Agribusiness Commons^™

Recession And Recovery: Jobs In Nebraska: 2008 To 2012, Randolph L. Cantrell

Cornhusker Economics

A commonly used resource for tracking changes in jobs and income at the county level is the Regional Economic Information System (REIS) data base produced annually by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). REIS data are derived from tax filings by employers, employees and the self-employed. The data base has been relatively unchanged (except for a reorganization of industry codes) since 1969. Reporting is always for the tax year two-years previous to the release date, so the data are more about historical than current conditions. However, REIS is generally seen as reliable and does provide a trend line that now …

A Study To Determine Student Perceptions Of The Cal Poly Veterinary Clinic, Fallon Bliss Sheridan

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the important benefits of Cal Poly Veterinary Clinic (CPVC) and establish areas of interest for the students at the CPVC. The CPVC is a student run veterinary clinic that exposes students to teachable hands-on veterinary experiences by addressing the needs of animals on campus as well as animals in the San Luis Obispo.

This study thoroughly investigated the student who have taken or are currently taking any of the five courses taught at the CPVC. The research was accomplished through a survey questionnaire. The student questionnaire was conducted by the researcher at …

Tillamook County Waste Disposal Technology Assessment, Arvind Kumar, Ryan Menze, Joe Smith, Jerrod Thomas

Engineering and Technology Management Student Projects

Tillamook County is a rural county straddling the Northern Oregon Coast Range with the majority of the local economy based around agriculture, timber, tourism, and fishing. As part of Tillamook County’s mission statement, they strive“to enhance the quality of life for its citizens by promoting and preserving public health and safety, maintaining a stable economy, encouraging wise use of resources, and providing services in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible.” To that end, Tillamook County, Tillamook County Economic Development Council (TCEDC), Portland State University, Oregon State University, and Tetra Tech have undergone an evaluation and technology assessment process to …

Law Estates Wine, Devon Pitts, Cheyenne Jepsen, Will Akkaya

Case Studies in Agribusiness

Law Estate Wine differentiates its high end wines through quality and highly personal wine tastings. Believing that word of mouth and personal experience is the best way to market high end wines, Law offers tastings only through appointments, with 4-6 people per tasting. They also submit wines to selective wine journals and competitions. This selective business model appears to be successful for this boutique (under 10,000 cases) winery.

Lone Madrone Winery And Bristols Cider, Kallo Collines, Asher Hoffman, Paul Ogden

Case Studies in Agribusiness

Neil Collins, the award winning wine maker at Tablas Creek and Lone Madrone wineries, is originally from Bristol, England, where he grew up enjoying apple ciders. This case follows his transition from the culinary to wine industry, and how he learned wine making from some the best wine makers in the Central Coast of California to become the head wine maker at an established winery and part owner of his own smaller winery. The case also explores how his cider making hobby became a commercial business, and the growth of the fledgling US cider industry.

Saint Archer Brewing Company: A New Way Of Marketing Craft Beer, Conor Lowery, Dillon Irving, Zac Shippey, Jackson Egan

Case Studies in Agribusiness

Josh Landan and friends Mikey Taylor and Paul Rodriguez were well know stars in the skate and surf worlds. They were frequently asked to endorse new craft beers in the rapidly growing San Diego market. Rather than endorsing an existing company, they decided to start their own enterprise, which led to St. Archer Beer.

Vegetable Production Concentration In Northwest Mexico, Desiree Michelle Danel

Master's Theses

An American company that supplies premium quality hybrid vegetable seed to commercial growers in the southern part of the US, Mexico, and Central America sought an assessment of the market potential in the Northwest region of Mexico by identifying land area and production concentrations of vegetables by location, crop, and cultivation method, whether open-field, greenhouse, or shade house.

