Agribusiness Commons^™

Evaluation Of Animal-Based Indicators To Be Used In A Welfare Assessment Protocol For Sheep, Susan E. Richmond, Françoise Wemelsfelder, Ina Beltran De Heredia, Roberto Ruiz, Elisabetta Canali, Cathy M. Dwyer

Farm Animal Welfare Collection

Sheep are managed under a variety of different environments (continually outdoors, partially outdoors with seasonal or diurnal variation, continuously indoors) and for different purposes, which makes assessing welfare challenging. This diversity means that resource-based indicators are not particularly useful and, thus, a welfare assessment scheme for sheep, focusing on animal-based indicators, was developed. We focus specifically on ewes, as the most numerous group of sheep present on farm, although many of the indicators may also have relevance to adult male sheep. Using the Welfare Quality® framework of four Principles and 12 Criteria, we considered the validity, reliability, and feasibility of …

Profitability Analysis Of Varying Herd Sizes Based On Price Signals In Cow-Calf Operations, Colson Tester

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

The third most consumed meat around the world is beef. Despite global growth in demand, cattle markets experience price cycles related to biological production lags causing variability in cash flow and profitability for producers. Price-driven herd size management strategies thus have received attention. This study adds to that literature by analyzing both price and production risk using three herd size management strategies: i) steady state – holding herd size constant; ii) dollar cost averaging – keeping reinvestment constant by varying the number of replacement heifers retained at a constant long run average dollar total; and iii) moving average – using …

Increasing Commerce Competitiveness: Case Study On Solving Issues In The Fruit Supply Chain In The Dominican Republic, Which Limit Exports, And Self-Reliance, Maria G. Mera Rivas

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Agriculture was the main economic pillar of the Dominican Republic from its origins. Government decisions during the 80s and 90s resulted in high imports of food products, migration of rural workers to the urban areas, loss of arable land, and disinterest from a younger generation to continue food production. This case study explains the findings from research conducted in the Dominican Republic and Georgia, USA between 2014 and 2017. The researcher interviewed major players in the fruit sector in both areas, used data from the cacao sector to analyze exports behavior, and applied Porter’s Diamond of National Advantage to the …

Assessing The Current Efficiencies Of Farm Credit Of Western Arkansas, Hailey Paulsen

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

Farm Credit is a unique banking structure, as it is a cooperative which pays patronage dividends to its members. As such, the rates for loans (nominal interest rates) that Farm Credit offers can be slightly higher than larger commercial banks because the patronage payment can offset some, all or more of interest rate difference, which results in an effective rate. Farm Credit, like other globally evolving industries, must continuously look for ways to differentiate themselves to compete for new customers and retain existing ones. Thus, this study sets out to survey the members of Western Farm Credit of Arkansas to …

Capacity Management In Agricultural Commodity Processing And Application In The Palm Industry, Onur Boyabatli, Jason Quang Dang Nguyen, Tong Wang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This paper examines the capacity investment decisions of a processor that uses a commodity input to produce both a commodity output and a byproduct in the context of agricultural industries. We employ a multi-period model to study the optimal one-time processing and (output) storage capacity investment decisions---in addition to the periodic processing and inventory decisions---when both input and output spot prices as well as production yield are uncertain. We characterize the optimal decisions and perform sensitivity analysis to investigate how spot price uncertainty affects the processor's optimal capacity and profitability. Using a calibration based on the palm industry, we study …

Impact Of Automated Guidance For Mechanical Control Of Herbicide-Resistant Weeds In Corn, Terry Griffin, James M. Lowenberg-Deboer

Journal of Applied Farm Economics

This study evaluated the feasibility of reintroducing mechanical weed control as an alternative for herbicide-resistance weed infestations. The production practice tested included row cultivation with a separate banded spray application using high-accuracy automated guidance systems. A range of ground speeds were tested for the row cultivation operation, each with a different per acre cost and timeliness penalty. A typical eastern Corn Belt farm with a rotation of corn and soybean served as the base for the linear programming model. It was found that if the farmer was willing to reintroduce tillage, row cultivation conducted at higher operating speeds in conjunction …

Snap, Crackle, Crunch: For This Team Of Food Visionaries, Insects Are The Key To Feeding The World, Susan Abram

Colby Magazine

For most people, a cricket's chirp is the song of summer. But for a multidisciplinary team of Colby alumni, the uninhibited chorus that comes from the insects marks a leap towards the future of sustainable food systems.

