Archive for the ‘agriculture’ Tag
Link: https://www.npr.org/2020/04/23/843437140/the-great-potato-giveaway
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the agriculture supply chain has been suffering. Although the shelves at grocery stores are not fully stocked, farmers are giving away their goods, or even turning it into fertilizer.
Original Air Date: April 23 2020
Length: 9 minutes 25 seconds
Discussion Prompt: How will this affect the agriculture industry? What does this tell us about how these markets are functioning? What solutions can you propose which would help the industry financially?
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2015/02/04/383830776/episode-601-the-chocolate-curse
Summary: This podcast explores the shortage in supply of cocoa around the world, as well as one man’s solution to the crisis. However, this solution comes at a price.
Original Air Date: February 5, 2015
Length: 18 minutes 12 seconds
Link: http://www.marketplace.org/topics/sustainability/boom-and-bust-story-crop-called-guar
Summary: Guar is a small bean, and it had a recent rise and fall in the marketplace. Besides being an additive to thicken many foods, it’s also used in fracking. When fracking took off, the price of guar rose. As the price increased, Texas farmers started growing a lot of it, until Pakistan and India–which grow 98% of the guar combined–caught up to the demand. As a result, oil companies stopped hoarding it, and the prices dropped. The Texas farmers were left without buyers, and caused a chain reaction of bankruptcy.
Original Air Date: October 9, 2014
Length: 2 minutes 47 seconds
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/08/26/343403757/high-prices-arent-scaring-consumers-away-from-the-meat-counter
Summary: A discussion of the factors impacting supply and demand of pork. Includes consideration of behavior of retailers and consumers in respond to changes in the market. Considers influences and impacts of related goods.
Original Air Date: August 26, 2014
Length: 4 minutes 22 seconds
Discussion Prompt: In this podcast, what factors are driving the increase in the price of meat? How does this relate to supply/demand factors that we are studying? Can you give two specific examples of other factors of demand or supply that might impact the price of meat? For each example, name the ‘factor of demand/supply’ and give a specific example.
Follow-up Prompt: Review the posts of your peers, comment on the accuracy of their suggestions and try to add more examples and expand on their ideas.
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/04/26/179295426/episode-454-the-lollipop-war
Summary: Planet money explores the struggle between two iconic American industries—the lollipop makers and the sugar growers— over “fair” regulations set forth by Congress in the farm bill.
Length: 19:19 min
Original air date: April 26, 2013
Discussion Prompt: What are the economic impacts of the subsidy on sugar for: farmers, candy producers, U.S. citizens, U.S. consumers? Why do you think sugar subsidies persist, and why do you think this fight about sugar has been ongoing in the U.S. government for so many years?
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/08/14/158787593/episode-394-why-taxpayers-pay-for-farmers-insurance
Summary: Discussion of why the U.S. government subsidizes crop insurance for farmers.
Original air date: August 14, 2012
Length: 16:17
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