These OECD workshop proceedings examine the various risk strategies used by farm households, in particular those attracting renewed interest such as diversification of income sources, vertical co-ordination, hedging on futures markets, insurance coverage and public safety-nets.

After all the research on agricultural risk to date, the treatment of risk in agricultural research is far from harmonious. Many competing risk models have been proposed. Some new methodologies are largely untested. Some of the leading empirical methodologies in agricultural economic research are poorly suited for problems with aggregate data where risk averse behavior is less likely to be important. This book is intended to (i) define the current state of the literature on agricultural risk research, (ii) provide a critical evaluation of economic risk research on agriculture to date and (iii) set a research agenda that will meet future needs and prospects. This type of research promises to become of increasing importance because agricultural policy in the United States and elsewhere has decidedly shifted from explicit income support objectives to risk-related motivations of helping farmers deal with risk. Beginning with the 1996 Farm Bill, the primary set of policy instruments from U.S. agriculture has shifted from target prices and set aside acreage to agricultural crop insurance. Because this book is intended to have specific implications for U.S. agricultural policy, it has a decidedly domestic scope, but clearly many of the issues have application abroad. For each of the papers and topics included in this volume, individuals have been selected to give the strongest and broadest possible treatment of each facet of the problem. The result is this comprehensive reference book on the economics of agricultural risk.

This book examines the current magnitude and characteristics of risk-related policies in agriculture and what is known about the quantitative size of agricultural risks. It also looks at the on-farm, off-farm, and market instruments available to manage risk.

Risk Management and the Environment: Agriculture in Perspective is a modern academic work that seeks to bring out both to the private and the policy sectors the importance of risk management in relation to the envi ronment in agriculture, as the world moves towards freer markets. Many efforts were pooled together in making this book. Three years ago, an attempt was made by one of the editors to get a project on 'Agri cultural Risk Management and Sustainabilty' (ARMAS) funded by the European Commission. Probably deeming the proposal as prematurely novel for Europe, the Commission's screening experts abandoned its evaluation. Following that experience it became apparent that the literature on the theme ought to be strengthened and emphasized through a book by a well known publishing house. The editorial team was formed relatively quickly and an invitation to known experts in the field for contributions was issued. Subsequently, Kluwer Academic Publishers, evaluated an edited volume proposal package, and final revisions were made prior to submitting the entire manuscript for publication. We are gratefully acknowledging the moral support of several individu als as well as the patience of our publishers.

This book examines the implications of risk management for policy in agriculture. Opening with a chapter on risk management principles and guidelines for policy design in agriculture, the book goes on to look at quantitative analysis of risk and then at policy in various countries.