Puzzles for Agricultural Economists in the 1980's

Abstract

The role of the economist is to identify and solve puzzles. Unsolved puzzles seem to crop up more frequently these days or perhaps my ability to solve them has diminished. The purpose of this paper is to set forth selected enigmas in hope that someone (perhaps a briqht, younq mind who fails to appreciate the intractability of the problem) will find solutions. I begin with national macroeconomic policy, then tum to international economics. After looking at past trends in supply and demand for farm output, I conclude with sections on farm investment behavior and the role of the agricultural economist in an affluent farming economy.