Agriculture Commons^™

Exploring The Presence Of Nonlinear Deterministic Dynamics In Commodity Prices, Sagar Dahal

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Determining whether commodity prices (and volatility) are driven by linear stochastic processes or low-dimensional nonlinear deterministic dynamics (“chaos”) is crucial for policymaking, forecasting, production, storage, investment, risk management, and hedging decisions. Previous studies that used Lyapunov exponents and correlation dimensions to identify chaotic structures in price series may be unreliable in practical applications because these methods rely on asymptotic properties that require large, noiseless data which is often not available. We applied nonlinear time series analysis approaches to empirically detect the underlying market dynamics using the daily futures prices of ten agricultural commodities. We used phase space reconstruction to reconstruct …

Economic Analysis Of Western Corn Rootworm Injury To Continuous Corn In Northeast Nebraska., Isadora Vercesi Bethlem

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The most economically significant corn pest in the US Corn Belt is the Western Corn Rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte. This study compares a field experiment outcome of 4 different treatments against WCR, which consist of a rootworm Bt corn pyramid (SmartStax®) and non-rootworm Bt trait hybrid (VT2P), with or without the addition of the rootworm soil insecticide (Aztec®) to identify the risk-reward trade-off for each one of them. Observed prices were used for the years in the study (2020, 2021, and 2022), and low and high price scenarios were simulated for the period, to incorporate different dynamic relations …

Us Public School Demand For Locally Produced Meat And Poultry, Shara Akat

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The objective of the USDA Farm-to-School program is to promote the understanding and use of local food in school education and meals. The hope is that by reconnecting students with how food is raised and purchasing the product from local producers it will increase nutrition and reduce food insecurity and obesity among students while simultaneously increasing economic activity for local producers. Most studies evaluating the federal program have focused on how the economic outcomes for local producers or student related health outcomes and primarily using fresh fruits and vegetables. Fundamental to either of these outcomes is understanding the schools’ demand …

Irrigation-As-A-Service For Smallholder Farmers, Ishani Lal

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Irrigation is a crucial management practice that can help increase food security among smallholders globally while mitigating climate change impacts. High-efficiency irrigation technologies such as drip kits and sprinkler systems are relatively expensive and smallholder farmers cannot afford them to buffer crop yields against low precipitation. In many developing countries, farmers participate in robust informal markets for renting and sharing of irrigation equipment. Such services may be operated by farmers or via a third party such as irrigation start-ups, water user associations, non-governmental organizations, or even government agencies. These services are referred to collectively as Irrigation-as-a-Service (IaaS).

The objective of …

Regenerative Farming Practices: How Much Carbon Do They Sequester?, Andrew M. Havens

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Along with the recent rise of voluntary carbon markets comes potential carbon credit producers seeking reliable information on how much carbon they can expect to sequester. In this thesis a distribution of expected sequestration outcomes is constructed using cost-benefit analysis and data gathered from agronomic experiments and land-grant university crop budgets for cover crops and no-till practices. The inverse cumulative distribution of carbon sequestration outcomes from adopting a regenerative agricultural practice is visualized and the net social benefit of paying farmers to produce carbon credits is estimated. Results show that on average there is between $29.02 and $37.20 of social …

What Is The Value Of Ethanol To Nebraska Corn Producers?, Austin Harthoorn

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In this thesis, we examine the role of local ethanol plants on net price received by Nebraskan corn growers, with net price comprised of the grain buyer’s bid onsite less the transportation cost incurred through delivery. As each farm operation is uniquely located between different sets of grain buyers, an ethanol plant impacts each grower’s net price to a different degree, depending on location. Exploring this, we use grain bid and transportation cost data based on actual ethanol plants, grain elevators, and sample farm locations in Nebraska, estimating the diversely located corn grower’s net prices received from surrounding grain buyers. …

Causal Forest Approach For Site-Specific Input Management Via On-Farm Precision Experimentation, Shunkei Kakimoto

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Estimating site-specific crop yield response to changes to input (e.g., seed, fertilizer) management is a critical step in making economically optimal site-specific input management recommendations. Past studies have attempted to estimate yield response functions using various Machine Learning (ML) methods, including the Random Forest (RF), Boosted Random Forest (BRF), and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) methods. This study proposes use of the Causal Forest (CF) model, which is one of the emerging ML methods that comprise “Causal Machine Learning.” Unlike previous yield-prediction-oriented ML methods, CF focuses strictly on estimating heterogeneous treatment effects (changes in yields that result from changes in input …

