001) with increasing rurality. Differences in the prevalence of risk factors and screening behaviors across rural areas were greater than differences between rural and urban counties for obesity (2.4% vs. 1.5%), physical activity (2.9% vs. 2.5%), binge alcohol use (3.4% vs. 0.4%), cervical cancer screening (6.8% vs. 4.0%), and colorectal cancer screening (4.4% vs. 3.8%). Rural cancer disparities persist across multiple rural-urban classification codes, with marked variation in cancer risk factors and screening evident within rural regions. Focusing only on a rural-urban dichotomy may not sufficiently capture subpopulations of rural residents at greater risk for cancer and cancer-related mortality.

Effectiveness of a Low-Cost Solution to Increase Utilization of Community Resources in Preventing Food Insecurity

ObjectivesFood insecurity affected roughly 10.5% of U.S. households in 2020, according to the USDA Economic Research Service. There is limited evidence regarding the effectiveness of educational resources provided to low-socioeconomic status (SES) individuals to curb food insecurity. This study aimed to identify the effectiveness of a practical education session regarding how to access affordable, nutrient-dense foods for those affected by food insecurity. MethodsA total of 102 subjects, aged 32–69 years in low-SES communities participated in a 5-minute nutrition and resource education session. The education session focused on nutrition knowledge, self-efficacy in locating purchase sites with nutrient-dense foods, and self-efficacy in identification of resources that can be utilized for acquiring nutrient-dense foods. Each participant completed a demographic and 5-point, 3-question pretest and posttest survey. The survey measured self-reported understanding of a healthy diet, where to purchase nutrient-dense foods locally, and how to utilize local resources to acquire nutrient-dense foods. Pre-survey data collection and the education session was performed in-person; post-survey data was collected by telephone. Analysis was conducted through Stata with significance at p < 0.05. ResultsMean pretest to posttest scores increased significantly for self-reported understanding of a healthy diet (p = 0.000), where to purchase nutrient-dense foods locally (p = 0.000), and how to utilize local resources to acquire nutrient-dense foods (p = 0.000). ConclusionsNutrition and resource education play a valuable role in enabling low-SES individuals to access and consume nutrient-dense food. Funding SourcesNone.

Importance of Food Insecurity Screening During Outpatient Visits

Abstract Objectives This case illustrates the importance of screening for food insecurity during outpatient visits. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, food insecurity affected approximately 38.3 million people in the United States during 2020. Health outcomes studies have shown that food insecurity is associated with increased rates of mental health problems and poor outcomes on health exams in non-senior adults, but only a minority of healthcare professionals regularly screen for food insecurity in their patients. Methods A 53-year-old woman with no significant past medical history presented to a student-run free clinic for evaluation of shoulder. The patient was unemployed, had lost weight unintentionally, and was a vegetarian with meals that consisted of vegetables, beans, and nuts. She mentioned that she fasted multiple times a month, describing it as “detoxing,” but also alluding to financial reasons for her dietary choices. The team proceeded to ask more direct questions about food insecurity, at which point the patient disclosed that she did struggle to afford her meals. The team discussed resources, and the visit concluded with the patient being referred to the clinic's Patient Navigation team and being provided with a comprehensive list of resources for adults experiencing food insecurity of which the patient had been previously unaware. Results Incorporating questions about food insecurity into the social history is an important aspect of integrating social determinants of health into medical education. Without the assessment for food insecurity, her dietary restriction could have been mistaken for an eating disorder. In the case of this patient, her food insecurity was a likely contributing factor to her stress, and without the knowledge of her financial challenges, a referral to mental health resources alone would not have helped alleviate the problem. Conclusions Screening for food insecurity should be incorporated into the social history at baseline. Creating a nonjudgmental and open environment within the visit to allow for sensitive discussions such as food insecurity or financial challenges is crucial for patients to feel comfortable disclosing such issues. In order to adequately respond to patient concerns about food insecurity, it is important for providers to be well-versed in the available resources. Funding Sources None.

Rural residence and adherence to continuous positive airway pressure therapy: have we overcome a barrier?

Rural residence and adherence to continuous positive airway pressure therapy: have we overcome a barrier?

