Agribusiness Commons^™

Food Safety And Cage Egg Production

Agribusiness Reports

States have begun legislating against cage egg production and dozens of major U.S. food retailers, restaurant chains, and foodservice providers—as well as hundreds of U.S. universities—are switching to cage-free eggs. Extensive scientific evidence strongly suggests this trend will improve food safety. All sixteen scientific studies published in the last five years comparing Salmonella contamination between caged and cage-free operations found that those confining hens in cages had higher rates of Salmonella, the leading cause of food poisoning related death in the United States. This has led prominent consumer advocacy organizations, such as the Center for Food Safety, to oppose the …

Economic Impacts Of Drought On Kentucky Corn, Hay, And Soybeans, Kortney E. Craft

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Understanding climatic impacts is important if we are to comprehend the relationship between climate and society. Weather phenomena can have environmental, economical, and social impacts. Drought is the natural hazard that affects people the most. It is also the most complex and least understood. There is no one universally accepted definition for drought which makes its examination difficult. Droughts’ duration is also difficult to determine because it has no clearly defined onset and end. Also, drought varies both geographically and temporally making uniform drought monitoring difficult. Since drought is difficult to monitor and access, drought impacts are often poorly documented. …

Replacement Alternatives For Beef Cow Herds: An Analysis Of Retaining Non-Pregnant Cows, Trenton T. Bohling

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

A non-pregnant cow is a liability to a producer. Over the last four years, cow-calf producers have had an increased number of non-pregnant cows due to factors like environmental conditions and diseases like trichomoniasis. While most research has indicated that culling a non-pregnant female and replacing the cow with retained heifers, purchased heifers, or purchased cows are the only economic alternatives, recent trends in the cattle market have suggested that keeping a non-pregnant cow may also be an alternative.

Annual beef cow budgets were created based on typical Nebraska Sandhills conditions. Revenues and costs in these budgets vary according to …

Yak, A Green Icon And A Good Investment, Caroline Kang

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

“Yak, A Green Icon and Good Investment” was conceived after I briefly interned for the Mongol Yak Society during the NGO Drop Off. I became interested and even, invested in their mission. For three weeks of the ISP period, I worked closely with the Mongolian Yak Society based in Ulaanbaatar and researched how increasing the productive value of yaks through improved communications, equipment, knowledge, and support will address several key environmental and economic issues. I further focused on the Mongolian Yak Society and its role as a detached entity that intervenes on various levels of the yak wool value chain: …

The Costs Of Increased Localization For A Multiple-Product Food Supply Chain: Dairy In The United States, Charles F. Nicholson, Miguel I. Gomez, Oliver H. Gao

Agribusiness

There is increased interest in greater localization of food supply chains but little evidence about the effects of localization on supply-chain costs. Assessing these effects is complex in multiple-product, multi-process supply chains such as the dairy industry. In this study, we develop a spatially-disaggregated transshipment model for the US dairy sector that minimizes total supply-chain costs, including assembly, processing, interplant transportation and final product distribution. We employ the cost-minimizing solution as benchmark to compare alternative scenarios of increased supply chain localization. Our results indicate: (1) short-run limits to increased localization, (2) modest impacts on overall supply-chain costs, and (3) large …

Partial Budgeting Analysis Of Conventional Pump Over Versus Pulsair Cap Management System For A Large–Scale California Winery, Zachary Thomas Hicks

Agribusiness

The purpose of this project was to evaluate the financial feasibility of implementing an automated gas injection system from Pulsair as an alternative to the traditional pump over cap mixing technique that is used during the alcoholic fermentation stage of winemaking.

There were various costs involved in this project that were determined and explained through the use of the partial budgeting method. The costs that were thoroughly analyzed included equipment, labor, utility, and initial investment costs for the Pulsair system as well as the related pump over operation costs. After the two methods associated numbers were evaluated, they were then …

Making The "Growing" Trend A Reality: Proof That The Organic Lifestyle Is Worth The Money And Is In The Reach Of Even A College Student's Budget, Mary E. Allen

Honors Theses – Charlotte Campus

Although organic foods may be the answer to solving a number of environmental, societal, and nutritional issues that are prevalent in our world today, many people do not understand what the term “organic” means and its implications for our future as an intelligent species. Recent surveys show that up to thirty-five percent of consumers would not purchase organic foods even if they were the same price and as readily available as their conventional counterparts (Duram 99).This statistic proves that people do not understand what it means for food to be organic and do not know the major negative impact that …

Factors That Influence Prices For Cool-Climate Wines: A Hedonic Analysis Of The Market For Riesling, Christiane Schroeter, Jennifer L. Ritchie, Bradley J. Rickard

Agribusiness

The price of wine represents various characteristics that differentiate each bottle, assuming that the majority of consumers use price as a signal of quality. The objective of this study is to analyze the drivers of Riesling prices, since this varietal continues to gain popularity and can be grown in all climates, including cool-climate regions. We expand the use of quality ratings by including interaction terms to express wine-quality and price-quality relationships. The results suggest that higher price premiums are associated with wines that earned high expert rating scores, and this emphasizes the importance of market-perceived quality signals.