Essays On The Designs And Benefits Of Land Conservation Programs, Badri Khanal

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This dissertation analyzes the policy designs and economic benefits of a land conservation practice called prairie strips. The first chapter investigates the impact of policy designs on individual household preferences. The study measures the value that Iowa residents place on the ecosystem services of prairie strips and determines if that value changes under different policy designs. The policy design treatment varies in who runs the program and who has enrollment priority. The willingness to pay (WTP) for ecosystem services is estimated using stated preferences from a choice experiment. Results indicate significant public support for expanding and funding the prairie strips …

Impacts Of Crop Insurance And Intra-Season Hedging On Long-Run Net Income Risk, Kara Zimmerman

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Each year producers must make risk management decisions early in the growing season when many variables are unknown. In this thesis we create an empirical model utilizing thirty years (1989-2018) of historical yield, cost, and daily price series data, to determine the optimal risk management strategy of crop insurance and an intra-season marketing plan that will both minimize net income risk and maximize average net income. The empirical model is taken a step further to include an out-of-sample year in order to test the robustness of empirical results to financially devastating events that have never been seen. We test the …

Economically Optimal Nitrogen Side-Dressing Based On Vegetation Indices From Satellite Images Through On-Farm Experiments, Qianqian Du

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Optimal N fertilizer rates for corn (Zea mays L.) vary substantially within and among fields, and by corn growth stages. Improving N side-dressing management can improve fertilizer use efficiency, farmers’ profitability, and the sustainability of crop production. The objective of this study is to introduce a framework along with a methodology that can find the site-specific economically optimal N rates (EONRs) within one field for a particular growing season. An on-farm experiment was conducted in the 2019 corn growing season. A base N rate was applied uniformly on the field. NDRE images from the Sentinel-2 satellite were observed during …

Essays On Agricultural Technology, Resource Allocation And The Value Of Information, Pedro Queiroz

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This dissertation studied the adoption of agricultural technologies and the value of information for the allocation of resources in agriculture. Chapter 1 studied traditional (e.g., land and labor) and commercial (e.g., machinery and fertilizers) inputs in South American agriculture. Acemoglu’s directed technical change was used to estimate the process of induced innovation using deforestation as source of exogenous variation for the agricultural land supply. The results indicated that larger availability of land in intensive deforestation countries caused more land-complementary inputs (machinery) to be used relative to labor-complementary inputs (fertilizers). Technical change was biased towards land. Chapter 2 studied nitrogen fertilizer …

Determinants Of Discretionary Agricultural Policy Adoption:The Case Of The Livestock Friendly County Program In Nebraska, Cicely Batie

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study analyzes the voluntary approach to agriculture promotion programs through the lens of the Nebraska Livestock Friendly County (LFC) Program. In 2003, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) launched the LFC program to bolster the livestock sector in participating counties. The program is unique because of its voluntary nature and targeted agricultural promotion efforts. The NDA designates counties as “Livestock Friendly,” and assists them in streamlining approval processes for livestock feeding operations. This thesis examines why a program like LFC is necessary, the patterns of its adoption across Nebraska, and finally, its impact on the livestock sector of participating …

The Impact Of Different Data Processing Methods On Site-Specific Management Recommendation, Zhengzheng Gao

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Understanding the impact of different data processing methods on site-specific management recommendation is vital to famers and consultants. This thesis investigates how data processing methods affect variable selection in production function estimation and the consequent economically optimal input use recommendation map. We utilized LASSO, a regression analysis method for feature selection. Data are collected from two years of on-farm trials from the same field in Hamilton county, Nebraska. Results suggest that the feature selection process and final recommendation about seed and nitrogen rates can be very sensitive to the way we process and analyze data, and the effects can be …

The Relationship Of Male And Female Pastoralist Income With Household Food Security And Nutrition Status In Tanzania: Maasai, Sukuma, And Barabaig Ethnic Groups., Henriette Gitungwa

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Although previous work provides a significant baseline for understanding the impact of gender on household decision making and resource (i.e. income and food) allocation, there are gaps in evidence for important groups, including East African pastoralists. Previous authors have noted that pastoralists’ gender roles and relations appear to be resistant to change, potentially impeding household development. This paper attempts to assess the relationship between male and female pastoralists’ income control and household food security and nutritional status in Tanzania. We use three surveys: a household-level livestock health and economics survey, a household food security survey, and an individual woman-level survey …

Irrigation Management, Environment, And Profits: Who Wins?, Emily O'Donnell

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The impact of irrigation technology on farmers’ management strategies and resulting environmental benefits depends upon agronomic properties and market forces. We evaluate the role of deficit irrigation using soil moisture probe technology on corn yield and evapotranspiration, which is a measure of water use efficiency. Evapotranspiration represents the water that transits through the plant during planting to harvest (transpiration) and the evaporation from the soil into the environment, or the displaced water in the production process. We develop yield and evapotranspiration response functions to inform a constrained profit maximization model used to identify the optimal irrigation level across a variety …