Radiotherapy Deserts: Impact of Race, Poverty and the Rural-Urban Continuum on Density of Radiation Oncologists in the United States

In the landmark work of Bates et al. (2020), per capita distribution of radiation oncologists was strongly linked to rural-urban continuum status. To build on this effort and further isolate resource-poor "radiotherapy deserts," we investigated associations between physician density and rural-urban continuum status, race, poverty, & prostate (PC) and invasive breast (BC) cancer metrics at the county level.We created an ecologic study model using data from US HRSA Area Health Resources Files, USDA Economic Research Service, and the AMA Physician Masterfile. The NIH Cancer State Profiles provided cancer-specific incidence and death rates per county. Physician to person at risk (PPR) density was defined as the number of attending-level radiation oncologists per 100,000 persons at risk (males and females ≥ 35 years for PC and BC, respectively). Uni- and multivariable regressions evaluated relationships between PPR density and race, percent poverty, and metro (vs. nonmetro) status per rural-urban continuum definitions. Logistic regression tested links between > 2 standard deviations (2SD) above mean cancer-specific incidence & death rates and PPR density, race, & metro status. Reported statistics are P < .05.Mean PPR density is 2.1 (SD 5.9) for PC and 1.9 (SD 5.3) for BC. Univariable analyses show higher PPR density is significantly associated with metro status (β coefficients 2.9 and 2.6), lower %poverty (both -.1), lower %White (-1.4 and -1.3) and higher %Black (2.5 and 2.2) for PC and BC, respectively. The table below shows β coefficients for PPR density on racial distribution by metro status, controlling for %poverty. For both PC and BC, lower %White and higher %Black race are associated with higher PPR density in metro but not nonmetro counties. This pattern may be due to higher %Black concentration in metro counties with the largest populations, which may be linked to nominal resource density. Such an association is absent in nonmetro counties. For PC and BC, respectively, mean (SD) incidence rate is 102.4 (25.6) and 120 (20.1), and death rate is 20.8 (6) and 21.4 (4.8). For PC, higher odds of > 2SD death rate but not incidence is tied to lower PPR density (odds ratio .9), whereas for BC, higher odds of both are associated with lower PPR density (.8 and .9, respectively). For both BC and PC, higher odds of these cancer metrics are also linked to higher %Black or nonmetro status.Radiation oncology PPR density is intricately linked to counties' rural-urban status, poverty rate, and racial distributions. Inverse relationships between PPR density and PC & BC incidence or death rates reveal mismatch in distributions between resources and need, particularly when considering race and nonmetro status. Interactive density maps at bit.ly/density maps show "radiotherapy deserts" for targeting interventions.

Abstract 61: Community Factors Associated With Persistently High 1-Year Recurrent Stroke Rates in the United States

Background: There is known geographic variation in recurrent stroke rates in the US; however, the contributions of socioeconomic status (SES), healthcare access/utilization, and community resources to these disparities are uncertain. We assessed community characteristics in counties having persistently higher recurrent stroke rates over a 16-year period. Methods: We included 3,485,618 fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65y discharged with ischemic stroke from 2001-2016, grouped into four 4-year periods. We categorized 3221 US counties or equivalents into 6 groups based on the % of stroke patients with a recurrent stroke within 1 year. Persistently high-recurrence counties were those in the highest sextile for each 4-year period. We integrated county-specific demographic, geographic, SES, general health, care availability, health behavior, and environmental data from the US Census Bureau, USDA Economic Research Service, and Dartmouth Atlas. We calculated mean standardized differences in county characteristics between high-recurrence and other counties and used logistic regression to model high-recurrence counties as a function of 12 potentially modifiable county characteristics. Results: There were 133 persistently high-recurrence counties that were concentrated in the South Central US and included 140,144 stroke patients during the study (A; mean age 78.3y, 57% women, 82% White, 11.5% stroke recurrence vs 79.0 y, 55% women, 86% White, 10.5% stroke recurrence in other counties). Compared with the rest of the US, these counties had populations with lower SES, poorer health, more limited access to care providers and recreation/fitness, and reduced rates of preventive testing (B). The model including 12 potentially actionable characteristics had a c statistic of 0.84. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the value of identifying potentially modifiable community characteristics that, if improved, might reduce recurrent stroke rates.

