本稿では，牛肉を日本産牛肉（和牛肉と交雑牛肉）および一般牛肉（日本で生産された乳用牛肉と海外産牛肉）の2種類に分類し，製品差別化と双方向貿易を含む空間均衡モデルを新たに構築したうえで，貿易自由化が日本の牛肉貿易に与える影響について計量分析を行った．主な分析結果は，以下のとおりである．第1に，貿易自由化の影響を貿易面から生産面まで最も幅広く受けるのは日本である．第2に，現行の貿易協定によって，日本においては，日本産牛肉の純輸出量の増加は一般牛肉の純輸入量の増加と比べて微小であるとともに，一般牛肉の輸入増加および価格下落を受けて，日本産牛肉の需要量が減少し，価格が下落するため，一般牛肉と日本産牛肉の生産量がともに減少する．第3に，貿易自由化の度合いが高まるほど，日本における上記の変化の程度は大きくなる．

日本における農業水利の社会科学的研究は，国民全体への生態系サービスの提供と気候変動等に対応する包括的流域マネジメントの必要性を考慮に入れる必要がある．本稿は農業水利に関する七つの現代的課題を三つの領域に分けて整理した．それぞれ，末端水路領域での協調行動と需要主導型水管理，農業用水領域での管理主体としての土地改良区・整備と更新・農業公共事業の目的，流域全体領域における水利権の見直しと利水と治水のバランスに関わる研究である．制度の効率性や利用実態の解明，経済評価といった農業経済学の方法論と研究蓄積は，流域マネジメントにおける技術水準や保全水準の決定に知見を提供できる．

This study aims to evaluate buyer preference for vegetables in the intermediate trading in Japan. This paper applies best-worst scaling for cabbage and lettuce buyers in Ota Wholesale Market. The primary outcomes are as follows. First, the mixed logit model and share of preference results show respondents considered “freshness” most important in common with both cabbage and lettuce and all job categories. Second, the essential attribute next to “freshness” differed a by-product and job type. Third, regardless of product type or job type, “brand” and “supplier” tended to be less critical.

This paper clarifies the decision-making of wagyu breeding farmers when they chose sire straws according to various data. To conclude, firstly factors in the decision to crossbreed include evaluation of current and past crossbreeding, expectations for the future of the pedigree, inbreeding considerations, and requests from fattening farmers. Secondly, breeding farmers get information from carcass grading and information about the wagyu calf market from inseminators, fattening farmers, among others. Furthermore, analysis of auction data reveals that breeding farmers are basically making decisions to avoid losses and risk, and they are also combining several choices, not just one.

In recent years, the interest in meat alternatives has been increasing. To investigate the demand for meat alternatives, this study estimated the willingness to pay (WTP) for plant-based (soy) meat through a choice experiment with three different treatments: information on environmental impacts, human health, and no additional information. The results of the mixed logit model estimation showed that the willingness to pay for plant-based meat was equal to that for beef, if taste and non-GMO use were guaranteed. It was also found that the willingness to pay tended to be higher when environmental information was provided.

This study evaluates regional supports for new organic farmers using questionnaire surveys and choice experiments. We estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) for three types of regional supports, comprising marketing support, farmland support, and technical support. The estimation results from the mixed logit model indicate that students in agricultural colleges have a negative WTP for the adoption of organic farming if there is no regional support. However, the three types of supports are almost equally important and positively evaluated by respondents. By implementing these three supports simultaneously, the WTP becomes positive, meaning that average respondents are willing to adopt organic farming.

This paper examines public agricultural infrastructure investment, clarifying the impact of expansion in central government grants after the 2010s regime change on municipal expenditure and revenue. Expenditure on grant-aided projects with central government subsidies expanded while that on local independent unsubsidized projects fell. Such changes in the expenditure pattern increased prefectural government expenditure within municipal revenue, while ordinary fiscal resources declined. There was, therefore, a dichotomy between municipalities in public agricultural infrastructure investment, where investment by municipalities engaging in grant-aided projects increased while that by ones engaging in local independent unsubsidized projects declined.