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Estimating Desirable Cattle Traits Using Latent Class And Mixed Logit Models: A Choice Modeling Application To The U.S. Grass-Fed Beef Industry, Isaac Sitienei Jan 2015

Estimating Desirable Cattle Traits Using Latent Class And Mixed Logit Models: A Choice Modeling Application To The U.S. Grass-Fed Beef Industry, Isaac Sitienei

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines the preferences for cattle traits using mixed logit and latent class models. Choice experiment data from a 2013 mail survey of 1,052 U.S. grass-fed beef producers were used. The findings indicate that grass-fed beef producers generally preferred lower-priced, heavy animals that were small-to-medium framed and easy to handle for grass-finishing. Black animals that were retained from their own calves were preferred. Relative to intact males, steers and heifers were preferred. Except for the estimated parameter for the weight attribute, the standard deviations for the temperament, body frame, source, color, gender, and price attribute levels were significant at …


Three Essays On Land Ownership, Gender, And Agricultural Productivity In The Case Of Developing Countries, Krishna H. Koirala Jan 2015

Three Essays On Land Ownership, Gender, And Agricultural Productivity In The Case Of Developing Countries, Krishna H. Koirala

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation set out to evaluate the impact of land ownership and role of gender to the Filipino farmers and to investigate gender difference in agricultural productivity and technical efficiency of Malawian rural households. The first essay investigates the impact of land ownership on the productivity and technical efficiency of rice farmers in the Philippines. We use a 2007-2012 Loop Survey from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and analyzed it by using a stochastic frontier function method. Results show that land ownership has a significant impact on technical efficiency. In particular, counter to the theory, the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform …


Three Essays On Food Demand, Land Use Intensity, And Food Crop Portfolio Choice Under Weather Risk, Aditya Raj Khanal Jan 2015

Three Essays On Food Demand, Land Use Intensity, And Food Crop Portfolio Choice Under Weather Risk, Aditya Raj Khanal

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Food security and adaptation to climate change has been an important research and development agenda in most of the development organizations and in the national policy of developing countries. The most vulnerable population from climate change and food security problems are rural and agricultural households in the developing and low income countries. Weather and climatic factors and food security has a direct link with poverty because a large majority of poor live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. The primary focus of this dissertation is to analyze consumption and production aspects of the rural agricultural households. …


Essays On The Effect Of Trade Facilitation On Bilateral Agricultural Trade, Trina Biswas Jan 2015

Essays On The Effect Of Trade Facilitation On Bilateral Agricultural Trade, Trina Biswas

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation offers three independent studies that each contributes to the literature on trade facilitation. The papers are built on the gravity model framework where the relationship between trade facilitation variables and the volume of agricultural exports across the border are examined. To deal with the issue of endogeneity, instrumental variable regression is used. The study also corrects for sample-selection bias present in the trade data. The first paper examines the role of e-governance on bilateral agricultural trade. The study finds that better quality of e-governance promotes agricultural exports. Specifically, according to the findings of the paper, the quality of …


Three Essays On Economic Analysis Of Production Systems Of U.S. Grass-Fed Beef Industry, Basu Deb Bhandari Jan 2015

Three Essays On Economic Analysis Of Production Systems Of U.S. Grass-Fed Beef Industry, Basu Deb Bhandari

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation research consists of three essays. The first two studies analyze experimental research data based on three pasture systems for grass-fed beef (GFB) production in the Gulf Coast Region. System 1 included bermudagrass and ryegrass; System 2 included bermudagrass, ryegrass, rye, dallisgrass, and clover mixtures (red, white, and berseem clovers); and System 3 included bermudagrass, soybean, sorghum sudan hybrid, ryegrass, rye, dallisgrass, and clover mixtures (red, white, and berseem clovers). Fifty-four Fall-born steers were weaned in May and grouped into nine groups and randomly blocked into treatments and replicates. Inputs and output data were recorded on a daily basis. …


