Industrial Organization
of Agricultural and Food Markets

EnvEcon141

Fall 1998

4 UNITS

This is the web site for course EnvEcon 141, Fall 1998, by the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. This class will review the significant issues, trends and changes occurring in the private and public sectors, domestically and internationally, that will affect agricultural markets and their implications for future structure and performance. Analysis will focus on the organization, conduct, and performance of agricultural and resource markets to include both private and public institutions that serve them. Included will be a review and analysis of federal and state programs and policies and their impact on the structure and performance of markets. A number of case studies drawn from California agriculture will be used to demonstrate different market conditions, arrangements, and strategies to include the interaction of public policies and markets.

Prerequisites: ENV ECON 100 or ECON 100A or 101A

Meeting time and location:	Tues - Thurs 11:00 - 12:30 at 2320 Tolman	Monday -- (Discussion Group Time)8:00 - 9:00 at 201 Giannini Hall Wednesday 1:00 - 2:00 at 116 Haviland
Instructor:	Jerome Siebert	Greg Graff, Teaching Assistant
	338 Giannini Hall	326 Giannini Hall
Office hours:	8:30 - 11:00 A.M., Tues - Thurs, or by appointment 643-5279	643-2313
E-mail address:	siebert@are.berkeley.edu	ggraff@are.berkeley.edu

Students will be expected to fully participate in class assignments. The class will consist of lectures and readings. Students are responsible for all reading assignments and class lectures. Lecture notes will be available via the following website AND/OR they will be available at Copy Central (on Hearst Ave.) for duplication. Attached is an outline of the class with reading assignments. Additional reading assignments will be added throughout the semester.

Reading Material:

1. Reader (purchase @ Copy Central, on Hearst Ave.)

2. Case Studies manual (purchase @ 310 Giannini Hall)

3. Lecture notes/Class handouts

4. Library reserved materials
   

Grading system:

Grades will be based on two midterms (30 percent each), a final (30 percent), and assigned problem sets (10 percent). Problem sets will be given and reviewed in the Discussion Group. Missed assignments will reflect in the final grade received in the class. In addition, an optional term paper may be completed; it may serve to improve the final grade but won't serve as a negative. Those interested in writing a term paper should discuss the topic with the teaching assistant; topics should relate to the central theme of the class.

Class will be divided into the following sections with lectures, readings, and discussion groups assigned to each one (see the syllabus for more detail).

A. Forces Changing the Food & Fiber Marketing System

1. Industrialization
2. Globalization
3. Environmental
4. Consumerism
5. Food Health & Safety
6. Technology
   

1. Farm Policies
2. Trade Policies
3. Antitrust Policies
4. Cooperatives
5. Marketing Orders
6. Financial Instruments
7.     a. Futures Markets
   

1. European Union & Resource Use
2. Seed Industry
3. Mechanization
4. Dairy
5. Cotton
6. Beef
7. HACCP & Food Safety
8. Walnuts
9. Citrus
10. Canned Peaches
11. Wine
12. Rice