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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
The Center For Agri-Food Industrial Organization & Policy: Scholarly Economic Research For A Changing Agri-Food Industry, Azzeddine Azzam
The Center For Agri-Food Industrial Organization & Policy: Scholarly Economic Research For A Changing Agri-Food Industry, Azzeddine Azzam
Cornhusker Economics
The Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is now the home of the Center of Agri-Food Industrial Organization & Policy. Founded in June 2001, the Center pools the research expertise of 5 scholars from the Department of Agricultural Economics and the Department of Economics to address in a timely and scientific manner agri-food industrial organization & policy issues of vital interest to the agricultural economy of the State of Nebraska, to disseminate research results to the public, and to train students and interested citizens in the economics of the food supply chain that links input suppliers, farmers, …
Nebraska’S Rural Population: Is The Glass Half Empty Or Half Full?, Sam Cordes, Randolph L. Cantrell
Nebraska’S Rural Population: Is The Glass Half Empty Or Half Full?, Sam Cordes, Randolph L. Cantrell
Cornhusker Economics
Those interested and concerned about rural Nebraska often focus on population data. In recent months, the media have been very active in focusing on this issue, largely because of the release of the 2000 U. S. Census numbers. For the most part, media reports and analysis have painted a fairly bleak picture of what happened in rural Nebraska during the decade of the 1990s. In this short article we summarize how the recent Census data can be used to paint such a bleak picture and refer to this as “the glass is half empty” story. We then provide an alternative …
Community Options For Wellhead Protection Areas, J. David Aiken
Community Options For Wellhead Protection Areas, J. David Aiken
Cornhusker Economics
The Wellhead Protection Area Act (WHPA Act) was adopted in 1998. The WHPA Act authorizes public water suppliers (primarily cities and villages) to designate wellhead protection areas (WHPAs) to protect community water supplies from pollution.
Under the Nebraska Safe Drinking Water Quality Act, the quality of water provided by public water supply systems is regulated by the Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services. If a community’s water violates drinking water standards, the community can operate only under NDHHS administrative order until the violations are corrected. Nitrate is Nebraska’s most widespread groundwater contaminant. If a community’s water exceeds the 10 …
The Impact Of Publicly Funded Research On The Structure Of U.S. Agriculture, Jeffrey S. Royer
The Impact Of Publicly Funded Research On The Structure Of U.S. Agriculture, Jeffrey S. Royer
Cornhusker Economics
In recent years, there has been a substantial increase in the concentration of agricultural production in the United States as the number of farming and ranching operations has declined and the average size of those operations has grown. This increased concentration has been accompanied by increased coordination of production and marketing activities through contracting, consolidation and vertical integration. Although independent family farms and ranches have been responsible for most of the nation’s agricultural production historically, small and medium-sized operations are finding it difficult to compete in today’s increasingly industrialized food and agricultural sector.
How Is Your Information System?, Roger Selley
How Is Your Information System?, Roger Selley
Cornhusker Economics
As the current year ends it is again time to assess the past year, evaluate the health of the business and begin making decisions for the next year. If there are some records you need but haven’t started, the next best thing is to start now. After you satisfy the IRS and your creditors, what is the next priority in your record keeping? One place to start in identifying record keeping priorities is to list the decisions you want to support and the data needed. Another would be to list your goals and the data needed to monitor progress towards …
Conservation More Important Than Ever In Farm Bill, Roy Frederick
Conservation More Important Than Ever In Farm Bill, Roy Frederick
Cornhusker Economics
When a new farm bill is signed into law, conservation provisions are likely to vie with commodity supports for top billing. After more than twenty such laws, this may be a first. Soil conservation has been a part of farm bills since passage of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1936. However, not until passage of the Food Security Act of 1985 were wetlands, water quality, wildlife habitat and other natural resource issues addressed. Each subsequent farm bill has added one or more new conservation initiatives. The new legislation almost certainly will continue that pattern.
September 11th And Agricultural Trade, H. Douglas Jose
September 11th And Agricultural Trade, H. Douglas Jose
Cornhusker Economics
September 11th caused us to think about our place in the world community, the freedoms we take for granted and the lifestyle we have enjoyed, particularly in the buoyant economic times in the post World War II period. But we may not have brought the impact on agriculture into our reflections of the September 11th events, and how we interact in this world community.