Evaluation Of The Impact Of Changes In Commodity Income Support Measures Included In The Agricultural Act Of 2014 On Equitable Louisiana Rice Production Rental Arrangements, Abdallahi Ould Abderrahmane Jan 2015

Evaluation Of The Impact Of Changes In Commodity Income Support Measures Included In The Agricultural Act Of 2014 On Equitable Louisiana Rice Production Rental Arrangements, Abdallahi Ould Abderrahmane

LSU Master's Theses

ABSTRACT This research uses a Simetar simulation technique to evaluate the effect of the adoption of the Price Loss Coverage program included in the 2014 Agricultural Act on Louisiana’s rice equitable rental arrangement choices. Two scenarios are examined: one in which prices of the last three years are detrended and a second one in which they are not detrended. Each scenario includes six rental arrangements (Cash rent, Fixed Price, Fixed Yield, 60/40, 70/30, 80/20) and each rental arrangement has four adjustments (base, price trigger, yield trigger, and price and yield trigger). Three different risk measure analysis were conducted: Mean-Variance, Value …


An Evaluation Of The Impact Of The Adoption Of The Onboard Module Building Cotton Harvest System On The Economic Competitiveness Of Cotton Production In Louisiana, Natalia Estefania Latorre Jan 2014

An Evaluation Of The Impact Of The Adoption Of The Onboard Module Building Cotton Harvest System On The Economic Competitiveness Of Cotton Production In Louisiana, Natalia Estefania Latorre

LSU Master's Theses

Planted acreage of cotton in Louisiana has decreased over the past several years due to higher cotton variable production costs, stagnant cotton market prices, and higher grain yields and market prices for corn and soybeans. The general objective was to determine the economic impact of the adoption and use of an onboard module building cotton harvest system on the ability of the cotton enterprise to compete for planted acreage in the mixed crop farming areas of Louisiana. Specific research objectives included the estimated of comparative ownership and operating costs for the module building harvest systems relative to existing basket/module builder …


Factors Influencing Adoption Of Vsh Queens In The Honey Breeding Industry, Julie Leiby Jan 2014

Factors Influencing Adoption Of Vsh Queens In The Honey Breeding Industry, Julie Leiby

LSU Master's Theses

There are many threats that contribute to the decline in honey bee colonies around the United States; among them is the Varroa mite, Varroa destructor. The Varroa mite is a significant threat to honey bees and, by extension, beekeepers across the United States. It is suspected to be one of the main contributors to the increase in colony collapse and the decline in bee numbers and the beekeeping industry (Danka, May 2013). Fifty-five percent of beekeepers exited beekeeping between 1987 and 2002 (USDA). Although honey production continued to decrease through 2007, the number of beekeepers entering beekeeping had increased (USDA). …


Evaluating Alternative Techniques For Forecasting Industrial And Occupational Employment, Drew A. Varnado Jan 2014

Evaluating Alternative Techniques For Forecasting Industrial And Occupational Employment, Drew A. Varnado

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This paper offers three different regional output-by-industry forecasting techniques (time series, Social Accounting Matrix (SAM)-based, and Computable General Equilibrium (CGE)-based) and two different occupation-by-industry matrices (national and state geographies) for use in the creation of industry/occupation employment forecasts. Estimates are compared to actual data from eight years from 2001 to 2010. OLS regressions are run to determine how well modeled employment estimates fit actual employment for the state of Louisiana. A meta-analysis style regression of the R-sqaured values on model characteristics (accounted for using Boolean dummy-variables) determines that industrial output forecasting techniques do not provide statistically different R-squared values, but …


Application Of Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis To Determine Consumers' Preferences And Willingness To Pay For Grass Fed Beef In The United States, Franklin Fernando Vaca Moran Jan 2014

Application Of Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis To Determine Consumers' Preferences And Willingness To Pay For Grass Fed Beef In The United States, Franklin Fernando Vaca Moran

