Glenn Fox was a professor in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics from 1985 to 2020. Glenn completed his BSc and MSc in agricultural economics at the University of Guelph and his PhD in Economics and Agricultural Economics at the University of Minnesota. He served as the Research Program Director in the research partnership between the University of Guelph and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for 10 years. He is a past editor of the Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics. He serves on the boards of the Canadian Constitution Foundation, the Energy Probe Research Foundation and the Canadian Justice Review Board.
Under Canada's Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA), the federal government can ... more Under Canada's Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA), the federal government can provide provinces with funds for emergency response and recovery in the event of a natural disaster. This assistance has historically been provided on an ad hoc basis. In recent years, the amount of DFAA assistance has significantly increased without any auditing to determine how effective and efficient these expenditures are in offsetting economic losses due to natural disasters. The goal of this paper is to examine the implications of natural disaster compensation and assistance programs for economic efficiency. A framework is developed to determine if government assistance expenditures have offset economic losses to a specific industry using a case study of the 1998 ice storm and the eastern Ontario maple syrup industry. Projections of damage recovery are used to measure the economic impact of the storm, and a comparison is then drawn between the change in producers' welfare and g...
In August, 1999, a telephone survey of maple producers in eastern Ontario was conducted in order ... more In August, 1999, a telephone survey of maple producers in eastern Ontario was conducted in order to gather information on the changes in their operations since the 1998 ice storm. This paper presents the findings of the survey. The results will be used in a larger study to examine the economic impact of the ice storm on maple producers in this region.
Weed control decision rules were derived for the application of postemergence herbicides to contr... more Weed control decision rules were derived for the application of postemergence herbicides to control pigweed species in soybean. Field experiments were conducted at two locations in 1992 and 1993 to evaluate soybean-pigweed interference. A damage function was determined that related yield loss to time of pigweed emergence, density, and soybean weed-free yield. A control function described pigweed species response to variable doses of imazethapyr and thifensulfuron. The integration of these two functions formed the basis of an economic model used to derive two weed control decision rules, the biologist's “threshold weed density” and the economist's “optimal dose.” Time of weed emergence had a more significant role than weed density in the economic model. Later-emerging pigweed caused less yield loss and therefore, decision rules lead to overuse of herbicides if emergence time is not considered. The selected herbicide dose influenced the outcome of the control function. Depending on the desired level of weed control, a herbicide could be chosen to either eradicate the escaped weed species (label or biologically-effective doses) or reduce the growth of the weed species and thereby offset interference (optimal dose). The development of a biologically-effective dose by weed species matrix was recommended. Decision rules should not be utilized as an exclusive weed management strategy but rather as a component of an integrated weed management program.
This paper presents a set of arguments claiming that construction of the quarry near Flamborough,... more This paper presents a set of arguments claiming that construction of the quarry near Flamborough, Ontario proposed St. Mary’s Cement Inc. should not be permitted. First, the quarry would violate local citizens’ property rights, compromise community health and safety, and incur excessive economic costs. Precautionary measures are insufficient, such that the quarry is expected to irreparably damage drinking water and quality of life. Second, the area proposed for aggregate extraction is mostly undeveloped, containing unique, valuable natural features and ecological linkages. Despite regulation and monitoring according to the provincial Aggregate Resources Act, rehabilitation of the site after aggregate extraction would be inadequate in returning the land to its former condition. This will result in habitat fragmentation and loss of high quality farmland. Furthermore, the construction of the quarry is not permitted under current City of Hamilton zoning regulations; the City of Hamilton...
Arguments were presented in opposition to and in favour of St. Marys Cement Inc.’s proposal to co... more Arguments were presented in opposition to and in favour of St. Marys Cement Inc.’s proposal to construct a limestone quarry near Flamborough, Ontario as written reports and oral debates. This paper describes the development and implementation of a set of decision-making criteria that is used select the stronger of the two opinions. Measures were taken to limit bias in the adjudication process, maintain a high quality of referenced information, and establish a fair, comprehensive set of standards necessary for a convincing argument before the opposing arguments were presented. According to this set of decision-making criteria, the Opponents’ argument in opposition to the movement against development of the quarry was deemed most convincing. Although both parties structured arguments on social, economic, and environmental grounds, the arguments of the Opponents were stronger overall. Construction of the quarry is legal, and should be permitted as a benefit to the province of Ontario.
ABSTRACT The Canadian Farm Products Agencies Act (2012) requires that comparative advantage be us... more ABSTRACT The Canadian Farm Products Agencies Act (2012) requires that comparative advantage be used to guide the allocation of new quota under supply management. This requirement, however, has not been met in practice. Agricultural economists have proposed several ways of making this legal requirement operational. We review and evaluate these proposed approaches and find that quota prices are the only direct measure of comparative advantage in supply managed industries. We develop an agent-based general equilibrium model of quota exchange to illustrate the use of quota prices as indicators of comparative advantage. Our approach complements the proposal by Meilke (2009) to use quota prices as indicators of comparative advantage in supply managed industries and also addresses the concerns of Larue and Gervais (2008) that quota prices may not be theoretically consistent with comparative advantage. We also discuss potential practical challenges of using quota prices as indicators of comparative advantage in the Canadian supply managed industries. Finally, we provide an example of calculating provincial shares of new quota using recent quota price data according to two prototype decision rules.