Market Opportunities For Wa Fruits, Manju Radhakrishnan

Bulletins 4000 -

The purpose of this analysis was to identify potential high-value markets for selected WA fruits. The limited size of the domestic market, coupled with slowing population growth, makes a robust increase in export necessary to achieve the aspirational goal of ‘doubling the value of agriculture’ by 2025 (Radhakrishnan 2017). Building opportunities for WA produce through identifying export markets with the best potential return, underpinned by demand, is of prime importance. This report analyses the market opportunities for seven fruits — apples, avocados, grapes, melons, oranges, plums and strawberries. These fruits were selected in response to an earlier analysis by Radhakrishnan, …

Newsroom: From Farm To School 09-21-2017, Jill Rodrigues, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Life of the Law School (1993- )

No abstract provided.

Sex Differences In The Herding Styles Of Working Sheepdogs And Their Handlers, Erin Kydd, Paul Mcgreevy

Livestock and Working Dogs Collection

Working sheepdog trials test the attributes of dogs as well as the dogmanship and stockmanship skills of handlers. They generally include standard elements such as outrun, lift, fetch, drive, shed, pen and single to test all facets of the work that dogs perform on a farm. While both male and female handlers participate, these trials are traditionally dominated by male handlers. Both male and female dogs compete on equal terms within the same events. Drawing data from files (n = 60) downloaded from YouTube, the current study explores whether behaviours of dogs and their handlers during sheepdog trials differ between …

Farm Deaths And Injuries: Changing Irish Farmer Attitudes And Behaviour On Farm Safety, Maurice Murphy, Kieran O'Connell

Dept. of Management & Enterprise Conference Material

While the Irish agricultural sector accounts for just 6% of the working population of Ireland, it consistently has the highest proportion of fatal incidents of any sector - generally ranging from between 35% and 45% of all workplace fatalities in any given year. This was again evident in 2014 where 55% (30 of the 56) of the fatal workplace incidents were in the agricultural sector. Agriculture has an ageing workforce with the average age of an Irish farmer now standing at fifty-seven and farmers are eight times more likely to be fatally injured in a farm accident than the general …

Impact Of Socioeconomic Factors On Florida Consumers' Perceptions On Use Of Chemical In Locally Or Regionally Produced Livestock Products, David Nii O. Tackie, Akua Adu-Gyamfi, Janette R. Bartlett, Bridget J. Perry

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

The use of chemicals in livestock production has been an issue for consumers for several decades. This study, therefore, assessed the impact of socioeconomic factors on Florida consumers’ perceptions on the use of chemicals in locally or regionally produced livestock products. Data were collected from a sample of 404 participants from several Florida counties and were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic analysis. Most of the respondents were of the opinion that using chemicals in locally or regionally produced and sold beef or goat meat was a serious or somewhat serious hazard. The ordinal logistic regression results showed …

Cbn Real Sector Financing For Inclusive Growth And Economic Development., Mudashiru A. Olaitan

Bullion

The fall in crude oil in the international market has expose Nigeria's vulnerability to external shocks and overdependence on a mono-product economy thereby presenting the opportunity for Nigeria to diversify its economy away from oil into agriculture, manufacturing services and other non-oil sectors. This paper examines the need to support key sectors that are drivers of growth and to also upscale its developmental finance initiatives targeted at economic growth, deepening of deepening of credit delivery to the real sector. The paper highlighted focal areas and the interventions by CBN in these areas to include Agricultural sector; Infrastructure; Manufacturing sector; MSMEs …

Almonds, A Fiesty Industry, Kenneth M. Petrowsky

Marriott Student Review

A bitter power struggle between the almond industry and the milk industry has become a test of the United States’ free market. The National Milk Producers Federation has turned to Washington for aid while the Almond board of California and the Blue Diamond co-op have focused on improving their product.

