8pgs, The agribusiness sector includes a diverse group of interests - crop producers, livestock and meat producers, poultry and egg companies, dairy farmers, timber producers, tobacco companies and food manufacturers and stores. The industry has new-found relevance going into 2019 as the trade war between China and the United States continues to rage leaving many in the business, especially soybean farmers, hurting.
The industry's giving reached its peak in the 2016 presidential cycle spending more than $118 million. The number fell in 2018 to more than $92 million, but was good for the third-highest spending cycle, and highest for a midterm, the industry has had.
Daku, Lefter (author), Norton, George W. (author), Taylor, Daniel B. (author), Petrela, Eivis Qenani (author), and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
California Polytechnic State University
Format:
Online journal article
Publication Date:
2007-07-30
Published:
United States: Taylor & Francis
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 109 Document Number: D10967
12 pages, via online journal, Following the economic reforms in the early 90's, most of the south-eastern European countries (SEE) made efforts to establish agricultural extension services. However, a number of factors including tight governmental budgets, lack of experience, and the existence of vested interests have constrained the development of extension services. This paper examines the rationale for public funding of extension programs and evaluates the incentive structure for private and public provision of agricultural extension service in the SEE countries. It suggests a medium and long-term approach with a primary focus on institutional design. Two groups of factors that affect the private sector supply of extension are analyzed: (i) demand and supply-side factors that affect the profitability of the service and (ii) factors arising from the public-good nature of extension output, externalities, and moral hazards that affect the appropriation of returns of the service. The main conclusion is that the SEE countries should try to achieve a public-private extension balance by following a gradual approach toward privatization of the agricultural extension service. However, the paper advocates a continued important role for the public sector to correct for potential undesirable effects of private advisory services.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 143 Document Number: D06433
Notes:
Website of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists. 2 pages., Agricultural journalist describes paralysis of agriculture news in Burundi. Reports having been interrogated by police.