Trade is essential to the U.S. agricultural sector, with earnings from U.S. exports accounting for 20 to 30 percent of total farm income. The productivity of U.S. agriculture has grown faster than our domestic demand, requiring …
Intellectual Property Rights For Agricultural Biotechnology: Piracy And Its Ramifications For U.S. Agriculture, Konstantinos Giannakas
Intellectual Property Rights For Agricultural Biotechnology: Piracy And Its Ramifications For U.S. Agriculture, Konstantinos Giannakas
Cornhusker Economics
Parallel revolutions in molecular biology and the legal framework that assigns intellectual property rights (IPRs) to plant genetic resources have resulted in the emergence of agricultural biotechnology and the introduction of genetically modified (GM) products into the food system. IPRs create economic incentives for research and development by making the innovator the residual claimant of the benefits associated with the new technology.
Cash - Where It Comes From, Where It Goes, Larry L. Bitney
Cash - Where It Comes From, Where It Goes, Larry L. Bitney
Cornhusker Economics
The Statement of Cash Flows is an important financial statement for the farm or ranch business manager. While an accrual income statement explains the difference in net worth from one balance sheet to the next, the statement of cash flows explains the difference in cash and cash equivalents from one balance sheet to the next.
Women In Agriculture Conference 2001, Deb Rood
Women In Agriculture Conference 2001, Deb Rood
Cornhusker Economics
Each year, the conference Women in Agriculture: The Critical Difference brings together women who are involved in production agriculture and agribusiness. The conference is designed to provide women information about the management of their agricultural business. This year the conference was held on September 13 - 14 at the Kearney Holiday Inn. The conference had over 400 ag women in attendence from Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Iowa and Australia. A delegation of fourteen Australian ag women and men came to learn about Nebraska agriculture. The members arrived in Omaha on September 9th and spent three days touring around Schuyler and attending …
Dry Edible Bean Production Costs In Nebraska And By Region, Paul Burgener, Dillon Feuz
Dry Edible Bean Production Costs In Nebraska And By Region, Paul Burgener, Dillon Feuz
Cornhusker Economics
The Nebraska dry edible bean industry has an extended history of production and processing in the North Platte River Valley. In the time that dry beans have been produced in the area, the region has developed a reputation for producing a consistently high quality product for both the domestic and export marketplace. Nebraska has historically been the market leader in Great Northern bean production with more than 85 percent of this market class being produced here. With the interest in dry bean production increasing throughout North America, it is an opportune time to evaluate cost of production by geographic region, …
Successful Farm Business Transitions, David J. Goeller
Successful Farm Business Transitions, David J. Goeller
Cornhusker Economics
Nebraska farmers and ranchers are growing older. The trend continues. Who will farm the land and operate the farm/ranch business in generations to come? The answer to these questions in part will depend on how successful we are at transferring farm and ranch businesses to the next generation.
Successful farm business transitions do not occur without planning and effort. Sure, the assets will be owned by someone upon the death of the farmer/rancher, but the farm business will not continue unless planning and decision making have occurred.
The steps that have produced successful transitions in the past have typically not …
Daily Labor Requirements Under Initiative 300, J. David Aiken
Daily Labor Requirements Under Initiative 300, J. David Aiken
Cornhusker Economics
Article 8 §12 of the Nebraska Constitution (Initiative 300) establishes several requirements that corporations must meet in order to legally qualify as family farm or ranch corporations. Under one provision, a majority of the family farm or ranch corporation’s shareholders must be family members, “at least one of whom is a person residing on or actively engaged in the day to day labor and management of the farm or ranch.” In Hall v Progress Pig Inc., 259 Neb 407 (2000) the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that where no family member resides on the farm or ranch, a family member …
Irrigation Pumping Costs, Roger Selley
Irrigation Pumping Costs, Roger Selley
Cornhusker Economics
Energy prices have risen dramatically in the last two years, with changes also taking place in relative prices between energy sources. Representative prices paid for three major energy alternatives over the last five years are reported below in Table 1. Actual prices paid have also varied considerably depending upon when the fuel was purchased during the year and the supplier. The cost of natural gas (not reported here) and electricity, are complicated with total energy supply costs that depend upon both consumption and annual connect charges. Electricity rates also depend upon the frequency of interruption of service selected. The total …
Platte River Policy Preferences, Ray Supalla
Platte River Policy Preferences, Ray Supalla
Cornhusker Economics
