market regulation
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Market Regulation. Food is most highly regulated of all consumer product industries Differences of opinion on the appropriate level of regulation. Regulate Competition. US founded on private enterprise Concerns about market power 1890 Sherman Anti-trust Act - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Market RegulationFood is most highly regulated of all consumer product industries
Differences of opinion on the appropriate level of regulation
Regulate Competition
US founded on private enterprise
Concerns about market power–1890 Sherman Anti-trust Act –1914 Clayton and FTC Acts set rules–1936 Robinson-Patman Act»Price discrimination illegal unless economically justified
Regulations of MonopoliesRecognized natural monopolies and dealing with monopolies
Capper-Volsted Act 1922–Right of farmers to collectively bargain
Agricultural Marketing Act 1937– Established marketing orders for dairy
and fruit and vegetables
Facilitate Trade and ServicePSA 1921–Set standards for trade–Assured prompt payment
Grades, weights, & standardsPromotion and research 1980s–Checkoff activity
Mandatory Price ReportingFederal initiativeMidwest state regulationsCurrently–AMS collects, reports, doesn’t
keep–GIPSA can demand all records
but can report
Consumer Health and Safety.Food and Drug Act–1906, 1938–1958 Delaney Clause
Food Quality Protection Act–1996 replaced the Delaney Clause
Wheeler-Lea Act 1935–Truth in advertising– Labeling laws, 1973, 1990
Regulations on Food Prices
Price control or freezes–Typically war time and/or rapid inflation–Retail price freeze -> farm price impact–WWI 1917-18–WWII 1941-1946 also rationing–Korean conflict 1950-1953–1971-1973 inflation
Economic and Social Progress 1862 Department of Agriculture
1862 Morrill Land Grant Act1987 Hatch Act, experiment station
1914 Smith-Lever Act, extensionCurrently over 10,000 agricultural researchers employed by gov’t
Standardization and GradingReduces marketing costs– Improves communication–Possible to trade on description
rather than inspection–Grading sorts commodities by
defined quality standards–Quality grades typically optional
Public or Private Use differs by industry–Cattle use USDA grades and graders»Moving to private grades
–Hogs use private grading»Grading done by employee of buyer
–Grain use USDA standards but grading by the buyer
Examples of Grades
BeefQuality Grades Yield Grades
Prime 3-4%1 11-12%Choice 60-65%2 48-50%Select 30-35%3 33-40%Standard --- 4 1-2%
5 <1%
NATIONAL CARCASS PREMIUMS AND DISCOUNTSFOR SLAUGHTER STEERS AND HEIFERSFor the Week of: April 20, 1998Value Adjustments
Quality Range Simple Avg ChangePrime 3.00 - 10.00 5.71 0.00Choice 0.00 - 0.00 0.00 0.00Select -2.00 -4.00 -2.72 -0.30
Standard -12.00- -23.00 -16.43 -0.15
Examples of Grades
Hogs–Barrows and Gilts»U.S. 1-2, 230-250 pounds»U.S. 1-3, 230-250 pounds
–Sows»U.S. 1-2, 400-500 pounds
Western Cornbelt Lean Value Direct Hog Trade (close)Hot Carcass Value Information Based On Individual PackersLean Value Programs and Weight Differentials - Plant Delivered
pct Lean 47-48 49-50 51-52 53-54Car Wt
163- 41.32 42.57 44.62 46.00169 47.61 49.30 50.30 51.11
170- 45.31 45.31 47.15 48.50191 49.14 49.30 52.50 54.50
192- 45.37 46.00 47.94 48.88199 49.38 49.38 52.50 54.50
200- 45.37 46.00 47.94 48.88207 50.17 52.17 54.17 54.50
Examples of Grades
#2 Yellow Corn#1 HRW Wheat ordinary protein
#1 HRW Wheat 13% protein#2 SRW Wheat#1 Yellow Soybeans
Mandatory v. Optional Grades
Few precedents for compulsoryCost may increase if mandatory Industry may already have grades
Grades may inhibit innovation
Criteria for Grades and Standards
Based on characteristics that –Are important to users–Are easily recognizable–Can be measured and interpreted by
graders to reduce variation within a grade–Have common terminology–Represent the distribution of production–Make it cost effective to operate
Problems of Grades and Standards
Subjective nature of “quality”Made for industry not consumersDesigning grades and grading methods–Accurate, fast, cheap, meaningful–Number of grades
Implementing grades
Farmers and Grades
Not always used –Trust of grades or grader–Risk - reward
Beef industry transition–Selling on average–Strategic alliances
Marketing Agencies & Grades
May add value to commodityRole of private brandsLarger firms may develop ownSpecification contracts with more detail may replace grades
Consumers and Food GradesGrades often confusing and offer little differentiation
Consumers often do not understand grades
Brand loyalty may replace uniform grades