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We review the Canadian federal government's recently enacted Food Policy for Canada (FPC). Three arguments are developed. First, the development and vision statement of the FPC implies that improving Canadian food security is a specific objective of the policy. Second, if assessed by the measure of food insecurity promulgated by Statistics Canada, the effectiveness of the FPC in reducing Canadian food insecurity will primarily depend on the extent to which it improves household incomes and/or lowers food prices. We evaluate the current programmatic content by these criteria. Third, and related to the second point, we argue that the variation in the severity of food insecurity is an important consideration in assessing the effectiveness of FPC programs in reducing food insecurity as measured by Statistics Canada. Finally, we combine these three arguments into a simple figure/heuristic that can serve as a guide to the assessment and development of FPC programs seeking to enhance food insecurity in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ownership and access to land remains a long-standing issue of concern in Pakistan. The unequal land distribution is well documented. Although agriculture employs half of the country's workforce, an estimated 60% of rural households are landless. In this setting rental markets play an important role in facilitating access to land. In this paper, we empirically examine key factors that influence the amount of land rented in. Specifically, we explore the relationship between one's endowment of land and the amount of land rented in. We perform our analysis using the Pakistan Rural Household Panel Survey round 3.5 conducted by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in 2014-2015. The survey covers a wide range of topics including household characteristics, crop production, land management, farm assets, land inheritance and tenure security. Agricultural production activities are recorded for the Rabi season (2013-2014) and the Kharif season 2014. Of the 1027 household observations taken from the Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces in Pakistan, the average household's endowment of land is 3.4 acres. Our regression analysis indicates that households with larger endowments of land rent in less land. For an additional acre of land endowment, the amount rented in decreases by 0.32 acres. This number is economically significant given the high proportion of smallholdings and the prevalence of landlessness in Pakistan. Hence, households with smaller initial endowments of farmland rely more heavily on the rental market to achieve scale in food production. Additionally, we provide evidence that household size and asset ownership influence rental patterns. On average, an additional household member would increase the amount of land rented in by 0.12 acres. Tractor ownership also has a positive effect on the amount of land rented in. However, our regression estimates suggest that transaction costs are present in the farmland market thus preventing renters from reaching their optimal farm size. These results are relevant to ongoing efforts to support and enhance agricultural productivity in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses agricultural economics literature on farmland prices and key determinants of these prices. The first section of the paper uses a basic capitalization model to organize a review of the literature and data. We then provide a focused assessment of five streams of literature examining farmland prices: (1) boom‐bust; (2) the capitalization effect of government agricultural subsidies on farmland prices; (3) agricultural zoning; (4) climate change; and (5) prohibitions against non‐local buyers of farmland. Our review highlights challenges to ongoing efforts to model changing farmland prices, the modern emphasis on econometric identification, important variation in the magnitude of estimated relationships across the literature, and the opportunity to expand research in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the earlier projections made by the authors in March 2020 about the impact of COVID‐19 on Canada's food security. First, as measured in the early part of the second quarter of 2020, COVID‐19 is associated with an increased prevalence of household food insecurity as measured by Statistics Canada. Also, as we predicted, we did not observe a rapid general increase in food prices that would have suggested a breakdown in parts of the food system. In this regard, we now develop a general insight that we believe is worthy of ongoing consideration. Put simply, concerns expressed about food insecurity should not be seen as tantamount to a failure of our food supply system. Household income, for example, is an important part of the story. The converse is also true: the success of our food supply system as measured by its capacity to adapt to challenges like COVID‐19 or provide a variety of food at relatively low prices—while necessary, and (in our opinion) critical considerations—will not alone eliminate food insecurity in Canada. The oversimplified conflation of food insecurity concerns with the robustness of our food supply system does a disservice to ongoing efforts to address food insecurity as well as our capacity to assess and improve the Canadian food supply system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of COVID‐19 on Canadian food security is examined from two different perspectives. COVID‐19 creates a unique "income shock" that is expected to increase the prevalence of household food insecurity. This food insecurity can be measured by utilizing the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). More fundamentally, COVID‐19 heightens household concern about the capacity of the Canadian food system to ensure food availability. Despite surges in demand and supply chain disruptions, we currently do not observe broad, rapid appreciation in food prices. This suggests that there is an adequate supply of food for the near term. There is less certainty over intermediate and longer time periods because so many factors are in flux, particularly the rate of increases in sicknesses and deaths across the country and globally. Data on these health factors and elements of the food supply chain are needed to predict beyond a short time frame. In this regard, we discuss three ongoing considerations—ease of capital flows, international exchange, and maintaining transportation—that will help ensure food availability in the longer run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data generated from surveys conducted on First Nations throughout Canada, we use regression analysis to examine factors influencing food insecurity. To our knowledge, this is the first time a regression‐based analysis has been conducted to examine food insecurity on First Nations in Canada. As expected, income is inversely related to the likelihood that one reports their household as experiencing food insecurity. In addition, individuals in extremely remote areas are more likely to report their household as experiencing food insecurity. Although traditional food consumption is prevalent, we do not find evidence that it is associated with reductions in the prevalence of self‐reported household food insecurity. We find that gender and mental health are associated with perceived household food insecurity. Although this study is novel, for reasons and limitations detailed in the paper, it should be viewed as an initial effort to establish potential relationships that underscore one of the most important issues facing Canada: the high prevalence of food insecurity in First Nations communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which editor discusses various articles within the issue on topics including participation in Canadian business risk management (BRM) programs, historic suite of policies on the exchange of dairy and policies that have influenced grain transportation.