Measurement Of Commodity Price Risk: An Overview Of Brazilian Agricultural Markets, Daniel Henrique Dario Capitani, Fabio Mattos

Department of Agricultural Economics: Faculty Publications

This study explores different procedures to estimate price risk in commodity markets. Focusing on Brazilian agricultural markets, the paper proposes to assess both dispersion and downside risk measures using five different approaches (volatility, coefficient of variation, lower partial moments, value at risk and conditional value at risk). Results suggest that some commodities have large price variability but small downside risk, while other commodities show small price variability and large downside risk. Thus, there is no single answer to the question of which commodity exhibits more price risk, but rather distinct answers depending on how risk is perceived by different individuals. …

Western Australian Arable Crops Industry - Overview For Potential Investors And Other Stakeholders, Virginia Wilkinson, Tim Morris, Nicki Hall, David Hughes Professor

Farm Systems and Economics published reports

When looking at opportunities for investment in the Western Australian arable crop production system, one must consider by whom? If you were to judge purely from the popular press, you would believe Western Australia agriculture was totally controlled by billionaires and foreign speculators. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The largest farmer, the largest farmland owner, the largest investor, the largest employer and the largest agrifood research funder in Western Australia (WA) is the government. The government is also the largest builder of the infrastructure used by the industry. At the same time, the government invests in food safety …

Farmers' Cooperatives In China: A Typology Of Fraud And Failure, Zhanping Hu, Qian Forrest Zhang, John A. Donaldson

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Since the 1990s, agricultural cooperatives—particularly what China calls Farmers’ Specialized Cooperatives—have experienced rapid expansion in China. After more than two decades of growth and policy support, what is the overall performance of the ever-increasing numbers of these cooperatives? We visited 50 cooperatives across the country, most of which had officially been lauded as successful, to make a first-hand evaluation of their overall status and performance. We argue that, judging by either international or Chinese standards, the vast majority of these agricultural cooperatives are not authentic and fail to deliver expected benefits to smallholders. We categorize them into five types: genuine …

Bonipak Produce Inc., Steven Partie, Grant Copeland, David Minney

Case Studies in Agribusiness

Bonipak grows, packs and ships fresh produce. As the 10th largest (by acreage) agricultural firm in the western US, it supplies a wide range of produce to national chain retailers such as Costco, Safeway, Kroger and Loblaw. The case discusses Bonipak’s Seed to Sale approach, in which they aim to satisfy their buyers, who demand consist, high quality produce for the final retail customer. Bonipak has dealt with issues including labor and water, and has worked with sustainability, in terms of “farming with the future in mind”.

Mission Produce, Davis Cracknell, Kendall Moore, Salvador Lopez

Case Studies in Agribusiness

Mission Produce's founding, growth and expansion into oversea's markets is discussed. In particular, Mission Produce's ripening centers are presented as an innovation in avocado marketing.

Feasibility Study For Renovating An Old Barn Into A Tasting Room For K-Dot Winery, Kendall Ott

Agricultural Education and Communication

California is the largest wine producer in the nation. There are more than 4,000 wineries in the state and much of their success comes from tasting rooms. A study will be conducted in the spring of 2017 to determine the feasibility of building a tasting room out of an old barn at an established winery. Tasting rooms can add monetary and aesthetic value to a winery. Knowing how to conduct a feasibility study for the build is crucial to its success. The author will create a feasibility study including a cash flow budget, a capital budgeting statement, and a sensitivity …

Wa Horticulture Export Markets, Manju Radhakrishnan

Bulletins 4000 -

No abstract provided.

Business Model: California Agriculture Marketing Agency, Mary M. Alameda, Emma L. Larson

Agricultural Education and Communication

The importance of creating a marketing agency specializing in agriculture is to bridge the gap between producers and consumers. The lack of transparency from the producer has created a torn industry causing the average consumer to be questioning his or her food, or simply not understanding the agricultural way of life. An agricultural marketing firm in California can represent and advocate for local businesses to start closing the producer to consumer gap.

The American farmer excels at many things, but lacks in public communications. Modern day farmers have been able to produce more food than ever despite fewer resources and …

Fair Labor Practices In Values-Based Agrifood Supply Chains?, Larry L. Burmeister, Keiko Tanaka

Community & Leadership Development Faculty Publications

This research commentary reviews our exploratory study of the incorporation of fair labor practices into the business models of values-based agrifood supply chains (VBSCs) studied in the USDA-sponsored “agriculture-of-the-middle” (AOTM) regional research project. We examined what the certification affiliations of AOTM enterprises signaled about their values priorities as described in AOTM case study documents and in the enter­prises’ website advertising outreach. While we found weak evidence for prioritization of the fair labor practices value in these case study materials, our analysis suggests that characteristics of VBSC lead enterprises—whether the VBSCs are producer-, consumer-, or aggregator-driven—provide a promising focus for future …