Data on the cultivated area of four states in the Northwest region of Mexico was collected for 12 crops of interest for the period of 2003-2012 from secondary sources. Data was entered into a statistical software program to complete frequency distribution charts …

The Economic Feasibility Of Establishing A Pine Nut Orchard In California, Jason Joseph Colombini

Agribusiness

The purpose of this project was to determine where pine nuts could be grown in California and if they would be economically feasible to grow in California.

There is very limited information for growing pine nuts in a domesticated orchard. Areas where there was a lack of information were completed with assumptions using costs for walnuts. Once all costs were determined, they were entered into an Excel spreadsheet for analysis.

It has been concluded that pine nuts could be grown in California, mainly in the far northern intermountain regions such as Modoc County. The breakeven for the enterprise would not …

Sustainability: An Examination Of Trends In The Floral Industry, Emily Gaul

Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration

Sustainability in the floral industry is a constantly changing subject. As more products are created for florists to use in their designs, sustainability will evolve and be redefined. The purpose of this study was to examine the sustainable trends in growing, designing, and marketing within the floral industry. As seen in the companies analyzed, each business plan constitutes a different set of practices that are utilized for the benefit of that company. An applied best practices analysis was conducted on the floral industry’s trends in sustainability. In the floral industry, businesses are shifting away from importing and focusing on local …

Beef Export Price Response To Sanitary Status And Traceability Systems: Implications For Paraguay, Silvana Careaga

Master's Theses

Global beef markets are highly influenced by sanitary issues, mainly related to animal health and food safety, which have been determining levels and trends in global beef trade. Food safety issues affecting human health such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) associated with Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (vCJD) in humans, and other diseases affecting production such as foot and mouth disease (FMD) has encouraged putting these issues to beef trade attention. A way to address these concerns and comply with international standards is the use of traceability systems in order to quickly identify hazard sources and assure beef quality and safety. The goal …

An Hsi Fact Sheet: The Environmental, Public Health, And Social Impacts Of Pig Factory Farming, Humane Society International

HSI FACT SHEETS

Since the mid-20th century, small, extensive farms have given way to massive, commercial pig production facilities. In 2009, more than 1.3 billion pigs were raised and slaughtered globally. Between 1980 and 2000, though world pork production nearly doubled, there was a decrease in the total number of farms. Large industrial farm animal production facilities, or factory farms, that often confine thousands of pigs indoors, are becoming more widespread throughout the world, particularly in developing countries. Factory farms are now responsible for more than half of all global pork production.

A significant implication of the shift toward factory farms has been …

An Hsi Fact Sheet: Biosecurity Challenges Of Industrial Farm Animal Production, Humane Society International

HSI FACT SHEETS

Industrial farm animal production (IFAP) has become increasingly common throughout the world. Worldwide, industrial systems now account for approximately two-thirds of poultry meat production and half of egg and pig meat production, with developing countries already producing approximately half of the world’s industrial pork and poultry by 2006.

Inherent design and operational requirements of IFAP facilities can create biosecurity problems with both bioexclusion and biocontainment—efforts to prevent the respective influx and efflux of pathogens. These may help explain why large commercial flocks may be up to 10,000 times more likely to report outbreaks with pathogens such as highly pathogenic avian …

Determining Forage Intake Of Nursing Calves Grazing Native Sandhills Rangeland, Jennifer A. Walker

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Effective management of grazing lands is important for longevity and productivity. Accurate calculations of stocking rates per animal unit will aid in long term sustainability. Calculating stocking rates for cattle can prove challenging for cows and nursing calves. Limited research has been conducted to determine forage intake of the nursing calf pre-weaning. The objective of Trial 1 was to determine nursing calf forage intake over time until weaning. Trial 1 used 8 crossbred cow-calf pairs in experiment 1 and 12 pairs in experiment 2. Pairs were separated into two groups rotating between grazing upland range or housed in individual pens …

Attitudes Of Canadian Citizens Toward Farm Animal Welfare: A Qualitative Study, Jeffrey M. Spooner, Catherine A. Schuppli, David Fraser

