A Biophysical Model of Corn Yield: Integrating Climatic and Social Determinants

We estimate a model that accounts for both climatic and social determinants of corn yield in the United States. Climate variables are specified for periods that correspond to phenological stages of development. Social determinants include market conditions, technical factors, scale of production, and the policy environment. The model accounts for the historical and cross-sectional variation in yield, and the interpretation of coefficients is consistent with independent analyses of the climatic and social determinants. The hybrid model provides a framework for assessing the effect of, and adaptation to, climate change. Copyright 1997, Oxford University Press.