County\u2010level correlates of dental service utilization for low income pregnant women. Ecologic study of the North Carolina Medicaid for Pregnant Women (MPW) program

BackgroundDental care utilization for low income pregnant women is met with challenges in the traditional dentist-centered model of care. County-level measures provide insights for policy and roles for stakeholders that extend beyond the dentist-patient relationship. We examined county-level data to generate hypotheses about factors that influence utilization of dental services in North Carolina’s Medicaid for Pregnant Women (MPW) program.MethodsCounty-level Medicaid utilization data for dental services for 2014–2016 were pooled to get mean county estimates of dental utilization in the MPW program. Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression models of dental utilization and county-level measures are presented. Data used were collected by NC Child and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s County Health Rankings Reports. USDA Economic Research Service data were used to categorize counties in terms of Farming, Recreation, Persistent Poverty, and metro/non-metro status using Rural Urban Continuum Codes.ResultsDental utilization ranged from 1–26% with a median of 8.5% across the 100 counties of North Carolina. Strong patterns linking utilization of dental services in the MPW program to contextual social measures of well-being emerged, specifically, increased reporting of child abuse and neglect, elevated infant mortality, poor quality of life, and worse ranking in years of potential life lost. Counties with persistent poverty had lower rates of dental utilization.ConclusionsUtilization of dental services in the MPW program is generally low. Patterns identify the potential for enhancing community-clinical linkages to improve birth outcomes and care coordination for pregnant women to enhance dental utilization in this population.Dental coverage in the Medicaid program in most states is administered separately from medical coverage. The separation of the funding mechanisms adds a further layer of complexity to care integration. Efforts to enhance dental care for pregnant women in the Medicaid program may benefit from policy that aligns incentives for care coordination within the community. Policy that extends the window of eligibility for dental benefits to 24 months after the birth of the child will help women complete the dental treatment that is needed. This also leverages the value of care coordination for community stakeholders from diverse child health sectors.

Telefarming: When Push Comes to Shelve in Responding to COVID-19

First paragraphs: COVID-19 has introduced new ways of com­plet­ing jobs virtually. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 22 million Americans filed for unemployment through mid- April 2020 (Long, 2020). Approximately 747,000 citizens in North Carolina alone have been forced out of work due to social distancing requirements (Chiwaya &amp; Wu, 2020). While some workers have been able to con­tinue working at home or be compen­sated during the pandemic, such as many faculty and staff working for schools, it has been devastating for small business owners, including farmers, to handle the pressure and stress. During this crucial time, workers must think critically and creatively to fulfill necessary tasks. However, one job, in particular, has been deemed to be essential to our daily life and one of the most critical roles in the country: work in agricul­tural and food industries. The most recent U.S. Depart­ment of Agriculture farm labor report (USDA Economic Research Service, 2020) indi­cates that hired farmworkers represent less than 1 percent of all U.S. wage and salary employees. How­ever, hired farmworkers contribute to a variety of jobs beyond working in the field or nursery. They contribute to the food system from production to the supply chain—performing inspections and working in testing labs, certification programs, educational programs, and customer services. COVID-19 has had a significant impact on agriculture and food security. The challenge of feeding people well while maintain­ing safety has become a major issue. Devel­oped by my supervisor and me (Salina) is the work of telefarming, an old trade mixed with modern com­munication that can assist those who want to grow produce but may not have much experience in farming. . . . See the press release for this article.&nbsp;

The impact of external knowledge sourcing on innovation outcomes in rural and urban businesses in the U.S.

AbstractThis paper examines the relationship between external knowledge sourcing and a diverse set of innovation outcomes in rural and urban establishments in the U.S. Existing studies in the broader knowledge management literature principally examine firms in a single industry, overwhelmingly rely on patent data to proxy for innovation, and cannot account for the innovations of businesses in rural American markets. By addressing these limitations using data from the 2014 Rural Establishment Innovation Survey of the USDA's Economic Research Service, this research provides novel insights into how externally acquired knowledge by American establishments may support innovation. Results of the analysis suggest that external knowledge sourcing may specifically promote product, process, and green innovation in U.S. firms. While collective results when external sources of information are divided by industry orientation fail to show that sources outside of a firm's industry play a dominant role in the innovation processes of American establishments in general, findings provide evidence for an outsized impact of these relationships within rural establishments specifically and suggest that external knowledge sourcing from extra‐industry organizations is most critical for promoting successful innovation in rural firms. Results additionally indicate that knowledge sourcing from non‐local organizations may be more important for supporting innovation in rural compared to urban markets.