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

U.S. consumption of beef has declined during the last three decades. Consumer preferences have shifted toward products that are considered healthy, environmentally friendly and obtained through sustainable production methods. Because of the characteristics of grass-fed beef production, consumers are becoming more interested in grass-fed beef products than conventional beef products. A choice-based experiment was used to assess consumer’s preferences for grass-fed beef. A national online survey was conducted in May 2012 and the information from 4000 respondents was collected from the entire U.S. The respondents were divided in two groups of similar size: grass-fed beef eaters, comprised by the respondents …


The Worlds Of Agriculture In Asia : Agricultural And Economic Development, Lorna Econg Amrinto Jan 2014

The Worlds Of Agriculture In Asia : Agricultural And Economic Development, Lorna Econg Amrinto

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The agro-fundamentalists consider agriculture as the engine of growth while agro-pessimists argue that economic growth causes agricultural productivity. It is the main engine of growth in agriculture-based countries; less important in transforming economies; and plays the same role as other tradable sectors in urbanized countries (World Bank, 2008). This work revisits agriculture’s role in the development process within the experience of Asia where the majority of the population heavily depends on agriculture. Chapter 2 presents the results of causality tests between agriculture and economic growth in bivariate systems using the TYDL methodology. For some of agriculture-based Asia (Bhutan, Lao, Cambodia …


United States Meat Goat Production Economic Performance Measures: A Stochastic Production Frontier Analysis, Berdikul Qushim Jan 2014

United States Meat Goat Production Economic Performance Measures: A Stochastic Production Frontier Analysis, Berdikul Qushim

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The meat goat industry is relatively a newcomer to the U.S. agricultural production and one of the fastest growing livestock industries in the U.S. Despite the growth of the meat goat industry, little is known about meat goat production economics. Information is needed concerning the drivers of production efficiency, optimum size of operation, and scope economies in the industry. A nationwide mail survey of U.S. meat goat producers who advertise their meat goat production via the internet for this efficiency analysis was conducted. Costs and returns data for 2011 expenses from those meat goat producers were collected. This survey was …


Analysis Of Media Coverage Of Selected Food Safety Events On The Demand For The Recalled Products, Abhishek Bhagwat Bharad Jan 2014

Analysis Of Media Coverage Of Selected Food Safety Events On The Demand For The Recalled Products, Abhishek Bhagwat Bharad

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The major focus of this study was to identify the linkage between information and consumer behavior and to examine the role that a new media index played in the identifying the tone of news stories. Past studies have relied on using the number of media stories but, this study tests a new approach, i.e., in order to analyze the effect of information by incorporating the sentiment indices. These indices were created based on the tone of the news story. The results from sentiment indices were compared to the results from the information index. Barten’s Synthetic model (BSM) was used to …


Estimating U.S. Household Seafood Demand Based On Longitudinal And Cross-Sectional Data, Huabo Wang Jan 2014

Estimating U.S. Household Seafood Demand Based On Longitudinal And Cross-Sectional Data, Huabo Wang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This overall goal of this research is to examine and update U.S. at-home household demand estimates for seafood (including species and generic products) that can be used in policy formulation (by both the private and public sector). As such, this study estimated quantity-based household demand functions for seafood in aggregate, by generic product form (fresh, frozen, and prepared), and primary species. Given that the role of quality has been shown to significantly influence expenditures and seafood demand, this paper also seeks to incorporate the household quality choice into the demand model. In order to help to tailor the market strategy, …


Exchange Rate Volatility Effects On Brics Countries Exports, David Isaias Maradiaga Pineda Jan 2014

Exchange Rate Volatility Effects On Brics Countries Exports, David Isaias Maradiaga Pineda

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The leaders of the leading emerging economies Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) claim that increased currency exchange rate volatility (CERV) from USD, EUR, and JPY (G-3) negatively impacts their exports, and expressed their desire for less trade dependence on these currencies. The literature on the impact of CERV on trade is vast. However, no consensus on the impact’s direction and significance has been reached yet. The motivation of this study was: first, to contribute to the existing empirical literature by using an alternative methodology; and second, to provide empirical evidence to the claim’s validity or nullity by …


