Information requirements of public policy makers have placed a heavy responsibility on economists involved in applied research in the area of sport fishing. Increased fishing pressure and, in some cases, decreasing stocks have generated considerable competition between sport and commercial fishermen over scarce fish. Regional Fisheries Management Councils have sought advice as to how they can “best” allocate the scarce stocks between these two competing interests. Federal and state agencies, too, have sought guidance on estimation of benefits from replenishment and other programs for increasing sport fish catch.

In recent decades modern technology has created phenomenal growth in U.S. agricultural output. Large scale farming systems and the application of scientific techniques have been largely responsible for the increased production of farm products. However, recently there has emerged a growing concern over the social costs of modern agricultural technology Displacement of labor with little off-farm employment opportunities, concentration of agriculture in fewer hands and extensive usage of manufactured chemicals are viewed by some with alarm. The ensuing debate has drawn attention to organic farming as an alternative to modern farming.

Higher relative prices for energy and food are often referenced as important continuing problems in the United States. For example, the Council on Wage and Price Stability attributed 5.2 percent of the 18 percent increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in early 1980 to higher crude oil prices and described energy prices as “uncontrollable.” Similarly, the substantial upward movements in food prices during 1978 and 1979 were identified by policy-makers as a major source of inflation and stimulated Congressional hearings and an Administration investigation of the causes of rising food prices.

Production of milk under various pricing policies were examined for a representative dairy farm operating under the base-excess plan. Three pricing scenarios were examined to determine calving schedule, milk production, and shadow prices. The period May-July was most profitable, and December-January the least profitable months for calving, under the base-excess program in the Mid-Atlantic Order. The representative producer responded to the pricing policies by shifting production in response to changes in the seasonal patterns of the base and excess prices.

Regression analysis was used to analyze the geographic distribution of physicians in the Northeastern U.S. The ratio of general practitioners (GP's) to population, and specialists to population was calculated for each of the 299 counties in the region. The independent variables were categorized into three types of factors: economic, professional, and quality-of-life.

Results indicated that both types of physicians responded similarly to economic and quality-of-life variables, but responded differently to professional considerations. This suggests that the urban concentration of specialists vis-a-vis GP's is due primarily to the relative importance of professional considerations to specialists. Policy implications and directions for further research are presented.

The composition of revenues in general purpose local governments in the Northeast in 1977 is examined and compared with the pattern found in 1957. The composition of local government revenues varies between types of local governments and between states. In general, local governments in the New England states are most dependent on property taxes. This pattern has not changed greatly since 1957 despite increases in the importance of intergovernmental aid. Revenue composition in many states in the Northeast diverges considerably from the nationwide pattern. Changing attitutes towards government and taxes could result in substantial changes in the years ahead.

University teaching at an undergraduate level has always involved opportunity costs, especially in the trade-off of the individual's time between teaching and research. However, recent external forces, as we move into the ‘80's could very well force major changes in the Agricultural Economic's teaching profession. This paper examines the conventional wisdom that teaching and research are mutually reinforcing. It further examines conflict of goals and several of the economic principles that we teach but seem to ignore in addressing our personal trade-off between teaching and research. A framework is presented for resolving this conflict.