Knowledge of agricultural politics: introduction Roel Jongeneel & Niek Koning Wageningen University Agricultural Economics & Rural Policy

Course contents Literature Lectures Agripol Exam

Literature Syllabus Meester et al., EU-beleid voor landbouw, voedsel en groen Economic backgrounder Agripol Aanbevolen: –LNV nota ‘Kiezen voor landbouw’ –Silvis et al., Handboek agrarische economie en beleid

Lectures Introduction –Introduction Agripol & instruments of farm policy History and backgrounds –Dynamics of agricultural markets, EU farm policy New challenges –Rural development policy, biological agriculture, food safety, biotechnology International aspects –Multilateral farm policies, WTO, developing countries

Agripol A game about farm policy and international trade 7 countries –EU, US, South Korea, New Zealand, Argentina, Ukraine, Kenya 3 markets –Dairy, beef, cereals You are the governments

Rules You try to maximise a national welfare index –Components: farm income, per capita food consumption, limitation of government spending on agriculture, trade balance You can use a list of policy measures –Price support, price subsidy, direct payments, fertiliser subsidy, storage, production quotas, set aside, structural policy Each week (‘year’) you enter your decisions –The effects are determined by a stylised model of the real world After 3 rounds you can negotiate international rules with the other governments

Winning & losing You play against each other and against the game itself The country that ends with the highest welfare index is the winning country The countries win from the game if at least one of them ends with a higher welfare index than the one it started with

Examination Agripol test (January 27): backgrounder & insight in the game (counts for 20 percent of final grade) Written exam (March 1)

Test After 2 rounds, we have a test based on Agripol The outcome of the test counts for one-third of your final mark for this course