Papers by Hayley Chouinard
The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, 2007
Retail and wholesale gasoline prices vary over time and across geographic locations due to differ... more Retail and wholesale gasoline prices vary over time and across geographic locations due to differences in government policies and other factors that affect demand, costs, and market power. We use a two-equation, reduced-form model to determine the relative importance of these various factors. An increase in the price of crude oil has been virtually the only major factor contributing to a general rise in prices over the last couple of decades. Tax variations and mergers contribute substantially more to geographic price differentials than do price discrimination, cost factors, or pollution controls.
Review of Law & Economics, 2000
Coal-bed methane is an emerging contributor to the US energy supply. Split estates, where landown... more Coal-bed methane is an emerging contributor to the US energy supply. Split estates, where landowners control the surface and the energy companies lease the rights to the underground gas from the federal government, often impede successful negotiations for methane extraction. We provide an extensive form representation of the dynamic game of the negotiation process for subsurface access. We then solve for a set of Nash equilibrium outcomes associated with the split estate negotiations. By examining the optimal offers we can identify methods to improve the likelihood of negotiations that do not breakdown and result in the gas developer resorting to the use of a bond. We support our finds with anecdotal evidence from actual negotiations for coal-bed methane access, and suggest changes to the negotiation process that will increase the probability of a successful result.
We use supermarket scanner data to analyze household purchase decisions of enriched and non-enric... more We use supermarket scanner data to analyze household purchase decisions of enriched and non-enriched refrigerated orange juice. A number of policy instruments related to calcium intake are considered. We find that increasing the level of information available to the household at the time of purchase and reducing the price of calcium are both effective at increasing calcium intake, but may
... January 1994 Page 2. ii APPROVAL of a thesis submitted by Hayley Helene Chouinard ... contrac... more ... January 1994 Page 2. ii APPROVAL of a thesis submitted by Hayley Helene Chouinard ... contracts do not provide incentives for moral hazard or adverse selection. However, as Miranda has argued, area yield insurance does provide farms whose individual yields are Page 10. 3 ...
Policy-makers' attempts to increase soil and water conservation associated with agricultural prod... more Policy-makers' attempts to increase soil and water conservation associated with agricultural production have increased over the last several decades. However, the difficulties of measuring conservation have plagued these efforts. The complexities of the conservation system have impaired the ability of policies to provide incentives to generate environmental benefits. To improve our knowledge of the decision process involved with farm practice selection and conservation, we attempt to carefully define conservation. We suggest a three-component analysis where we identify 1) intentions and motives, 2) farm practices, and 3) outcomes or impacts of conservation. We provide a conceptual framework for technology adoption that categorizes the factors relevant to conservation decisions into those based on economic gains and those based on stewardship. We then specify two models of conservation measures, and examine the associated motivation behind them. We find that different measures may capture different conservation intentions, which may shed light on the policy process.
American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2005
The National Park Service has struggled to improve the quality of service provided by concessione... more The National Park Service has struggled to improve the quality of service provided by concessioners for decades. To address these concerns, the Park Service eliminated the right of first refusal from the largest revenue-generating concession contract auctions beginning in 2000. This article provides models of concession contract auctions with and without the right of first refusal. The optimal bidding strategies
Using yield data for a sample of 123 dryland wheat producers in Montana, the effects of three are... more Using yield data for a sample of 123 dryland wheat producers in Montana, the effects of three area yield contracts, including the contract currently offered by the United States Federal Crop Insurance Corporation and two individual yield contracts on individual farm yield variability, are examined. The results indicate that while the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation area yield contract provides all
The Washington Apple Commission (WAC) generically promoted apples for the Washington state indust... more The Washington Apple Commission (WAC) generically promoted apples for the Washington state industry from 1937 until 2003. This paper provides an analysis of the effects on demand attributable to these activities. Demand movement associated with promotion tends to be positive, though the results are mixed. Overall, WAC promotion increased growers’ total revenue by approximately $53.4 million for 2002. The estimated
Although the US already exports large quantities of apples, exports may significantly increase if... more Although the US already exports large quantities of apples, exports may significantly increase if trade barriers could be reduced. The objectives of this article are to describe the Washington State apple industry and the situation of Washington apples in China and India, and to estimate the specific revenue changes for Washington State producers when analyzing different scenarios for SPS barriers to trade for apples in China and India. We will estimate price and quantity changes for Washington State apples given specific SPS barrier reductions. This will allow us to calculate the associated revenue changes with changes in the SPS restrictions. In addition, the results will include own price, cross price and income elasticities for Washington State apples, and the effects of tariff rates and time on quantity of Washington State apples exported to provide more accurate policy recommendations.