Demand And Risk Management Analysis Of Rainfall Index Insurance, Ashlee Carlson

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis has two research chapters regarding the government provided Rainfall Index Insurance for Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (RI-PRF). In the first chapter, we empirically examined whether charity hazard exists between Rainfall Index Insurance (RI-PRF) and government mandated Livestock Forage Program by estimating the demand for RI-PRF. Evidence was found that lagged LFP payments significantly increase the marginal effects of participating in RI-PRF in three of the five states and in the combined model. These results support the opposite of charity hazard where LFP payments improve the probability of purchasing RI-PRF. In our other models, the results provide evidence in …

Econometric Estimation Of Groundwater Depth Change For The High Plains Aquifer, Jonathan R. Sims

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This article presents a new method for estimating changes in depth to groundwater at a yearly, county level and incorporates these estimates as the dependent variable of econometric models for the High Plains aquifer. The High Plains (Ogallala) aquifer underlies eight states in the central United States and is the primary source of irrigation water for this large food producing region. The stock of groundwater is a finite, non-renewable resource with minimal recharge in most areas. Many fields of study, including hydrology and agricultural economics, are interested in depth to groundwater changes because they serve as a proxy for estimating …

Label Position And Its Impact On Willingness To Pay For Products Containing Genetically Modified Organisms, Ruskin Gautam

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Food labels play an important role in communicating information. Labels provide information about production techniques, nutrition and ingredient information, and quality of a product (i.e. federal grade standards for eggs, U.S.D.A. quality grades on beef and pork). These are some of the key product attributes that consumers seek while making purchasing decisions. However, labels can be confusing and misleading and at times consumers simply ignore them. Research on the placement and effectiveness of labels conducted over the past few decades have found that information on the label influences buying habits. Food manufacturers could strategically use or place such attributes of …

Ex-Post Livestock Diseases, And Pastoralists' Averting Decisions In Tanzania, Mazbahul Ahamad

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Little is known about the factors affecting pastoralists’ livestock vaccination decisions. In this thesis, we use a novel survey-based dataset on pastoralists living in the Ruaha landscape in Tanzania, and employ several econometric approaches to identify the factors affecting pastoralists’ decision-making process about livestock vaccination when disease occurrence and severity, vaccination and healthcare access costs and other related variables are known. Results from binary choice models that account for excess zeros indicate that socially and economically active households are more likely to vaccinate their livestock. The results also identify positive marginal effects of illness incidence and having wage earners and …

A Hedonic Analysis Of Community Supported Agriculture Share Prices In Midwestern United States, Binod Khanal

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

As concerns mount over the consequences of conventional food production for health, the environment, and animal welfare, consumers are increasingly demanding what they perceive as more nutritious, safer, and ethically produced food. Local food in general and community supported agriculture in particular have emerged as promising alternatives that could allay those concerns and, judging by recent growth, the share of local food in total food sales will most likely continue to grow. This represents an opportunity and a challenge for both incumbent farms serving the local food market as well entrants who are looking to capitalize on the growth in …

Impact Of Healthy Food Labels On Consumer Choice And Valuation, Mattingly Perlinger

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The obesity epidemic is prevalent across the entire United States, but minority communities are affected most of all. The Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota is a minority community that has been particularly affected by the obesity epidemic, exhibiting higher rates of obesity and lower life expectancy than the rest of the country.

In this study we conducted a hypothetical choice experiment to test the effectiveness of three healthy food labels in increasing the likelihood of consumers choosing to purchase healthy products. We also calculated the consumer willingness to pay for each of these labels and examined differences in label …

Export Taxes And Their Effects On Farmers' Profitability And Risk In Argentina, Ezequiel M. Villamil

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This main objective of this thesis is to analyze the effects of export taxes on the risk faced by farmers in different regions of Argentina in their cropping operations for wheat, sunflower, soybeans and corn. In the first chapter we introduce the variables and explain the agricultural environment in Argentina. A set of three profit function models with different export tax policies were specified in a Monte Carlo simulation template using data from 1985 to the present. A set of risk measures for the upper and lower partial moments along with the overall probability distribution statistics are used to asses …

Economic Analysis Of Eradication And Alternative Crop Policies For Controlling Coca Supply In Colombia, Jilmar David Robledo Caicedo

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Coca leaf is the primary input in cocaine production. Colombia is among the three largest coca producers and is the world’s main supplier of cocaine. This thesis examines the interplay between the policies for controlling coca supply in Colombia: eradication (aerial spraying of coca) and a price support for alternative crops (coffee and cocoa) that compete for land allocation with coca. The study calibrates a multi-market partial equilibrium model to simulate different eradication and price support scenarios in order to assess farmers’ response to policy changes.