Résumé/Abstract The value of weather forecast information to farmers is an important component of... more Résumé/Abstract The value of weather forecast information to farmers is an important component of program evaluation of weather information systems. No empirical studies have attempted to provide this kind of information for Canadian producers. In this study, a ...
Under Canada's Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA), the federal government can ... more Under Canada's Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA), the federal government can provide provinces with funds for emergency response and recovery in the event of a natural disaster. This assistance has historically been provided on an ad hoc basis. In recent years, the amount of DFAA assistance has significantly increased without any auditing to determine how effective and efficient these expenditures are in offsetting economic losses due to natural disasters. The goal of this paper is to examine the implications of natural disaster compensation and assistance programs for economic efficiency. A framework is developed to determine if government assistance expenditures have offset economic losses to a specific industry using a case study of the 1998 ice storm and the eastern Ontario maple syrup industry. Projections of damage recovery are used to measure the economic impact of the storm, and a comparison is then drawn between the change in producers' welfare and g...
In August, 1999, a telephone survey of maple producers in eastern Ontario was conducted in order ... more In August, 1999, a telephone survey of maple producers in eastern Ontario was conducted in order to gather information on the changes in their operations since the 1998 ice storm. This paper presents the findings of the survey. The results will be used in a larger study to examine the economic impact of the ice storm on maple producers in this region.
Weed control decision rules were derived for the application of postemergence herbicides to contr... more Weed control decision rules were derived for the application of postemergence herbicides to control pigweed species in soybean. Field experiments were conducted at two locations in 1992 and 1993 to evaluate soybean-pigweed interference. A damage function was determined that related yield loss to time of pigweed emergence, density, and soybean weed-free yield. A control function described pigweed species response to variable doses of imazethapyr and thifensulfuron. The integration of these two functions formed the basis of an economic model used to derive two weed control decision rules, the biologist's “threshold weed density” and the economist's “optimal dose.” Time of weed emergence had a more significant role than weed density in the economic model. Later-emerging pigweed caused less yield loss and therefore, decision rules lead to overuse of herbicides if emergence time is not considered. The selected herbicide dose influenced the outcome of the control function. Depending on the desired level of weed control, a herbicide could be chosen to either eradicate the escaped weed species (label or biologically-effective doses) or reduce the growth of the weed species and thereby offset interference (optimal dose). The development of a biologically-effective dose by weed species matrix was recommended. Decision rules should not be utilized as an exclusive weed management strategy but rather as a component of an integrated weed management program.
This paper presents a set of arguments claiming that construction of the quarry near Flamborough,... more This paper presents a set of arguments claiming that construction of the quarry near Flamborough, Ontario proposed St. Mary’s Cement Inc. should not be permitted. First, the quarry would violate local citizens’ property rights, compromise community health and safety, and incur excessive economic costs. Precautionary measures are insufficient, such that the quarry is expected to irreparably damage drinking water and quality of life. Second, the area proposed for aggregate extraction is mostly undeveloped, containing unique, valuable natural features and ecological linkages. Despite regulation and monitoring according to the provincial Aggregate Resources Act, rehabilitation of the site after aggregate extraction would be inadequate in returning the land to its former condition. This will result in habitat fragmentation and loss of high quality farmland. Furthermore, the construction of the quarry is not permitted under current City of Hamilton zoning regulations; the City of Hamilton...
Arguments were presented in opposition to and in favour of St. Marys Cement Inc.’s proposal to co... more Arguments were presented in opposition to and in favour of St. Marys Cement Inc.’s proposal to construct a limestone quarry near Flamborough, Ontario as written reports and oral debates. This paper describes the development and implementation of a set of decision-making criteria that is used select the stronger of the two opinions. Measures were taken to limit bias in the adjudication process, maintain a high quality of referenced information, and establish a fair, comprehensive set of standards necessary for a convincing argument before the opposing arguments were presented. According to this set of decision-making criteria, the Opponents’ argument in opposition to the movement against development of the quarry was deemed most convincing. Although both parties structured arguments on social, economic, and environmental grounds, the arguments of the Opponents were stronger overall. Construction of the quarry is legal, and should be permitted as a benefit to the province of Ontario.
ABSTRACT The Canadian Farm Products Agencies Act (2012) requires that comparative advantage be us... more ABSTRACT The Canadian Farm Products Agencies Act (2012) requires that comparative advantage be used to guide the allocation of new quota under supply management. This requirement, however, has not been met in practice. Agricultural economists have proposed several ways of making this legal requirement operational. We review and evaluate these proposed approaches and find that quota prices are the only direct measure of comparative advantage in supply managed industries. We develop an agent-based general equilibrium model of quota exchange to illustrate the use of quota prices as indicators of comparative advantage. Our approach complements the proposal by Meilke (2009) to use quota prices as indicators of comparative advantage in supply managed industries and also addresses the concerns of Larue and Gervais (2008) that quota prices may not be theoretically consistent with comparative advantage. We also discuss potential practical challenges of using quota prices as indicators of comparative advantage in the Canadian supply managed industries. Finally, we provide an example of calculating provincial shares of new quota using recent quota price data according to two prototype decision rules.
Résumé/Abstract The value of weather forecast information to farmers is an important component of... more Résumé/Abstract The value of weather forecast information to farmers is an important component of program evaluation of weather information systems. No empirical studies have attempted to provide this kind of information for Canadian producers. In this study, a ...
Uploads
Papers by Glenn C Fox