Grocery Purchase Quality Index‐2016 Scores Are Moderately Correlated with Healthy Eating Index‐2010 Scores in the Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey, 2012–13

ObjectiveThis study evaluates the Grocery Purchase Quality Index‐2016 (GPQI‐2016), a new tool developed at the University of Utah for assessing household grocery food purchase quality. We used the Healthy Eating Index‐2010 (HEI‐2010), a well‐validated assessment method, as the reference standard. Instead of using amounts of foods or nutrients, the GPQI‐2016 is based on the expenditure shares for the 29 food categories found in the USDA Food Plans. It includes the eight food‐based adequacy components (Total Vegetables, Greens and Beans, Total Fruit, Whole Fruit, Whole Grains, Dairy, Total Protein Foods, and Seafood and Plant Proteins) and one food‐based moderation component of the HEI‐2010 (Refined Grains), plus additional moderation components for Added Sugars and Processed Meats. Components of the HEI‐2010 not included in the GPQI‐2016 are Fatty Acids, Sodium, and Empty Calories.MethodsIn 2012–13 the USDA Economic Research Service (USDA‐ERS) conducted the National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS). Household members recorded all foods purchased for a week‐‐both foods purchased at stores for at‐home use (“foods at home” (FAH)) and foods obtained and eaten away from home. FoodAPS includes information on prices paid for each food item in a purchasing event or transaction. We mapped the USDA‐ERS food group classifications, provided in the survey database, to the 29 food categories used in USDA Food Plan market baskets so that the expenditure shares could be estimated. The 8‐digit USDA food codes, provided in the survey database, were used to calculate the HEI‐2010. After scoring FAH purchases by participating households (n=4,134), using each assessment method, the weighted Pearson's r coefficient was used to compare the total GPQI‐2016 scores with the total HEI‐2010 scores. The correlations for the nine food‐based components used in both indexes were also estimated.ResultsThe weighted Pearson's correlation coefficient for the Total HEI‐2010 and the total GPQI‐2016 scores was 0.61 (p &lt; 0.01). The strength of the correlations between the HEI‐2010 and the GPQI‐2016 components varied (p &lt; 0.01 for all). The strongest associations were found for three of the adequacy components, Whole Grains (0.77) and Total and Whole Fruit (both 0.75); while for the others, associations were more moderate, ranging from 0.42 for Total Protein Foods to 0.58 for Total Vegetables. For Refined Grains, a moderation component, the correlation was 0.45.ConclusionsOverall, the association of the GPQI‐2016 and the HEI‐2010 was moderate, and it varied by component. The process used to map the FoodAPS data to the USDA Food Plan categories could be refined by mapping at the food item level rather than at the food group level and may result in higher correlations in future versions of the GPQI.Support or Funding InformationNIH grant T15‐LM007124, the Western Regional Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Center of Excellence (USDA‐NIFA‐OP‐004574), and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (2015‐09151)

Corn Residue Use by Livestock in the United States

Core Ideas USDA‐ERS surveyed 2250 producers from 19 states on corn residue grazing and mechanical harvests in 2010. Approximately 4.06 million ha was grazed by 11.7 million head of livestock. Approximately 0.81 million ha of corn residue was mechanically harvested in 2010. Corn residue is a significant resource for integrated crop–livestock systems in the western Corn Belt. Corn (Zea mays L.) residue grazing or harvest provides a simple and economical practice to integrate crops and livestock, but limited information is available on how widespread corn residue utilization is practiced by US producers. In 2010, the USDA Economic Research Service surveyed producers from 19 states on corn grain and residue management practices. Total corn residue grazed or harvested was 4.87 million ha. Approximately 4.06 million ha was grazed by 11.7 million livestock (primarily cattle) in 2010. The majority of grazed corn residue occurred in Nebraska (1.91 million ha), Iowa (385,000 ha), South Dakota (361,000 ha), and Kansas (344,000 ha). Average grazing days ranged from 10 to 73 d (mean = 40 d). Corn residue harvests predominantly occurred in the central and northern Corn Belt, with an estimated 2.9 Tg of corn residue harvested across the 19 states. This survey highlights the importance of corn residue for US livestock, particularly in the western Corn Belt.