The results suggest that an alternative crops policy alone holds little promise to significantly …

Economic Impacts Of Increased Corporate Average Fuel Economy (Cafe) Standards, Ann K. Hunter-Pirtle

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) mandates that U.S. transportation fuel producers blend specific volumes of ethanol and other biofuels with fossil fuels to spur U.S. biofuel production and to minimize foreign oil imports. Ethanol is more corrosive to auto engines than gasoline, and although vehicles manufactured since 2001 are approved to use up to a 15% ethanol blend (E15) (Naylor & Falcon, 2011), E10 is much more widely available. Ethanol producers therefore face a so-called blend wall at 10 percent—a maximum amount of ethanol that is usable domestically based on the demand for gasoline.

Meanwhile, gasoline demand in the U.S. …

Hay Supply In The U.S. Midwest, Ana Stepanovic

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) mandates in the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 require that 36 billion gallons of renewable biofuels be produced in 2022, of which 16 billion gallons are to be from cellulosic feedstocks. This study examined supply of “other hay” (hay excluding alfalfa), based on the assumption that "other hay" is similar to grass species that might be grown as cellulosic feedstock. We have attempted to estimate the factors affecting the acreage of "other hay" in the context of a system of equations explaining allocations among all crops. For each of the three basic …

Three Essays On Renewable Energy, Kepifri Alpha Lakoh

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This dissertation studies three main issues related to renewable energy in the United States and in Sub Sahara Africa.

The first chapter seeks to provide answers to a very fundamental question for second generation biofuels: “How much crop residue can farmers harvest from their fields for sale to cellulosic ethanol companies without affecting current levels of production?” The model developed is applied to 101 counties from four Midwestern states in the United States (Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska and Wyoming). Results show that soil organic matter significantly contributes to explaining changes in technical efficiency and total factor productivity. Furthermore, average crop …

Predicting Groundwater Trading Participation In The Upper Republican River Natural Resource District, Elizabeth M. Juchems

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The goal of this thesis is to predict participation in groundwater trading and the directions of trades among participants. Specifically, the paper considers both formal and informal trading of groundwater used for crop irrigation purposes and attempts to identify those characteristics that predict the probability of trade participation and whether an individual is a buyer or seller of groundwater rights. While the public benefits from efficient use of groundwater include adequate stream flow in hydrologically connected areas and future use of groundwater supplies, there are significant private benefits to landowners especially in water-short areas. Groundwater trading can help move water …

Three Essays On Renewable Energy, Kepifri Alpha Lakoh

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This dissertation studies three main issues related to renewable energy in the United States and in Sub Sahara Africa.

The first chapter seeks to provide answers to a very fundamental question for second generation biofuels: “How much crop residue can farmers harvest from their fields for sale to cellulosic ethanol companies without affecting current levels of production?” The model developed is applied to 101 counties from four Midwestern states in the United States (Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska and Wyoming). Results show that soil organic matter significantly contributes to explaining changes in technical efficiency and total factor productivity. Furthermore, average crop …

Essays On The U.S Biofuel Policies: Welfare Impacts And The Potential For Reduction Of Ghg Emission, Kassu Wamisho Hossiso

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This dissertation study investigates the impact of the US biofuel policies related to greenhouse gas (GHG) emission regulation, tax credit and renewable fuel standard (RFS2) mandate over production and consumption of ethanol as well as technical and environmental performance of corn ethanol plants. The study develops analytical models and provides quantitative estimation of the impact of various biofuel policies in each of the three chapters.

Chapter 1 of this dissertation examines the tradeoff between achieving the environmental goal of minimizing life cycle GHG emissions and minimizing production costs in recently built dry-grind corn ethanol plants. The results indicate that the …

Some Economic Aspects Of The Fluid Milk Industry Of Nebraska, Kenneth E. Anderson

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Most citizens of Nebraska, especially the dairy farmers who produced milk for city consumption, are currently concerned with the problem of marketing fluid milk.In Nebraska and all over the United States, sales of wholesale milk farmers have been increasing for the past 15 years, while cream sales to creameries have been decreasing.

Production of milk in Nebraska is greatest in the eastern part of the state.Likewise, consumption is concentrated in Eastern Nebraska. This is most likely due to Eastern Nebraska’s highly concentrated population as well as the most favorable farm conditions for dairy cows.

Most of the bottled milk in …