Two Applied Economics Essays: Trade Duration in U.S. Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Imports & Goods-Time Elasticity of Substitution in Household Food Production for SNAP participants and nonparticipants

The first study investigates the factors that impact the duration of U.S. fresh fruit and vegetable imports. We employ both survival analysis (Kaplan Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazards model) as well as count data models. Our results indicate that SPS treatment requirements positively impact the duration of trade while new market access has the opposite effect. Other factors typically included in trade duration models (such as: GDP, transportation costs, tariff rates, etc.) were also investigated. We also employ a probit model to understand the factors impacting the probability that a country selects into exporting fresh fruits and vegetables to the United States. The second study estimates the goods-time elasticity of substitution for Food Stamp/SNAP participants versus non participants. We find that the elasticity of substitution for SNAP participants is not statistically different from zero. This indicates that SNAP participants have Leontief production function in household food production, implying that increasing the amount of SNAP benefits paid to participants will not lead to more food production if the time households dedicate to food preparation remains unchanged. This finding extends the analysis done by Baral, Davis and You (2011) and offers insights for policies related to the SNAP program.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Agricultural and Applied Economics

Department dc:contributor.department

Agricultural and Applied Economics

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2012

Author dc:creator

• Rudi, Jeta

Chairs dc:contributor.committeechair

• Grant, Jason H.
• You, Wen

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Davis, George C.
• Peterson, Everett B.

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
• Household food production
• Elasticity of substitution
• Survival analysis
• Trade duration
• Fresh fruits and vegetables

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-07162012-113816

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/34034