A Decade Of Progress Toward Ending The Intensive Confinement Of Farm Animals In The United States, Sara Shields, Paul Shapiro, Andrew N. Rowan

Housing and Confinement of Farm Animals Collection

In this paper, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) farm animal protection work over the preceding decade is described from the perspective of the organization. Prior to 2002, there were few legal protections for animals on the farm, and in 2005, a new campaign at the HSUS began to advance state ballot initiatives throughout the country, with a decisive advancement in California (Proposition 2) that paved the way for further progress. Combining legislative work with undercover farm and slaughterhouse investigations, litigation and corporate engagement, the HSUS and fellow animal protection organizations have made substantial progress in transitioning the …

A Decade Of Progress Toward Ending The Intensive Confinement Of Farm Animals In The United States, Sara Shields, Paul Shapiro, Andrew Rowan

Farm Animal Welfare Collection

In this paper, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) farm animal protection work over the preceding decade is described from the perspective of the organization. Prior to 2002, there were few legal protections for animals on the farm, and in 2005, a new campaign at the HSUS began to advance state ballot initiatives throughout the country, with a decisive advancement in California (Proposition 2) that paved the way for further progress. Combining legislative work with undercover farm and slaughterhouse investigations, litigation and corporate engagement, the HSUS and fellow animal protection organizations have made substantial progress in transitioning the …

Putting The Honey On The Table: A Business Plan To Create A Successful Part-Time Beekeeping Operation, Samuel L. Goll

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

The objective of this thesis was to use a survey targeted at different niche markets to gain insights about different honey bee products and thereby to provide information for their economic feasibility when produced on a small, local scale for retailers that support such producers and cater to such consumer demand. Since cost of production information about operating an apiary is widely available, the focus of this work was on gaining marketing knowledge. One of the aspects of the survey was to develop a better sense of what potential resellers of honey bee products considered locally-produced. Another objective was to …

An Assessment Of Economic Considerations For Industrial Hemp Production, Luke T. Lane

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Farm Bill now allows for the legal production and research of industrial hemp as long as it meets the standards outlined in the Farm Bill. The bill passed by the House of Representatives states, “To amend the Controlled Substances Act to exclude industrial hemp from the definition of marihuana, and for other purposes” (House of Representatives, Bill 525). Prior to the passing of this bill, farmers were not allowed to produce industrial hemp. Industrial hemp is defined as, “the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of such plant, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of …

Cost Benefit Analysis Of Genetic Markers In Cattle, Josh Crystal

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

Genetic sequencing in beef cattle (L. Bos Taurus) is expected to aid producers select cattle with traits that enhance profitability. Using data from experimental trials conducted with Angus, Brahman, and their reciprocal cross, this project analyzes the profitability of grazing endophyte infected tall Fescue (L. Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) vs. Bermuda grass (L. Cynodon dactylon) pasture. The study is unique in the sense that actual cow-calf breeding failure rates (open cows were not culled) were tracked from 1991 to 1997 on herds that were bred to calf in spring and either exposed to fungal endophyte (L.Acremonium coenophialum Morgan-Jones …

Feasibility Analysis Of Recycled-Paper Fueled Agricultural Desalination Process: Design Of Recycling And Desalination Processes, Sean M. Street

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

While recycled-paper-briquettes have lower BTU ratings than wood, and fresh water is typically a low cost to agricultural entities, situations exist where economic and/or environmental factors may allow a recycled-paper-fueled desalination process to be viable for some specific agricultural entities. This document begins with a discussion of how water is priced throughout India before analyzing trends in the Maize futures market. By tying the two together, an opportunity is created for solution which the remainder of the document presents. Paper waste in India makes-up 50% of its solid waste country-wide; however, only a quarter of that waste is recycled - …

The Importance Of Branding In Small Businesses, Amber J. Rabie

Senior Honors Theses

The Land of Milk & Honey Farm exists to provide quality food produced in facilities that practice good stewardship to the Earth. It is a small business devoted to loving, careful stewardship and the production of quality goods. The mission of The Land of Milk & Honey is to combine traditional farming practices with a sustainable and environment-friendly approach to agriculture. It aims to provide customer satisfaction by being respectful and responsible over animals and the earth, and by producing quality products. To reach this objective, the farm intends to educate consumers and provide an alternative source for truly farm-fresh …