Three Essays On U.S. Meat Goat Production: Goal Structure, Selection Of Breeding Stock, And Meat Goat Marketing, Narayan Prasad Nyaupane Jan 2014

Three Essays On U.S. Meat Goat Production: Goal Structure, Selection Of Breeding Stock, And Meat Goat Marketing, Narayan Prasad Nyaupane

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study investigates three major areas of U.S. meat goat production – goal structure, selection of breeding stock, and marketing, by using survey data received from U.S. meat goat producers. Of 1,600 producers surveyed, 584 usable responses were obtained with an adjusted response rate of 43%. The fuzzy pair-wise comparison method was used to determine producer goal structure. The results showed that profit maximization and leisure-related goals were highly considered goals and controlling weeds/vegetation and increasing farm size were the least considered goals by U.S. meat goat producers. A choice-based conjoint study was conducted to identify producer preferences for meat …


The Role Of Futures Prices In Pricing Commodity Exports Of Developing Countries, Jorge Jose Handal Reyes Jan 2014

The Role Of Futures Prices In Pricing Commodity Exports Of Developing Countries, Jorge Jose Handal Reyes

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to study the empirical linkages between nearby futures prices for coffee at the New York (NY) Intercontinental Exchange (ICE)/NY Board of Trade (NYBOT) and cash prices (producer and export prices) in selected Latin American countries. This theme was entertained in Fortenbery and Zapata (2004) and subsequently by Fortenbery and Zapata (2004) and Li and Fortenbery (2013). This thesis uses data from January 1990 to May 2013 and adds producer cash prices in addition to export prices, thus expanding the dataset by over a decade and adding local market cash prices relative to the first …


A Factor Analysis Of The Dimensions Of Economic Damages From Tropical Storms And Hurricanes In Louisiana, James Luke Boutwell Jan 2014

A Factor Analysis Of The Dimensions Of Economic Damages From Tropical Storms And Hurricanes In Louisiana, James Luke Boutwell

LSU Master's Theses

Coastal communities are highly sensitive to disturbances from tropical storms and hurricanes. This is particularly true in Louisiana and along the U.S. Gulf Coast where economies are largely dependent on tourism and natural resource based industry. Since Hurricane Katrina and, more recently, Hurricane Sandy, there has been an increase in concern for how coastal communities will mitigate and respond to the impacts of coastal storms. These concerns are made more acute by the increasing population concentrated along the coast and the risk of more frequent and more severe coastal storms in the future. A commonly advocated-for method of storm damage …


Three Essays On Migration Decision, Migration Destination Choice, And Food Security: Evidence From Chitwan, Nepal, Madhav Regmi Jan 2014

Three Essays On Migration Decision, Migration Destination Choice, And Food Security: Evidence From Chitwan, Nepal, Madhav Regmi

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis research is based on data obtained from the Nepal Ethno Survey of Family, Migration and Development conducted in 396 farming households in the Eastern part of the Chitwan, Nepal. In a three essay thesis format, I explore the factors affecting migration decision and migration destination choices. I then establish a link between remittance and food security status of the surveyed households. In the first essay, I use a probit model to identify household decisions to send or not to send migrants, and identify factors affecting the decision process. I include individual, household and social network characteristics in the …


Remittance And Migration: Impact On Technology Adoption, Natural Resource Conservation, And Household Welfare, Deborah Ann Williams Jan 2014

Remittance And Migration: Impact On Technology Adoption, Natural Resource Conservation, And Household Welfare, Deborah Ann Williams

LSU Master's Theses

Nepal is the perfect country to study all the facets of migration, sustainable agriculture and their subsequent impact on food systems. Droves of migrants are leaving rural Nepal for higher incomes to cover household daily expenses. The Government of Nepal (GON) encourages migration as a means to reduce poverty, and remittance already amounts to 25.83% of GDP, and it is expected to grow (Nepal Bastra Bank 2014, Thieme and Wyss 2005, Yang 2011). However, it is still unclear whether the mass exodus from rural areas and the growing dependence on remittance, the portion of the migrant workers' earnings sent back …


