Wu, JunJie

July, 2002

By: Wu, JunJie; Adams, Richard M.
Because requisite micro data frequently are unavailable, it is common practice to use aggregate data to estimate economic relationships representing the behavior of individual agents. A substantial body of literature has examined conditions under which inferences between micro and aggregate specifications can be made. Less attention has been focused on the relative accuracy of predictions for each scale of model. In an empirical application, we compare the goodness-of-fit measures of eight sets of acreage response models, varying in aggregation from field- (micro-) level to regional- (macro-) level models. Results suggest aggregate models are superior to the micro model in predicting acreage response, even thought the micro models contain substantially more data on site-specific characteristics.

December, 1995

By: Wu, JunJie; Babcock, Bruce A.
Green payment programs, where the government pays farmers directly for environmental benefits, are an alternative to the current method of achieving environmental benefits which restricts farming practices in exchange for deficiency payments. This article presents a voluntary green payment program using the principles of mechanism design under asymmetric information. Information asymmetry arises because the government knows only the distribution of farmers' production situations, rather than farm-specific information. The program is demonstrated with irrigated corn production in the Oklahoma high plains. A green payment program can reduce budget costs and pollution, while increasing the net social value of corn production.