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High Tunnels Are My Crop Insurance: An Assessment of Risk Management Tools for Small-scale Specialty Crop Producers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 September 2016

Eric Belasco ,
Suzette Galinato ,
Tom Marsh ,
Carol Miles  and
Russell Wallace
Eric Belasco*
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics at Montana State University
Suzette Galinato
Affiliation:
School of Economic Sciences at Washington State University
Tom Marsh
Affiliation:
School of Economic Sciences at Washington State University
Carol Miles
Affiliation:
Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Washington State University
Russell Wallace
Affiliation:
Department of Horticulture Sciences at the Agrilife Research and Extension Center, Texas A&M University
*
Corresponding Author: Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics, Montana State University, P.O. Box 172920, Bozeman, MT 59717, Phone 406.994.3706, Email eric.belasco@montana.edu.
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Abstract

High tunnels are being used by specialty crop producers to enhance production yields and quality, extend growing seasons, and protect crops from extreme weather. The tunnels are unheated, plastic-covered structures under which crops are planted directly in the soil, and they provide greater environmental protection and control than open-field production. This study uses field-level experiments to evaluate high-tunnel production. The results suggest that investments in high tunnels can provide increased profits and superior protection against adverse risks relative to crop insurance.

Keywords

crop insurancehigh tunnelsrisk managementspecialty crop production
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Agricultural and Resource Economics Review , Volume 42 , Issue 2 , August 2013 , pp. 403 - 418
Copyright
Copyright © 2013 Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association 

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