Food price shocks can have substantial welfare implications, particularly in the world's low income regions. A number of previous studies has shown that the United States ethanol mandate has increased average corn price levels. We provide suggestive evidence that the mandate has also increased...

I propose a framework to evaluate the impact of ethanol on energy security from an economic perspective. In this model, economic energy efficiency maximizes a social or governmental objective function with respect to energy price levels and shocks. This tradeoff can entail raising expected...

In this paper we quantify the local economic impacts of the development of unconventional shale oil and gas reserves through the controversial extraction procedure known as hydraulic fracturing or ``fracking'' and assess the possibility of the boom creating a ``resource curse'' for resource-rich...

Many households in developing countries rely on renewable natural resources as their main source of energy. Collecting and burning firewood requires a considerable amount of time, has negative health consequences, and can cause deforestation and depletion of local resources if forests are not...

This paper evaluates the conditions under which a fish-harvester cooperative (co-op) with monopoly power represents a preferable outcome when compared to a rent dissipated fishery. Currently, United States anti-trust law prevents harvesters from coordinating to restrict output. In a fishery,...

Because of the broad definition of a farm—which includes numerous small operations that produce little or no agricultural commodities in any given year—most farm households earn all of their income from nonfarm sources. However, even those operating farms with substantial production often...