The Platte River system consists of the North Platte and South Platte Rivers. The North Platte begins in North Central Colorado, passes through South Central Wyoming, crosses all of Nebraska and joins the Missouri River at Omaha, Nebraska. The South Platte begins in East Central Colorado and joins the North Platte River at North Platte, Nebraska. The Platte system provides irrigation water to over one million acres, supplies 300 MW of hydroelectric power, supports in excess of two million visitor days of recreation each year and provides critical habitat for fish and wildlife. The reach of the Platte River between …
Is There A Chance For Crop Prices To Rise?, Lynn Lutgen
Is There A Chance For Crop Prices To Rise?, Lynn Lutgen
Cornhusker Economics
By the time USDA released its August 10th report, a large portion of the U.S. had already suffered under several days of 95 plus degree weather. Crop conditions tend to deteriorate under these conditions, and several of the hot days are not reflected in the August 10th report. Corn production is forecast at 9.27 billion bushels, which is down seven percent from last year. Remember, these crop conditions are based on an August 1 date, and will not have the impact of the later days of hot weather in them. Based on the conditions of August 1, yields are now …
Pumpkin Creek Surface-Groundwater Dispute, J. David Aiken
Pumpkin Creek Surface-Groundwater Dispute, J. David Aiken
Cornhusker Economics
Pumpkin Creek, a tributary of the North Platte River, historically flowed from eastern Wyoming into the Nebraska Panhandle through Banner County, and joined the North Platte River in Morrill County near Bridgeport. Over 20 years ago, Pumpkin Creek was closed to the issuance of new surface water rights by the Nebraska Department of Water Resources (now the Department of Natural Resources or DNR), due to streamflow reductions. In March 2001 the North Platte Natural Resources District (NRD) established the Pumpkin Creek Groundwater Management Subarea and closed the subarea to new well drilling. Existing wells must be metered in 2003 and …
Carbon Emissions The Problem: Carbon Storage The Solution?, Gary D. Lynne, Colby Kruse
Carbon Emissions The Problem: Carbon Storage The Solution?, Gary D. Lynne, Colby Kruse
Cornhusker Economics
A recent newspaper story line reads “178 Nations Reach Climate Accord; U.S. Only Looks On” (New York Times Interactive Edition, July 24, 2001). The underlying Press Release from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) affirms that indeed many governments have adopted an agreement on Kyoto Protocol rules, including economic powers represented in Japan and the European Union, as well as our neighbors in spirit as well as proximity, Australia and Canada. The UNFCCC is the entity that organizes the meetings of the Conference of the Parties (COP), with 4,500 participants representing 180 nations at the recent July …
Characteristics Of U.S. Farms, Richard T. Clark
Characteristics Of U.S. Farms, Richard T. Clark
Cornhusker Economics
The Economic Research Service (ERS) of USDA recently issued a report about the structure and financial characteristics of U.S. farms. The report used several data sources to compare and contrast U.S. farms. A primary source of data was the 1998 Agricultural Resource Management Study (ARMS). The ARMS collect financial data from a sample of U.S. farms. These surveys are jointly designed and conducted each year by ERS and the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
Farm Bill Moves To Fast Track, Roy Frederick
Farm Bill Moves To Fast Track, Roy Frederick
Cornhusker Economics
Time to fish or cut bait with respect to a new farm bill. Six months ago, I would have bet on bait-cutting. Now, I’m not so sure. We just might go fishing before the year is over.
History is on the side of tardy completion of farm bills. In 1985 and 1990, bills were signed into law just days before the December 31 expiration of the old legislation. Then, in 1995, deliberations lagged even more. That year’s farm bill was not completed until April, 1996. (Subsequently, it has come to be known as the 1996--not the 1995--farm bill).
Current legislation …
Internet Access In The United States, Matt Spilker
Internet Access In The United States, Matt Spilker
Cornhusker Economics
The rapid expansion of Internet has changed the business landscape throughout the United States. But as Internet becomes a larger part of everyday life, do we all have equal access to its resources? How does Internet access differ across categories such as geography, race and ethnicity, income and education?
Federal Court Rules Missouri Livestock Price Regulation Statute Is Constitutional, J. David Aiken
Federal Court Rules Missouri Livestock Price Regulation Statute Is Constitutional, J. David Aiken
Cornhusker Economics
In 1999 South Dakota, Nebraska and Missouri enacted statutes limiting price differentials being paid by packers to livestock producers. The South Dakota statute was ruled unconstitutional in August 1999 for interfering with interstate commerce. The Nebraska Attorney General ruled in 2000 that state packer price restrictions were preempted by October 1999 federal livestock price reporting requirements. The Missouri statute was upheld as constitutional in 2001. This newsletter issue will contrast the three decisions, and consider what legal options are available to the Nebraska Unicameral should it wish to re-establish limits on livestock price differentials paid by packers.