Direct Marketing Of Louisiana Shrimp: A Cost-Earnings Analysis, Jill Christoferson Jan 2014

Direct Marketing Of Louisiana Shrimp: A Cost-Earnings Analysis, Jill Christoferson

LSU Master's Theses

Secondary data on cost and earnings from a 2012 survey of inshore Louisiana shrimpers was used as the foundation this partial budget analysis examining the feasibility of supplementing direct marketing (DM) strategies for Louisianan shrimp harvesters. Refinement of key variables for the analysis was conducted using supplemental surveys in 2014 of DM shrimp harvesters and DM consumers. The DM harvester survey (n= 72) produced information on actual price per pound for DM shrimp, as well as catch grade distribution, product marketing mix, and labor estimates. The DM consumer survey (n=255) yielded information on participants’ preferences for DM shrimp, including actual …


A Linear Programming Model And Partial Budget Analysis To Optimize Management Strategies Of Western Flower Thrips In Greenhouse Impatiens Production, Xiaohua Yue Jan 2013

A Linear Programming Model And Partial Budget Analysis To Optimize Management Strategies Of Western Flower Thrips In Greenhouse Impatiens Production, Xiaohua Yue

LSU Master's Theses

The research problem of this thesis was to compare strategies and costs of protecting impatiens in greenhouse culture from western flower thrips that would provide a plant of acceptable quality to the market and would address the issue of development of resistance to commonly used pesticides by evaluating biopesticides. Partial budgets based on alternative strategies were identified. Six control strategies were identified from a combination of commercial growers, research experts and biopesticide recommendations from product distributors. The research-recommended strategy 6 had the highest total production cost ($197.44), while one of the grower strategies based on conventional pesticides had the lowest …


The Effects Of U.S. Shrimp Imports On The Gulf Of Mexico Dockside Price : A Source Differentiated Mixed Demand Model, Maryam Tabarestani Jan 2013

The Effects Of U.S. Shrimp Imports On The Gulf Of Mexico Dockside Price : A Source Differentiated Mixed Demand Model, Maryam Tabarestani

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The ever increasing demand for the shrimp products in the 1980s and 1990s caused the volume of shrimp imports to increase. The import of shrimp has had an upward trend, from 847 million pounds in 1997 to 1,636 million pounds in 2010.The imports price has declined since 1997. Along with the decrease in imports price, the U.S. domestic shrimp price has also declined. However, the annual production of shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico has, in the long-run, remained relatively stable. These facts indicate that there is not the same quantity-price relation between the U.S. domestic shrimp market and shrimp …


Empirical And Simulation Essays On Analyzing A Country's Export Performance : The Case Of Ghana, Aude L. Pujula Jan 2013

Empirical And Simulation Essays On Analyzing A Country's Export Performance : The Case Of Ghana, Aude L. Pujula

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A large array of literature has revealed the complexity of export performance analysis. Using the case of Ghana, this dissertation, divided into three essays, seeks to provide the methodological guidance, empirical and simulation evidence necessary to analyze a country’s export performance. The choice of Ghana was motivated by the country’s growth experience, strong export and agricultural sectors and implemented reforms and programs since 1983. In the first essay, we created a new trade-weighted Cedi index or real effective exchange rate (REER) that takes into account Ghana’s most relevant patterns of trade and captures the evolution of Ghana’s export price competitiveness …


Environmental Kuznets Curve In Water Pollution: A Semiparametric Approach, Mahesh Pandit Jan 2013

Environmental Kuznets Curve In Water Pollution: A Semiparametric Approach, Mahesh Pandit

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The relationship between pollution and per capita income generally appears as an inverted U-shaped curve. This inverted U-shaped curve is known as the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC). The shape of the curve, however, is very sensitive to the data, location and pollutant considered in the analysis. Since the early 1990s, there has been an exponential growth in the number of empirical studies in this field, but many refute the inverted U-shaped nature of the curve for pollutants across different time periods and geographical regions. This has generated an increased interest in developing a more flexible functional form for model specification …


