Ian McFarlane

Dr Ian McFarlane
Ian McFarlane retired from a career as a food process control engineer at the age of 60, and retrained as an agricultural economist. He retired from that after a further 15 years in the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development in the University of Reading, UK, engaged initially on costing of control of farm animal diseases, and latterly on the economics of genetically modified crops. He is the author of a book Automatic control of food manufacturing processes (Springer, 1995) and also of some book chapters and academic articles.	Contact: 107 Holtspur Top Lane Beaconsfield Bucks HP9 1DT tel +44 1494 672782 +44 0778 6353485

Dr Ian McFarlane

Ian McFarlane retired from a career as a food process control engineer at the age of 60, and retrained as an agricultural economist. He retired from that after a further 15 years in the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development in the University of Reading, UK, engaged initially on costing of control of farm animal diseases, and latterly on the economics of genetically modified crops. He is the author of a book Automatic control of food manufacturing processes (Springer, 1995) and also of some book chapters and academic articles.

Contact:
107 Holtspur Top Lane
Beaconsfield
Bucks HP9 1DT

Selection of academic publications:

Jones, P. J., McFarlane, I. D., Park, J. R., & Tranter, R. B. (2017). Assessing the potential economic benefits to farmers from various GM crops becoming available in the European Union by 2025: Results from an expert survey. Agricultural Systems, 155, 158-167.

McFarlane, I. (2016). The Goal of Adequate Nutrition: Can It Be Made Affordable, Sustainable, and Universal?. Foods, 5(4), 82. http://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/5/4/82/htm

McFarlane, I. (2016). Agricultural commodity prices and oil prices: Mutual causation. Outlook on Agriculture, 45(2), 87-93. ISSN 2043-6866 doi: 10.1177/0030727016649809

Areal, F., Dunwell, J., Jones, P., Park, J., McFarlane, I., Srinivasan, C., & Tranter, R. (2015). An evidence-based review on the likely economic and environmental impact of genetically modified cereals and oilseeds for UK agriculture. http://cereals.ahdb.org.uk/media/603195/rr82.pdf

McFarlane, I., Park, J., & Ceddia, G. (2014). The extent to which potential benefits to EU farmers of adopting transgenic crops are reduced by cost of compliance with coexistence regulations. http://agbioforum.org/v17n1/v17n1a05-mcfarlane.htm

McFarlane, I. (2014). Agricultural commodity markets: reference point for the real value of a currency. Modern Economy, 5(5), 533-540. http://file.scirp.org/pdf/ME_2014052311171542.pdf

McFarlane, I., & O'Connor, E. (2014). World soybean trade: growth and sustainability. Modern Economy, 5(5), 580-588. ISSN 2152-7261 doi: 10.4236/me.2014.55054

Bennett, R. M., McClement, I., McFarlane, I. D., & Parker, C. D. (2013). Modelling of control options for an outbreak of Mycoplasma gallisepticum in egg production: A decision support tool. The Veterinary Journal, 198(3), 661-665. ISSN 1090-0233 doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2013.09.068

McFarlane, I. (2013). Control and Monitoring of Food-Manufacturing Processes. In Baker, C. G. J. (ed.) Handbook of Food Factory Design (pp. 229-256). Springer New York.

Bennett, R., McClement, I., & McFarlane, I. (2012). Modelling of Johne's disease control options in beef cattle: A decision support approach. Livestock Science, 146(2), 149-159. doi: 10.1016/j.livsci.2012.03.002

McFarlane, I. (2012). Commodity currency: an alternative route to currency union. Modern Economy, 3(2), 139-144. http://file.scirp.org/Html/1-7200242_18127.htm

McFarlane, I., Park, J., Ceddia, G., & Phipps, R. (2011). Transgenic soya beans: economic implications for EU livestock sector. Quality Assurance and Safety of Crops & Foods, 3(2), 54-62. doi: 10.1111/j.1757-837X.2011.00096.x

Park, J., McFarlane, I., Phipps, R., & Ceddia, G. (2011). The impact of the EU regulatory constraint of transgenic crops on farm income. New biotechnology, 28(4), 396-406. doi: 10.1016/j.nbt.2011.01.005

Park, J., McFarlane, I., Phipps, R., & Ceddia, G. (2011). The role of transgenic crops in sustainable development. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 9(1), 2-21. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-7652.2010.00565.x

Bennett, R., McClement, I., & McFarlane, I. (2010). An economic decision support tool for simulating paratuberculosis control strategies in a UK suckler beef herd. Preventive veterinary medicine, 93(4), 286-293. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2009.11.006

Wilkinson, D., Bennett, R., McFarlane, I., Rushton, S., Shirley, M., & Smith, G. C. (2009). Cost-benefit analysis model of badger (Meles meles) culling to reduce cattle herd tuberculosis breakdowns in Britain, with particular reference to badger perturbation. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 45(4), 1062-1088.

Bennett, R. M., McFarlane, I., & McClement, I. (2007). Demonstration models of the cost and benefits of BVD and Johne's contol on cattle farms. Cattle Practice, 15. pp. 175-177. ISSN 0969-1251

McFarlane, I. (2005). Control of final moisture content of food products baked in continuous tunnel ovens. Measurement Science and Technology, 17(2), 241.

McFarlane, I. (1995). Automatic control of food manufacturing processes. (2^nd edition) Springer. ISBN 9780751402070

Since 1 January 1999, we have published on this site a newly designed economic index which has the advantage of being calibrated in SI units. This means that it offers an absolute measure of value, a quality which has been lacking in all monetary units since the gold standard was abandoned.

An outline of the calculation of the index is available, together with its value month-by-month during previous years, the values for last 12 months and the current value.

last update: 2 Dec 2023