Inventorying Nebraska’S Irrigation Acres, Bruce B. Johnson, Peter Brummels, Lance Kuenning
Inventorying Nebraska’S Irrigation Acres, Bruce B. Johnson, Peter Brummels, Lance Kuenning
Cornhusker Economics
With much of the state lying over the Ogallala Aquifer, Nebraska has a valuable irrigation endowment. According to USDA’s 1997 National Resources Inventory, Nebraska has more than 7 million acres of irrigated cultivated cropland. Only one other state, Texas, has more cultivated cropland; and that state has been experiencing a steady decline in irrigated acres over the past quarter century.
While the economic significance of these irrigation assets to the state’s economy seems obvious, it is somewhat surprising to find no clear consensus as to how many acres are really under irrigation. Nor has there been any definitive information on …
Information Technology Diffusion Among Businesses In Nebraska: What Does It Mean For The Future?, John C. Allen
Information Technology Diffusion Among Businesses In Nebraska: What Does It Mean For The Future?, John C. Allen
Cornhusker Economics
In the past decade, there has been a convergence of computer and telephone technologies that has created the Internet, arguably the most rapidly embraced technology in history. Using a benchmark of rapid diffusion as the time required to reach 50 million users, the public Internet, which took four years to reach 50 million users, is spreading more rapidly than radio (38 years), the personal computer (18 years), television (13 years) or any other modern technology. The result has been that the Internet has already reached “mass market” status ( Burgess, 1999).
A Somewhat Skeptical Look At 2001 Tax Relief, George Pfeiffer
A Somewhat Skeptical Look At 2001 Tax Relief, George Pfeiffer
Cornhusker Economics
Perhaps it is the best one could hope for from a government directed by a President selected without a plurality of the popular vote, a closely divided House of Representatives, and a Senate whose majority party is in the process of changing for the third time in 6 months. In any case, the Senate and House have agreed on, and the President will soon sign the first major federal tax reduction bill since 1981. What a difference two decades make! The tax reductions and the massive restructuring of the tax system that were passed in the Reagan revolution of 1981 …
What’S Ahead For Farm Programs?, Roy Frederick
What’S Ahead For Farm Programs?, Roy Frederick
Cornhusker Economics
At a family gathering over the long Memorial Day week-end, a shirttail relative used this for a conversation starter: “So, have you got the new farm bill figured out?” My response was a quick and unequivocal “no.” In fact, the whole process becomes more uncertain as the Democrats assume majority control of the U.S. Senate.
The House Agriculture Committee originally had planned to complete at least the commodity titles (sections) of a new farm bill by July 11, 2001. More recently, the House target date has been pushed back to August. The leadership on that panel still holds out hope …
Nebraska’S New Generation Agriculture, Sam Cordes
Nebraska’S New Generation Agriculture, Sam Cordes
Cornhusker Economics
Aggregate net farm income in Nebraska in 1999 was $1.66 billion. While this is a substantial dollar amount, it is also misleading in two important ways. First, 1999 aggregate net farm income was nearly 20 percent below the average for the 1990's. Second, a whopping 80 percent of the aggregate net farm income, or $1.32 billion came directly from Federal Farm Program payments. As recently as 1996, government payments were only 11% of Nebraska’s aggregate net farm income (Johnson and Burkholder). In other words, very little of today’s net farm income in Nebraska comes from the economic marketplace. This situation …
Is Farmland A Good Investment?, Glenn A. Helmers
Is Farmland A Good Investment?, Glenn A. Helmers
Cornhusker Economics
It is frequently questioned how farmland as an investment can maintain its value while seemingly generating such low returns per dollar invested. Often a parallel is drawn between investing in farmland vs. a relatively riskless but higher return investment such as U.S. Treasury notes. Risky investments are expected to require a risk premium (higher returns) compared to a less risky investment. Yet it often appears that farmland returns are less than the return from relatively risk free opportunities. Further, farmland and other real estate investments are generally considered less liquid compared to other investments.
The investment market is complex. However, …
Production Ag Profitability Report, Gary Bredensteiner
Production Ag Profitability Report, Gary Bredensteiner
Cornhusker Economics
For the past 6 years, Nebraska Farm Business Association (Cooperative Extension) and Nebraskaland Farm and Ranch Management Educational Program (Community Colleges) have combined data into a single “Production Ag Profitability Report.” The 2000 Report, recently released, contains average data from 156 Nebraska production ag operations enrolled in one of the two programs. Data is monitored and reconciled for accuracy prior to inclusion in the report.
An Added Cost Of Production, Larry L. Bitney
An Added Cost Of Production, Larry L. Bitney
Cornhusker Economics
Agricultural producers typically consider death loss when budgeting costs and returns for a livestock enterprise. But, the cost of disposing of the dead animals has not typically been considered. In the past, rendering companies picked up animals free of charge. They received value from the hides, meat and bone meal, and other by-products.