It Is Widely Known That the Rapidly Expanding Corn-Ethanol Industry

question 66

Essay

It is widely known that the rapidly expanding corn-ethanol industry is quickly increasing the price of corn on world markets. Given this, many farmers have begun to grow corn more intensively. For instance, some producers who currently pursue a corn-soybean rotation (planting corn one year and soybeans the next) might shift to a corn-corn-soybean rotation (planting corn two years in a row and then planting soybeans in the third). Continuous production of corn (planting corn every year on the same plot of land) is another possibility. Explain what impact this explosion in the market for corn may have on the market for soybeans. In particular, will those who produce soybeans exclusively be better off, worse off, or unaffected as a result of the increase in corn prices?

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Definitions:

Certainty Equivalent Factor

A concept used in finance to adjust the future cash flows of an investment to account for risk, essentially converting them into a guaranteed cash flow that an investor would accept in place of holding a risky asset.

Value Range

The spread between the highest and lowest values of a financial asset, indicating its volatility and potential for profit or loss.

Certainty Approach Method

A technique used in decision-making that involves evaluating the outcomes of decisions assuming that no uncertainty exists in the operational environment.

Annual Cash flows

The total amount of money being transferred in and out of a business over the course of a year.