Farm Animal Welfare Collection

As part of a larger project to determine if there are animal-welfare-related values shared by some commercial food–animal producers and non-producers in Canada, open-ended, semi-structured interviews were conducted to elicit opinions about animal welfare among 24 urban and rural residents not involved in commercial animal production. All participants possessed a self-described interest in food animal well-being and were therefore assumed to represent the views of Canadian non-producers most apt to engage in efforts to shape the animal welfare policies of governments and businesses. Participants described animal welfare in moral or ethical terms, expressed virtually unanimous support for animals having access …

Fact Sheet: The Environmental, Public Health, And Social Impacts Of Pig Factory Farming

Agribusiness Reports

No abstract provided.

Improving Cocoa Production Through Lean: A Case Study Of The Ghanaian Cocoa Industry, Kwasi Boateng

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Cocoa has been useful in several ways, especially to countries that produce it and consumers all over the world. Its benefits range from improving economies to satisfying millions all over the world who desire one cocoa product or the other. The production of cocoa however is not without its own attendant problems. Aging tree stock, spread of diseases, and production capacity problems are, but a few of many challenges that seed gardens that produce cocoa face. This study investigated the pollination process on selected seed gardens in Ghana, the second largest world producer of cocoa. The purpose of this study …

Design & Evaluation Of An Rfid Harvest Labor Tracking System, Sam Parnagian

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This project was the design and evaluation of a harvest labor tracking system through the use of RFID technology. This test will be performed for Fowler Packing Company with one citrus harvest crew. This system will allow each employee to be paid on an individual basis while also developing payroll in real-time. This project will save Fowler Packing money on a yearly basis by paying each employee for the actual work they do and increase the number of bins harvested per day by incentivizing harvest practices.

Contributing Factors To The Success Of Small-Scale Diversified Farms In The Mountain West, Mary Shepherd

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study uses ordered logistic regression models with data collected from eighty-six online surveys completed by small-scale producers in Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Nevada, and Wyoming to assess factors which most contribute to the overall success and profitability of small-scale diversified farms. Results indicate success and profitability may be partially explained by the number of acres owned/leased, use of wholesale outlets, farming as a primary occupation, years of experience, and use of outside business related services. Results may be useful as they indicate producer and operation characteristics that are lead to more profitable and successful operations and thus indicate areas in …

Alabama's Women In Agriculture: The Road To Gaps Harmonization And Global Addendum - Tuskegee's Walmart Initiative, Gertrude D. Wall, Walter A. Hill, Barrett Vaughan, Barbara Shipman, Assata Maat, Rose Hill, Shirley Tyson

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

This paper shares challenges faced and overcome by four African American women on their 2013 journey to secure USDA’s Produce Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Harmonized Food Safety Standards with the Global Addendum (Global Markets Primary Production Assessments: GMPPA). Collaboration, consistent training, and technical support from the Tuskegee University Extension and Research staff, and the Small Farmers Agricultural Cooperative undergirded the preparation of the farms for GAPs Certification. The timely sharing of staff expertise and experience from commercial partners (Walmart, Purivida, C.H. Robinson, W.P. Rawls), and support from the USDA (Strike Force Initiative) were important contributors to the positive outcomes described. …

A Transformative Partnership Between Socially And Historically Disadvantaged Farmers, 1890 Land Grant Institutions, And Walmart, Walter A. Hill, Raymon Shange, Miles Robinson, Tasha M. Hargrove

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Ensuring a sustainable future for socially and historically disadvantaged farmers (SHDFs) remains a central mission of many 1890 land grant universities. As major corporations adopt socially responsible and sustainable policies they are exploring new partnerships, including those with the aforementioned farmers and institutions. This article explores the opportunity presented by the partnership between Tuskegee University and Walmart during 2011, 2012, and 2013 that focused on assisting SHDFs to work together to expand their produce marketing opportunities to include large commercial retailers. This article provides perspective for the articles that follow in this issue of the Professional Agricultural Workers Journal (PAWJ). …