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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*
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 [email protected].

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.

Type
Contributed Papers
Copyright
Copyright © 2013 Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association 

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