Milton Friedman, the patron saint of free markets and a founder of the Nobel-adorned Chicago school of economics, took a very dim view of all tariffs — ours, theirs, anyone’s. Writing in Capitalism and Freedom, his 1962 best seller, Friedman explained that if “unilateral free trade” is the goal, “reciprocal negotiations of tariff reductions … […] Read more
Tag Archives economics
BBQ pain for we beer and burger boys
Here's where inflation gets real
Here’s where inflation gets real: When millions of Americans get together for backyard barbecues on July 4, the average host is going to be shelling out US$99 for ingredients, including beer and burgers. In 2018 the same stuff only cost $73, according to Rabobank, the global agricultural lender. The average guy or gal now has […] Read more
Supply? Demand? What are we dealing with?
Economists and analysts are wrestling with enormous uncertainty
Most of what goes into creating the price of crops and livestock comes from supply and demand. More supply and less demand? Probably lower prices. More demand and less supply? Probably higher prices. It’s a little bit more complex than that, but those are some of the basics. But how do you project future prices […] Read more
U.K. farming delivers value for the dollar
A study commissioned by the National Farmers Union in the United Kingdom has calculated that the country’s agriculture industry provides a return of $12.07 for every $1.63 invested. The study was conducted to highlight the importance of U.K. farming as the nation heads into Brexit negotiations to leave the European Union common market. It marks […] Read more
Economist sees lower land prices in crystal ball
GUELPH, Ont. — Ontario farmland values may be about to soften, according to a speaker here at an economic outlook conference on May 26. “If I have to look in the crystal ball, I’d say you can expect changes in farmland prices next year, farmland prices going down,” University of Guelph agricultural economist Brady Deaton […] Read more
Video: Markets weaker but profits remain
Margins will be tighter next year, but most facets of farming will still be using the black ink cartridge, says Farm Credit Canada. J.P. Gervais, FCC’s chief agricultural economist, told Agri-Trend’s 2014 Farm Forum Event that grain and oilseed prices are down and input costs are up, but there is still money to be made […] Read more
‘Dutch disease’: is it real?
Dutch disease is a potential problem for part of Canada, an economist says, but not the part that most people expect. According to one of the co-authors of an in-depth study about the possibility of Dutch disease affecting Canada, the booming West faces the greatest impacts from the commodity sector boom. “If there is a […] Read more
