The paper examines empirical returns from holding thirty- and ninety-day call and put positions, and the forecasting performance of implied volatility in the live and feeder cattle options markets. In both markets, implied volatility is an upwardly biased and inefficient predictor of realized...

In a 2003 report, International Evidence on Food Consumption Patterns, ERS economists estimated income and price elasticities of demand for broad consumption categories and food categories across 114 countries using 1996 International Comparison Program (ICP) data. This report updates that...

The level of residentiary employment in areas such as counties is an important component of rural development, environmental, and energy impact analysis. Volatile employment changes lead to migration, population, and wage changes. This study demonstrates a procedure for estimating disaggregated...

This report provides operating statistics for and describes structural changes in the Farm Credit System (FCS) banks and associations for 1986-91. In addition, statistics on FCS district loan portfolios are provided. The 1986-91 period was characterized by significant downsizing and...

Grain prices have risen sharply since 2005 and 2006 affecting livestock markets by increasing feed prices and leading to significant volatility shocks. The high price levels and magnitude of sustained high volatilities has raised concerns for many sectors of the economy, in particular those with...

Futures prices when combined with a basis forecast provide a reliable way to forecast cash prices. The most popular method of forecasting basis is historical moving averages. Given the recent failure of longer moving averages proposed by previous studies, this research reassesses past...