Economic Research Trade-Offs Between Efficiency and Equity

Abstract

U.S. agricultural economic research has traditionally focused on farm production and marketing efficiency. In the future it must give more attention to equity.Americans will certainly maintain their interest in producing things more efficiently. But, it is a healthy sign that they are also becoming more interested in making sure that changes are made fairly, justly, and impartially.While there has been an increasing amount of agricultural economic research directed toward the problems of equity, there has not been enough. While I could present a paper documenting this research, I think it more useful at this point to consider seriously our overall research policy and try to reach some conclusion about whether it has adequately come to grips with the economic and social issues pressing upon us today.