This first volume of the Handbook of Agricultural Economics presents work on topics central to the economics of agriculture: the quantitative representation of technology; market expectations; household production behaviour; consumer behaviour with uncertain quality and safety of goods; and issues of imperfect competition in food marketing. Volume IB deals with the economics of agricultural products after they leave the farm. Seven chapters explain recent developments in application of dual approaches in household economies, the industrial organization of food marketing, marketing margins between farm and retail prices, spatial price analysis, commodity storage and price stabilization, commodity futures and options markets, and the economics of food safety. Volumes IA and IB each follow their specialized chapters with a synthesis chapter that brings together and assesses the main themes and issues of the field, and volume IB concludes with an overall synthesis of the state of and prospects for agricultural economics as applied economic science.