RP94-217 No. 18 Use of Crop Futures and Options by the Nontrader

Crop producers make a number of decisions that are market related. They may be categorized as financial decisions, production decisions, or marketing decisions. All three decisions depend on what prices are likely to be at some specific time in the future. The marketing decisions is complex. This research publication discusses the number of alternatives that are available even for the producer who does not directly buy or sell futures or options contracts.

EC77-865 Have It Your Way By Making A Will

Making a will is not the sad and gloomy picture painted by some people. Quite the contrary! A person who makes a will is creating his or her own blueprint for the future. A will, like life insurance, social security, or retirement plans, provides security and peace of mind. The person who has a will made can rest assured that property and loved ones will be taken care of precisely in the manner he or she desires. This publication presents basic information about wills, one of the most important documents a person can make or possess. This information can be useful both to those who have already made a will and those who have not.

Market and Welfare Effects of Mandatory Country-Of-Origin Labeling in the Specialty Crops Sector

Public Law 107-171 of the U.S. Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 required country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for beef, lamb, pork, fish, perishable agricultural commodities (fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables) and peanuts. While a goal of this law was to benefit domestic consumers by allowing them to make informed consumption decisions, the effects of COOL on the interest groups involved have been the subject of a heated on-going debate.

Overabundant deer: Better management through research

Overabundance of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) continues to challenge wildlife professionals nationwide, especially in urban settings. Moreover, wildlife managers often lack general site-specific information on deer movements, survival, and reproduction that are critical for management planning. We conducted radio-telemetry research concurrent with deer culling in forest preserves in northeastern Illinois and used empirical data to construct predictive population models. We culled 2,826 deer from 16 forest preserves in DuPage County (1992-1999) including 1,736 from the 10 km2 Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve. We also radio-marked 129 deer from 8 preserves in DuPage and adjacent Cook County (1994-1998). Recruitment was inversely associated with deer density suggesting a classic density-dependent response. Female deer were philopatric and 20% of adult males dispersed. Survival was high for all sex and age classes, and deer-vehicle collisions accounted for >55% of known mortalities. Based upon data from other areas, early attempts to apply population models to deer at Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve were not useful. The subsequent quantification of the density-dependent recruitment response and use of other empirical data strengthened the predictive capability of models. Our experience illustrates the importance of understanding demographics of overabundant deer in order to set realistic objectives and make sound management decisions.