A hedonic property regression estimates a difference-in-differences coefficient to assess the effect of Ontario's Greenbelt zoning on vacant farmland prices around the Greater Toronto Area. In our analysis on over five hundred property sales between 2002 and 2009 we find some evidence that the Greenbelt legislation negatively influenced vacant farmland values located in close proximity to urban areas. However, the statistical significance of this result is sensitive to the exclusion of smaller parcels and to assumptions regarding endogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We focus our research on this question: Does an expansion in the percentage of labour employed in the manufacturing sector lead to reductions in the poverty rate? While some research suggests that regional differences in the employment share of the manufacturing sector explain variation in poverty rates, we do not find empirical evidence of this poverty-ameliorating effect in our regression analysis of Canadian Census Districts between the years 2001 and 2006. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some communities in Ontario procure potable water through water sharing arrangements (WSAs) with other neighbouring communities. This paper explores factors influencing First Nation and municipal participation in WSAs in Ontario. Specifically, we assess whether First Nations communities – many of which suffer persistently poor drinking water conditions – are less likely to be engaged in WSAs than municipalities. We assess this question by applying regression analyses to a unique data set characterizing 419 Ontario communities: 118 First Nations communities and 301 municipalities. Compared to Ontario municipalities, First Nations in Ontario have a lower rate of participation in WSAs. Our regression analyses suggest that community likelihood of WSA participation is strongly associated with factors like geography, regional wealth, and proximity to neighbouring communities with water supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United States the laws of intestate succession can lead to real property being owned as tenancy in common. As a result, over time, large numbers of cotenants may own the same property; each cotenant possessing a fractional undivided interest to the jointly owned property. Property characterized by this form of joint ownership is often referred to as heir property. Recent literature has identified two prominent concerns regarding heir property: (1) efficiency concerns and (2) displacement concerns. In this paper we examine these issues using case study evidence from three families in eastern Kentucky. Our case studies provide evidence of both the efficiency and displacement concerns. To further assess and better understand the character of heir property we empirically examine affidavits of descent in Letcher County, Kentucky filed in the year 2000. The empirical results illuminate the general character of the family that survives an intestate death further clarifying the effect of intestacy law on specific family members. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In 21st century agriculture, standards are increasingly used to define new food products, such as organic food and fair trade. In some cases these standards are privately determined but in other cases they have been established by governments. Indeed, the Government of Canada recently announced its organic food regulations. A key dimension of the policy process involves choosing which standards are to be used to govern the production of organic food. Unfortunately, decision makers faced with these choices know very little about how the public values the various standards that could be used to define organic. This study evaluates Canadian consumers' preferences for different organic standards. Standards pertaining to pesticide-residue testing, product origin specifications, the standard setting agency, and standard monitoring agency are evaluated using a conjoint method. Key results suggest that consumers place a high value on a pesticide standard that involves regular testing of the end product and that they prefer an organic food standard to include a rule that limits where the good is produced. En agriculture en ce 21e siècle, des normes sont de plus en plus utilisées pour définir de nouveaux produits alimentaires tels que les aliments biologiques et les aliments issus du commerce équitable. Dans certains cas, ces normes sont établies par des organismes privés, et dans d'autres cas, elles sont établies par les gouvernements. Dernièrement, le gouvernement du Canada a annoncé son Un élément clé du processus d'élaboration des politiques consiste à choisir les normes qui s'appliqueront à la production d'aliments biologiques. Malheureusement, les décideurs à qui reviennent ces choix en savent très peu sur les valeurs que le public accorde aux diverses normes qui pourraient être utilisées pour définir le terme «biologique». La présente étude évalue les préférences des consommateurs canadiens concernant les diverses normes sur les produits biologiques. Les normes sur l'analyse des résidus de pesticides, les spécifications sur l'origine du produit, les organismes de normalisation et les organismes de surveillance sont évaluées à l'aide d'une méthode conjointe. Les résultats fondamentaux montrent que les consommateurs accordent une grande importance à une norme sur les pesticides qui exige des analyses régulières du produit final et qu'ils préfèrent une norme sur les aliments biologiques qui inclut un règlement sur l'origine du produit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Schlager and Ostrom [Schlager, Edella and Ostrom, Elinor, (1992). Property-Rights Regimes and Natural Resources: A Conceptual Analysis. Land Economics, (August), 68(3), 249–262.] provide a theoretical approach to enable researchers to examine variation in ownership positions within a common property setting. Their approach provides a basis for developing