2011 Ijbe Front Matter, Tamra Connor

International Journal for Business Education

1. Editorial Board
2. President's Letter
3. SIEC-ISBE International

Validating The Culture Of Agriculture: Farmers Groups And Organic Agriculture Mitigating Rural To Urban Migration In Bhutan, Emma Dosch

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Agricultural occupations make up the largest proportion of Bhutan’s workforce. Over the past two decades the occupation has shrunk from 90% to 65% of Bhutan’s employment. The younger generation of Bhutan’s rural population is seeking livelihood opportunities in urban areas, leaving farms with labor shortages. The movement may compromise the identity and sustainability of Bhutan’s rural population and undermine the nation’s goals of Gross National Happiness (GNH) directed policy. Initiatives to retain and legitimize agricultural livelihoods are emerging inside and outside of government policy. Existing efforts are models of ways to reconnect educated individuals with the needs and values of …

Lybarger, Shaunn Maree (Fa 41), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 41.  Interviews conducted by Shaunn Maree Lybarger with Langdon Dyer about his gardening and marketing of produce at the Bowling Green farmers market.  Also includes biographical data, including information about Dyer’s service as an Army Air Corps pilot during World War II.

Social Media Increases Wine Sales And Consumption, Quinn Watson

Agribusiness

The purpose of this study is to research the effects that social media and marketing tools have on branding and labeling a winery and its tasting room. The goal of a specific social media resource, such as a social networking site like Facebook, is to capture the attention of young wine consumers worldwide.

This study will investigate different marketing strategies that the wine industry uses to help attract more attention to the younger wine consumer demographic. Focusing on Costa De Oro Winery in Santa Maria, California, interviews and surveys will be administrated to gather data about specific marketing strategies of …

Profitabliltiy Analysis Of A Hard Apple Cider Company, Erik R. Johnson

Agribusiness

The purpose of this paper was to determine whether a hard cider company could be profitable in San Luis Obispo, CA in a 3 year period. A business plan was created to analyze the potential profitability of the company and included an analysis of the market, competition, consumers, the industry, and finances.

Background information was provided on the history of the hard apple cider industry, the use and importance of a business plan and the permit and license requirements to run an alcohol business.

The CEO and founder of the future company, Erik Johnson, determined the company would be named …

Organic Replacement Heifer Enterprise Budget For Walker Dairy, Colton Brodt

Agribusiness

This study was undertaken to determine if Walker Dairy could raise replacement heifers cheaper than the current market price.

The main objective of this report was to calculate how much it costs Walker Dairy to raise a heifer per head. Data collected went into the development of a heifer enterprise budget and determining an average market price. Transfer value in (drop calf price), feed, labor, operating and fixed costs were all factored into the total cost per animal. Also, the data was broken into four different sections of a heifers’ life to aid management in evaluating the cost of raising …

Gow Ranch Beef Cattle Feasibility Study, Colton Jack Gow

Agribusiness

The purpose of this project was to decide the best time to sell calves on the Gow Ranch in Roseburg, Oregon. The two options are directly off the cow at 550 pounds in October or at 850 pounds in June.

The revenues and costs from selling calves at these two times were collected for the last five years. This data was put into an Excel spreadsheet to show profit and loss from each year. Both selling prices and costs were examined to show at what point to sell would have made the best profit.

Using figures from this spreadsheet it …

Effect Of The Prolactin-Release Inhibitor Quinagolide On Lactating Dairy Cows, P. Lacasse, V. Lollivier, R. Bruckmaier, Y. R. Boisclair, G. F. Wagner, M. Boutinaud

Farm Animal Husbandry Collection

In most mammals, prolactin (PRL) is essential for maintaining lactation, and yet the short-term suppression of PRL during established lactation by bromocriptine has produced inconsistent effects on milk yield in cows and goats. To assess the effect of the long-term inhibition of PRL release in lactating dairy cows, 5 Holstein cows in early lactation received daily intramuscular injections of 1 mg of the PRL-release inhibitor quinagolide for 9 wk. Four control cows received the vehicle (water) only. During the last week of the treatments, one udder half was milked once a day (1×) and the other twice a day …

Cost-Benefit Analysis Of Installing Solar Panels On The Schnoor Almond Ranch, Morgan Anne Wampler

Agribusiness

This study was undertaken to determine if it would be cost-beneficial over a 30-year period to install solar panels to power the water pumps on the Schnoor almond ranch. A cost-benefit analysis was performed to determine if the investment would be financially worthwhile. The analysis included calculating the net present values of the annual cash flows along with the calculation of the internal rate of return. If the net present value proves greater than zero and the internal rate of return proves greater than the discount rate, the investment will be cost-beneficial. State and federal rebates and incentives were also …

The Feasibility Of A New Sit-Down Restaurant In Ventura, John Wassil

Agribusiness

This study was carried out to determine whether it would be feasible to open a new restaurant in downtown Ventura. The study would also provide information on the type of restaurant and bar individuals prefer and the target market of the new restaurant.

The project’s analysis was conducted by putting together a projected income statement to determine the amount of profit that could be made in the first 3 years of the operation. To find out the preferences of Ventura’s consumers and to determine the target market a survey was conducted and analyzed.

According to the results of the analysis, …

Evaluation Of A Walnut Orchard And A Cost Study Of The Redevlopment Of A Walnut Orchard, Jacob F. Samuel

Agribusiness

A comprehensive study of the redevelopment of a walnut orchard taking into consideration all the factors from planting to harvest. Also a comparison of two orchards where orchard A is well producing and orchard B is poor producing. The study examines the value of the two orchards, where their profitabliltiy is, and whether or not the poor producing orchard should be redeveloped.

Examining Local Consumer Interest In Selling Cal Poly Honey Online, Harrison Luce

Agribusiness

This study was undertaken to determine whether Cal Poly affiliated people were interested in purchasing Cal Poly honey online through its own web store. In addition to determining the level of interest, the target market was examined to explore how to market Cal Poly honey more effectively.  The underlying objective of the project was to determine if a Cal Poly honey web store would be profitable as a honey marketing outlet in addition to current sales at stores around campus.

A survey was administered to Cal Poly affiliated people online using SurveyMonkey.com over a nine-day time period.  The survey focused …