Are Revisions to USDA Crop Production Forecasts Smoothed?
Abstract
This article uses Nordhaus' framework to determine the efficiency of the revision process for USDA corn and soybean production forecasts over the 1970/1971 through 2004/2005 marketing years. Positive autocorrelation and consistency of directional changes in forecast revisions suggest these forecasts are “smoothed.” Evidence is provided that the loss in forecast accuracy due to smoothing is statistically and economically significant in several cases. A conservative bias in farm operators' assessments of yield potential and in the procedure for translating enumerator's information about plant fruit counts into objective yield estimates are identified as plausible sources of smoothing. Copyright 2006, Oxford University Press.Download Info
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Bibliographic Info
Article provided by Agricultural and Applied Economics Association in its journal American Journal of Agricultural Economics.
Volume (Year): 88 (2006)
Issue (Month): 4 ()
Pages: 1091-1104
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Related research
Keywords:Other versions of this item:
- Isengildina, Olga & Irwin, Scott H. & Good, Darrel L., 2004. "Are Revisions To Usda Crop Production Forecasts Smoothed?," 2004 Conference, April 19-20, 2004, St. Louis, Missouri 19027, NCR-134 Conference on Applied Commodity Price Analysis, Forecasting, and Market Risk Management.
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Citations
Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.Cited by:
- Michael McAleer & Philip Hans Franses & Chia-Lin Chang, 2011.
"Analyzing Fixed-event Forecast Revisions,"
KIER Working Papers
779, Kyoto University, Institute of Economic Research.
- Franses, Ph.H.B.F. & Chang, C-L. & McAleer, M.J., 2011. "Analyzing Fixed-event Forecast Revisions," Econometric Institute Report EI 2011-22, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Econometric Institute.
- Philip Hans Franses & Chia-Lin Chang & Michael McAleer, 2011. "Analyzing Fixed-event Forecast Revisions," Documentos del Instituto Complutense de Análisis Económico 2011-24, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales.
- Chia-Lin Chang & Bert de Bruijn & Philip Hans Franses & Michael McAleer, 2013. "Analyzing Fixed-Event Forecast Revisions," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 13-057/III, Tinbergen Institute.
- Philip Hans Franses & Chia-Lin Chang & Michael McAleer, 2011. "Analyzing Fixed-event Forecast Revisions," Working Papers in Economics 11/25, University of Canterbury, Department of Economics and Finance.
- Botto, Augusto C. & Isengildina, Olga & Irwin, Scott H. & Good, Darrel L., 2006. "Accuracy Trends and Sources of Forecast Errors in WASDE Balance Sheet Categories for Corn and Soybeans," 2006 Annual meeting, July 23-26, Long Beach, CA 21332, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
- Isengildina-Massa, Olga & Irwin, Scott H. & Good, Darrel L., 2007. "Do Big Crops Get Bigger and Small Crops Get Smaller? Further Evidence on Smoothing in USDA Crop Production Forecasts," 2007 Conference, April 16-17, 2007, Chicago, Illinois 37563, NCCC-134 Conference on Applied Commodity Price Analysis, Forecasting, and Market Risk Management.
- Isengildina, Olga & Irwin, Scott H. & Good, Darrel L., 2004. "Does The Market Anticipate Smoothing In Usda Crop Production Forecasts?," 2004 Annual meeting, August 1-4, Denver, CO 20145, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
- Taylor, Christopher W., 2012. "Market Reactions to USDA Reports: State Analysis of Corn Price Response," 2012 Annual Meeting, August 12-14, 2012, Seattle, Washington 124661, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
- Good, Darrel L. & Irwin, Scott H., 2006. "Understanding USDA Corn and Soybean Production Forecasts: Methods, Performance and Market Impacts over 1970 - 2005," AgMAS Project Research Reports 37514, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics.
- Good, Darrel L. & Irwin, Scott H., 2005. "Understanding USDA Corn and Soybean Production Forecasts: Methods, Performance and Market Impacts over 1970 - 2004," AgMAS Project Research Reports 14785, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics.
- MacDonald, Stephen & Isengildina-Massa, Olga, 2012. "Information Rigidity and Correcting Inefficiency in USDA’s Commodity Forecasts," 2012 Annual Meeting, August 12-14, 2012, Seattle, Washington 124890, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
- Good, Darrel L. & Irwin, Scott H., 2003. "Understanding USDA Corn and Soybean Production Forecasts: An Overview of Methods, Performance and Market Impacts," AgMAS Project Research Reports 37496, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics.
- Aulerich, Nicole M. & Irwin, Scott H. & Nelson, Carl H., 2007. "The Impact of Measurement Error on Estimates of the Price Reaction to USDA Crop Reports," 2007 Conference, April 16-17, 2007, Chicago, Illinois 37579, NCCC-134 Conference on Applied Commodity Price Analysis, Forecasting, and Market Risk Management.
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