(WSU-Clallam County Extension Director) for his contributions in the development and implementati... more (WSU-Clallam County Extension Director) for his contributions in the development and implementation of the first stage of our survey; Fred Berman (WSDA Small Farm Program Coordinator) and Hank Manriquez (Cascade Foothills Farmland Association President) for their comments that helped streamline the survey questionnaire; and all Extension faculty/staff for their participation in the initial survey. The authors also thank Aaron Olanie for The objective of this report is to take stock of the activities, motivations, impacts and challenges faced by the farms in Washington as they relate to agritourism and direct marketing. We characterize the agritourism entrepreneurship and direct marketing activities in different counties of the State through a direct survey of industry respondents. Also, we determine the extent to which Washington’s agritourism and direct marketing industry attracts local and foreign tourists. We find that the direct marketing industry in the State is well establishe...
Agricultural and Resource Economics Review
Using yield data for a sample of 123 dryhmd wheat producers in Montana, the effects of three area... more Using yield data for a sample of 123 dryhmd wheat producers in Montana, the effects of three area yield contracts, including the contract currently offered by the United States Federal Crop Insurance Corporation and two individual yield contracts on individual farm yield variability, are examined. The results indicate that while the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation area yield contract provides all farmers in the sample with some protection against yield variability, a simpler, actuarially equivalent “almost ideal” area yield contract provides substantially larger reductions in yield variability. However, actuarially equivalent individual yield contracts provide levels of protection against yield variability similar to those obtained under the “almost ideal” area yield contract at much lower premiums.
Economics Letters, 2014
ABSTRACT We develop a model of product differentiation in which firms strategically compete in pr... more ABSTRACT We develop a model of product differentiation in which firms strategically compete in product quality and advertising intensity. Products exhibit a combination of vertical and horizontal differentiation. A consumer’s utility has a stochastic relationship with quality, but they are more likely to prefer a higher quality good. Consumers face a trade-off between higher quality goods and price. Increased competition leads to less advertising, but may result in higher or lower quality products offered in the market.
Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 2014
ABSTRACT Excess returns to producers insured by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation can arise ... more ABSTRACT Excess returns to producers insured by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation can arise due to asymmetric information or from the design of the insurance programs themselves. Using unique, unit-level crop insurance contract data for major crops such as corn, soybeans, and wheat in five growing regions, we find evidence that producers in most regions may profit by selecting optional units, buy-up coverage, or by using transitional yields to participate in the federal crop insurance program. We also find evidence that advantages increase with land resource heterogeneity. However, the results do not support hypotheses that producers profit by selecting revenue insurance, nor that high levels of government "incompetence" exist in the design and administration of the crop insurance system.
Quantity surcharges exist when a larger-sized package has a higher per-unit price than its smalle... more Quantity surcharges exist when a larger-sized package has a higher per-unit price than its smaller-sized counterpart. This article provides a new explanation for the existence of quantity surcharges based on the hypothesis that different sizes of the same product are imperfect substitutes and thus are differentiated products. To test this hypothesis, we utilize grocery store scanner data to estimate a
Agribusiness, 2015
Quantity surcharges exist when a larger-sized package has a higher per-unit price than its smalle... more Quantity surcharges exist when a larger-sized package has a higher per-unit price than its smaller-sized counterpart. This article argues that quantity surcharges can be explained by the fact that different sizes of the same product are imperfect substitutes and thus are differentiated products. To test this hypothesis, we utilize grocery store scanner data to estimate a demand system and the associated cross-price elasticities. We focus our empirical investigation on canned tuna, which often exhibits quantity surcharges. A random coefficients logit demand approach is used to calculate elasticities. There is evidence to support the hypothesis that quantity surcharges in canned tuna are driven by firms catering to heterogeneous consumer preferences.
Alternative formats for providing nutrition information are being provided by manufacturers as we... more Alternative formats for providing nutrition information are being provided by manufacturers as well as grocery stores. While the effect of nutrition labels has been well studied, few papers examine the effect of different label formats. We use choice experiments to examine preferences for two different formats of nutrition information provided on grocery store shelf labels: detailed and easy-to-use information. We
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Papers by Hayley Chouinard