The Effect of Snap Benefits for Food Insecurity

According to USDA Economic Research Service 11.1 percent of all US households were food insecure during some period during 2006. That percentage of food insecure households increased to 14.5 in 2010. In the interim, the country experienced a severe economic recession likely contributing to the increase. On the other hand, government food assistance programs likely mitigated the increase. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp program) is the largest food assistance program and provides benefits to qualifying low-income households to be used for purchasing food. Of note, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) passed in February of 2009 expanded access to SNAP and enhanced program benefits. This research investigates whether an additional SNAP benefit dollar reduces household food-insecurity. The ARRA exogenously increased monthly SNAP benefits to households. We use this natural experiment to identify the causal effect of SNAP benefits on household food insecurity. Our findings suggest that a dollar increase in per-capita household benefits decreases the probability that the household was food insecure during the last 30 days by about .5%.

U.S. Agricultural Productivity: A Review of USDA Economic Research Service Methods

AbstractThe USDA Economic Research Service has emerged as an acknowledged intellectual leader in the construction and integration of national and state‐level productivity accounts in agriculture. The national and state‐level ERS productivity measures are widely referred to and used, and international sectoral comparisons rely on the ERS production accounts for foundation methodology in constructing agricultural productivity accounts in other countries. This leadership role has endured for many decades and accelerated in response to the AAEA‐USDA Task Force review of the agricultural productivity accounts (Gardner et al. 1980). It is against this backdrop of vigorous intellectual leadership that an external review committee has examined the data sources, methodology, ongoing research, documentation, and reporting of the ERS agricultural productivity accounts. Our recommendations are many and some are substantial. Two of the most important recommendations address overarching concerns of documentation and efficiency, two more consider website communication of methods and data, and four focus on the renewal and construction of the state‐level accounts.

US regional population growth 2000–2010: Natural amenities or urban agglomeration?

AbstractUsing a spatial hedonic growth model, this paper empirically assesses the roles of natural amenities and urban agglomeration economies in US regional growth patterns from 2000 to 2010. Natural amenities and urban agglomeration are measured using the USDA Economic Research Service county classification codes. The general finding is that natural amenities and urban agglomeration both influenced regional growth. Yet, the natural amenity ranking is estimated to be positively related to increased productivity over the period rather than increased attractiveness to households. Urban agglomeration is positively related to increased amenity attractiveness to households. Within census regions, household natural amenity demand played a stronger role in non‐metropolitan areas.

Glyphosate Use Predicts ADHD Hospital Discharges in the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Net (HCUPnet): A Two-Way Fixed-Effects Analysis.

There has been considerable international study on the etiology of rising mental disorders, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in human populations. As glyphosate is the most commonly used herbicide in the world, we sought to test the hypothesis that glyphosate use in agriculture may be a contributing environmental factor to the rise of ADHD in human populations. State estimates for glyphosate use and nitrogen fertilizer use were obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). We queried the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project net (HCUPNET) for state-level hospitalization discharge data in all patients for all-listed ADHD from 2007 to 2010. We used rural-urban continuum codes from the USDA-Economic Research Service when exploring the effect of urbanization on the relationship between herbicide use and ADHD. Least squares dummy variable (LSDV) method and within method using two-way fixed effects was used to elucidate the relationship between glyphosate use and all-listed ADHD hospital discharges. We show that a one kilogram increase in glyphosate use, in particular, in one year significantly positively predicts state-level all-listed ADHD discharges, expressed as a percent of total mental disorders, the following year (coefficient = 5.54E-08, p<.01). A study on the effect of urbanization on the relationship between glyphosate and ADHD indicates that the relationship is marginally significantly positive after multiple comparison correction only in urban U.S. counties (p<.025). Furthermore, total glyphosate use is strongly positively associated with total farm use of nitrogen fertilizers from 1992 to 2006 (p<.001). We present evidence from the biomedical research literature of a plausible link among glyphosate, nitrogen dysbiosis and ADHD. Glyphosate use is a significant predictor of state hospitalizations for all-listed ADHD hospital discharges, with the effect concentrated in urban U.S. counties. This effect is seen even after controlling for individual state characteristics, strong correlations over time, and other significant associations with ADHD in the literature. We draw upon the econometric results to propose unique mechanisms, borrowing principles from soil and atmospheric sciences, for how glyphosate-based herbicides may be contributing to the rise of ADHD in all populations.