Consumer's Preferences For Goat Meat In The United States : An Application Of Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis, Jessica Irene Hill Jan 2013

Consumer's Preferences For Goat Meat In The United States : An Application Of Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis, Jessica Irene Hill

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The meat goat industry is one of the fastest growing agricultural sectors in the United States. However, there has been limited research on consumers’ preferences for goat meat; therefore, a choice experiment was used to assess consumer preferences for goat meat and/or live goats. A national online survey was conducted from April 27, 2012 to May 4, 2012. Respondents were asked to complete either the goat meat choice experiment, live goat choice experiment or both. In addition to the choice experiment, respondents answered a set of questions about goat meat consumption and purchasing behavior as well as demographics. The attributes …


An Analysis Of Consumer Preferences For Grass-Fed Versus Grain-Fed Beef, Bo Lin Jan 2013

An Analysis Of Consumer Preferences For Grass-Fed Versus Grain-Fed Beef, Bo Lin

LSU Master's Theses

As a consequence of the growing concerns about human health and the environment, consumers are becoming more interested in grass-fed beef than conventional grain-fed beef. Therefore, the study of consumers’ preference towards grass-fed versus grain-fed beef steak is the focus of research. In this paper, 2,000 respondents who indicate they have eaten grass fed beef in the past years and 2,000 respondents that complete a nationally representative sample is the general population. Conjoint analysis is utilized to analyze the preference of consumers. Participants are presented ten hypothetical beef steaks to rate. All steaks are identical excluding their product type, source …


Assessing The Efficiency Of Alternative Best Management Practices To Reduce Nonpoint Source Pollution In The Broiler Production Region Of Louisiana, Bryan Gottshall Jan 2013

Assessing The Efficiency Of Alternative Best Management Practices To Reduce Nonpoint Source Pollution In The Broiler Production Region Of Louisiana, Bryan Gottshall

LSU Master's Theses

The Louisiana broiler production region is located in North Central and Northwestern Louisiana. The region consists of twelve parishes in Northwestern and North Central Louisiana. The broiler production region is a significant contributor of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution to nearby waterways. This pollution is a consequence of sediment, nitrogen and phosphorus runoff caused by agricultural production. NPS pollution is difficult to mitigate due to uncertainties in its point of origin as well as a host of other factors ranging from rainfall to topographical parameters. Best Management Practices (BMPS) have been shown to be a reliable method for reducing nonpoint source …


Quality Of Care: Analyzing The Relationship Between Hospital Quality Score And Total Hospital Costs, Jordan Andrew Newell Jan 2013

Quality Of Care: Analyzing The Relationship Between Hospital Quality Score And Total Hospital Costs, Jordan Andrew Newell

LSU Master's Theses

As healthcare costs and premiums have increased in the recent past, hospitals are forced to try to provide healthcare on tight budgets. In many cases, quality is often sacrificed in an effort to manage patient wait-times and costs. This research attempted to add to the existing body of knowledge of quality of care by defining a relationship between quality of care provided and total hospital costs. This study used the 2006 American Hospital Association’s Annual Survey Database and the 2006 Hospital Compare dataset to meet the data requirements for the study. A log-log, as well as a translog, cost function …


Economic And Attitudinal Perspectives Of The Recreational For-Hire Fishing Industry In The U.S. Gulf Of Mexico, Michelle Savolainen Jan 2012

Economic And Attitudinal Perspectives Of The Recreational For-Hire Fishing Industry In The U.S. Gulf Of Mexico, Michelle Savolainen

LSU Master's Theses

Socioeconomic and policy information is important to fisheries management in order to assess potential social and economic impacts of proposed fishing regulations. Previous surveys which collect this type of data for the recreational for-hire (RFH) fishing industry in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico were conducted in 1987 and 1997. The third Gulf-wide survey was conducted in 2010 to update the socioeconomic and policy data available on the RFH industry. More specifically, the survey collected captain, vessel, and trip characteristics, firm and trip financial data, targeted species, and opinions on policy issues and hurricane impacts. State license information indicated that 3,315 …