hypotheses regarding the relationship between various ownership positions and subsequent incentives to invest in the long term maintenance of a natural resource. We use a survey approach to examine their theory as it applies to villagers living around the Hakaluki Haor, one of the largest wetlands in Bangladesh. Our key findings are consistent with Schlager and Ostrom''s theory in several ways. First, we find that ownership positions vary amongst villagers in the common property setting that governs resource use in the Hakaluki Haor. Second, those that believe they possessed management rights were more likely to indicate that they participated in wetland conservation activities. An additional finding of interest is that women remained willing to support wetland conservation activities despite the fact that they generally characterized themselves as not having the right to participate in decisions regarding the management of wetland resources. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In 1993, the Ontario government enacted the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR). The EBR guarantees residents of the province, among other things, the right to comment on permit requests to take water and to discharge into the air and a guarantee that these comments are taken into account in the decision to approve or deny a permit. We model the firm's decision to request a permit, a resident's decision to provide public comment, and the government's decision to approve or deny permit requests to use water or air. Our examination of 1,000 government decisions regarding permit requests leads to two key findings: (1) few permit requests receive any public comment; and (2) to the extent that the public does comment, we find no empirical evidence that comments affect the likelihood that the government will deny a permit request. Our theoretical model anticipates the first result: there are few comments observed for permit applications, because each individual has an incentive to undercontribute to the provision of a public good. The second result did not support the theoretical argument we advance: government, acting to maximize social welfare, takes public concern as a signal of environmental damage. En 1993, le gouvernement de l'Ontario a édicté la Charte des droits environnementaux (CDE). La CDE garantit aux résidents de la province, entre autres, le droit de faire des observations sur les demandes de permis pour puiser l'eau et rejeter des quantités limitées de substances polluantes dans l'air, et garantit aussi que ces observations seront prises en considération dans la décision d'accorder ou de refuser un permis. Nous avons modélisé la décision d'une entreprise de déposer une demande de permis, la décision d'un résident de faire des observations et la décision du gouvernement d'accorder ou de refuser les demandes de permis pour l'usage de l'eau ou de l'air. L'examen de 1000 décisions du gouvernement concernant des demandes de permis a menéà deux principaux constats: 1. peu de demandes de permis reçoivent des observations du public; 2. lorsque le public soumet des observations, aucune évidence empirique ne laisse supposer que les observations influent sur la probabilité que le gouvernement rejette une demande de permis. Notre modèle théorique a anticipé le premier constat: les demandes de permis reçoivent peu d'observations parce que chaque individu a un incitatif à sous–contribuer à la fourniture d'un bien collectif. Le deuxième constat n'a pas appuyé notre argument théorique voulant que le gouvernement, qui agit afin de maximiser le bien–être collectif, tienne compte des préoccupations du public comme un signal de dommage environnemental. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article assesses the prevalence of a form of property ownership known as tenancy in common in Letcher County, Kentucky and its impact on the Appalachian environment. The assumption that property ownership influences economic growth has led to numerous studies about land ownership in Central Appalachia. It also looks at the impact of local economic development with emphasis on strip mining, on environment. It also discusses a survey which was designed to examine the prevalence of tenancy in common in the area.

Third-party certifiers play a significant role in the global food system. The information economics literature provides a rich theoretical structure for understanding the emergence of third-party certification bodies. In this theoretical structure, third-party certifiers provide market signals concerning food quality claims. Successful third-party certifiers ensure buyers of food quality and reduce the potential for market failure that might otherwise occur when information about food quality is uncertain and information is asymmetrically distributed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Food retailers in isolated communities are subsidized in order to lower food prices. • A lack of auditing information has confounded previous program evaluations. • We use an econometric approach to measure the pass-through rate of this subsidy. • We find that the majority of the subsidy is passed on to consumers. The Canadian government currently subsidizes food retailers in the 25 remote communities in Nunavut through the Nutrition North Canada program. The program expects each dollar of the food subsidy to be fully passed on to the consumer in the form of lower prices. Unfortunately, existing audits and reviews of the program have failed to determine the pass-through rate of the subsidy. Using regression analysis on food price data in each of the 25 communities, subsidy rates, and covariates that control for community characteristics, we overcome the limitations of past research and provide the first-ever estimate of the pass-through rate of Nutrition North in Nunavut. Our results suggest that most, if not all, of the subsidy is passed on to the consumer in lower food prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]