Abstracts
Dan Friesner, Gonzaga University
Robert Rosenman, School of Economic Sciences, WSU
The Cost of a Quiet Disease: Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is an elevated spinal fluid pressure in the skull from unknown causes. Symptoms include headache, swelling of the optic disc, and sometimes blindness. Costs for treating IIH include both the direct medical costs and indirect costs associated with loss of work and disruptions in family life. Using data from the IIH registry at OHSU we compute the treatment and lifestyle disruption costs for a typical IIH patient and use these numbers to estimate the total costs in the US. This illustrates the enormous costs of even less well known diseases for the US economy.
Laura Hill, Department of Human Development, WSU
Strengthening Families
Annual dollar costs of drug and alcohol abuse and dependence were estimated at $246 billion nationally in 1992 and $2.5 billion in Washington state in 1996. Economic costs of substance abuse have increased by approximately 5% annually since then. Early use of substances substantially increases the likelihood of later abuse and dependence, so prevention of adolescent substance use is important in reducing long-term costs to society.
Although there has been a steady decline in rates of substance use by adolescents since 2001, the percentage of youth reporting use and abuse is still high. For example, in 2006 in the state of Washington, 26% of high school seniors reported that they had drunk heavily within the last two weeks, and 24% had driven a car after drinking or driven with someone who had been drinking.
Recent advances in our understanding of the causes of teen substance abuse have led to the development of effective, evidence-based prevention programs. Washington State University Extension has spearheaded the statewide dissemination of one of the most effective of those programs, the Strengthening Families Program for Parents and Youth 10-14 (SFP). Youth whose families attend SFP are significantly less likely to initiate and abuse alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and methamphetamine years after the program. This talk presents information about how the program is being disseminated in Washington, who attends, and costs and benefits of program implementation.
Ray Huffaker, School of Economic Sciences, WSU
Water Issues
The presentation will investigate pathologies in the prior appropriation doctrine (the foundation of western U.S. water law) that generate conflict in water allocation, and recommend how the doctrine can be modified to more adequately meet modern-day water needs.
Tom Marsh, School of Economic Sciences, WSU
Wheat and Grain Outlook
Grain markets have exhibited dramatic changes in recent months due to restricted world supply and other relevant issues. Coupled with increased input costs mostly driven by energy prices, it seems less and less likely that the days of $2-3/bu wheat will return. The purpose of this session will be to focus primarily on demand and supply factors of the wheat market in the Pacific Northwest. Also discussed will be the world supply situation with remarks on a 2008 grain outlook. Finally, implications to food markets will be addressed.
Shannon Neibergs, School of Economic Sciences, WSU
Livestock Outlook
A recent survey of Washington dairy producers identified profitability as their primary issue of concern. Variable commodity prices and increasingly uncertain feedstuff costs are significant challenges to livestock producers’ profitability. The purpose of this session is to highlight and review the critical supply and demand factors effecting prices for Washington’s leading livestock commodities: dairy, cattle and pork. Each commodity’s predominant market trends of 2007 will be reviewed, and the commodity’s near term outlook will be discussed. Current events such the status and potential implications from the Livestock Title of the 2007 Farm Bill - for example, implementing Country of Origin Labeling, and from implementing the United Sates Department of Agriculture (USDA) Minimal Risk Rule II allowing importing cattle over 30 month of age into the U.S, will be reviewed. This session will interest livestock producers seeking outlook information for management decisions and also to consumers interested in the changing cost of their meat and dairy products.
Desmond O'Rourke, Emeriti, WSU
Can the Fruit Bonanza Continue?
After a decade of struggle since the Asian financial collapse of 1997, the fruit industry in Washington State has recently enjoyed excellent returns. This presentation will examine the factors that have led to the recent change in fortune, forecast what may lie ahead in the coming season and discuss what long-term changes the fruit industry will need to be make in order to sustain prosperity.
Richard Shumway, School of Economic Sciences, WSU
Dairy Farm Growth
Only five percent as many farms with milk cows operated in the U.S. in 2005 as in 1964. If this rate of decline in the number of dairies were to continue for 12 more decades, the entire market for milk in the U.S. could be supplied by just 10 firms. In the face of this rapid decline in number of dairies, growth and diversification of Washington and U.S. dairy farms is examined by addressing three questions: Which farms grow? Do the largest farms grow the most rapidly, or do medium-sized farms combine with other farms of comparable size to create new large organizations? Which farms become more specialized over time and which diversify their products? By examining Agricultural Census data for 1992, 1997, and 2002, we find that largest farms have grown the fastest. This implies that dairy farms are not converging to an equilibrium size. Smallest farms are most diversified, but dairy farms of all sizes became more diversified over time. Changes in the State of Washington generally followed those of the nation.
Trent Smith, School of Economic Sciences, WSU
Economics & Obesity
The incidence of obesity and overweight has risen dramatically in the U.S. over the past three decades. Attempts by researchers to identify the root causes of this trend have been surprisingly inconclusive, but economics can provide a useful framework for thinking about the problem: Body weight, after all, is dependent on a host of economic decisions, including not only dietary choice (both quantity and quality of foods purchased) but also the allocation of one’s time to physical activity (or inactivity) and preparation of meals. On the other hand, there is something deeply psychological about choosing foods and maintaining a healthy body weight. This presentation will include discussion of ongoing research at the intersection of economics and psychology, and briefly consider the potential for public policy responses to the modern obesity epidemic.
Jon Yoder, School of Economic Sciences, WSU
Biofuels Policy Design
The WSU School of Economic Sciences and collaborators have been asked by the Washington State Legislature to recommend market incentives and R&D investments to support in-state production and consumption of biofuels. This presentation will (a) provide an overview of this research project, b) provide a brief history of biofuel legislation in Washington State within a national and regional context, c) discuss the economic fundamentals of policy design, and d) summarize, motivate, and compare several possible policy recommendations relevant for Washington State biofuel market development.
Douglas L. Young, School of Economic Sciences, WSU
Biofuel Feedstocks: World and Washington State Perspectives
Worldwide, sugar cane/beets and corn are the dominant feedstocks for ethanol. In Washington State, biodiesel from canola and other oilseeds is the major hope for increasing state energy self sufficiency. Increasing Washington-grown oilseeds confronts major agro-climatic and farm economics challenges. In the short and intermediate run, Washington may find it necessary to import canola from Canada and palm oil from Indonesia to sustain its biodiesel plants. With improvements in collection and processing technology, cellulosic feedstocks such as wood, straw, switchgrass and recycled household oils could be promising in the future.
Heading using the h3tag
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.