Agribusiness Commons^™

Urban Transportation And Marketing Efficiency Among Tomato Marketers In Oyo State, Nigeria, Chuks O. Idiaye, Isaac Busayo Oluwatayo, Nafisat O. Tijani

ASEAN Marketing Journal

The study examined the effect of urban transportation on tomato marketing efficiency using major markets in Ibadan metropolis in south-west Nigeria as case study. The data used were collected from a total of 170 tomato marketers using a structured questionnaire. The locations of the markets included Ibarapa Central, Ibarapa East, Ibarapa North, Ido, Lagelu, and Akinyele. Descriptive statistics, Shepherd’s measure of efficiency and Multinomial regression were used to analyze the data collected. Findings from the study revealed that transportation plays a crucial role in the marketing of tomato in Oyo state, Nigeria and that mini-cabs are the most preferred means …

Comparative Competitiveness Of Ugandan And Ethiopian Coffee In International Markets, Aaron Ecel, Robert Muwanga, Bob Ssekiziyivu, Oliver Nakanwagi

Business Management Review

Purpose: This study compares the global competitiveness of Ugandan and Ethiopian coffee exports, analyzing export performance, market dynamics, and structural determinants to inform policy interventions.

Design/Methodology/Approach: Using quantitative analysis of 2012-2023 trade data from UN Comtrade and ITC Trade Map, we apply Constant Market Share Analysis (CMSA) and Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) metrics.

Findings: Uganda demonstrated stronger growth in export value (156% from 2012–2023) and quantity (7% annual growth), driven by commodity composition effects (72.8%). However, its lower unit values ($2,578/unit) reflect reliance on bulk Robusta exports. Ethiopia, despite stagnant volume growth, commands premium prices ($5,186/unit) due to specialty Arabica …

Genetically Modified Crops In Africa: Evidence On Adoption, Economic Benefits, Environmental Effects, And Constraints, Aloyce Hepelwa, Innocensia John

Tanzanian Economic Review

Africa faces deep food insecurity with over 300 million undernourished people driven by, low agricultural productivity, and climate shocks. To enhance food production and sustainable development, there is potential seen in genetically modified (GM) crops. To explore the potential of GM crops, this paper examines their production, adoption, economic and environmental impacts, adoption barriers, and policy implications in Africa and globally. This is done using a structured narrative review of peer-reviewed literature, reports, and policy documents (2014–2024) sourced from different databases complemented by stakeholder consultations. The findings show that GM has expanded considerably worldwide driven by high productivity, reduced pesticide …

From Fruit To Nut: Revisiting Pili Nut (Canarium Ovatum Engl.) Production Capacities And Value-Adding Activities In Sorsogon, Philippines, Joey Richard V. Dio, Ryan V. Dio, Dulce Corazon F. Lacson

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

The value chain of agricultural products significantly influences their profitability and socio-economic contribution. This study developed a descriptive model of the pili (Canarium ovatum Engl.) nut value chain in Sorsogon, the primary producer in the Philippines, and the only province with large-scale commercial operations. Using a descriptive research approach, data were collected through purposive interviews with 15 key informants—farmers, processors, and traders—guided by Porter’s value-chain framework. Results indicate that Sorsogon produces about 3 times the quantity required daily (< 2,233 kg) by Bicol-based processors, leading to underutilization and post-harvest losses attributed to limited storage facilities and market linkages. The processing stage, which converts pili fruits into nuts and kernels, demonstrates the highest operational efficiency, while the trading stage remains constrained by limited market access. Stakeholders often perform overlapping functions, and traditional sun-drying methods remain common. Furthermore, an aging farming population, limited succession planning, and inconsistent implementation of food safety standards continue to pose challenges to industry growth. These inefficiencies result in reduced profitability and restrict expansion. Strengthening the value chain through improved processing systems, broader market integration, and streamlined production activities is necessary to enhance economic returns and support the sustainable growth of Sorsogon’s pili nut industry.

Characterizing The Relationship Between Parturition In Beef Cattle And The Lunar Phase And Meteorological Factors., Caroline E. Chambers

Honors College Theses

For beef cattle, parturition is one of the most critical stages in the reproductive process. It is crucial that farmers understand the factors that may influence the timing of parturition. There is a persistent preconception that the onset of parturition is influenced by the lunar phase and weather factors. The objective of this study is to characterize the association between parturition in beef cattle, the lunar phase, and/or different weather factors such as barometric pressure and temperature. Cattle records were obtained from Chambers Family Farm in Cumberland Furnace, TN. Data was collected from 142 calvings from January 2017 to October …

Human Capital, Immigration, And Growth: A State-Level Dynamic Panel Study, William R. Cooper

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

This study examines whether who immigrates, rather than how many, matters for state economic growth in the United States. It integrates a policy-relevant proxy for skill (H-1B approvals) into an augmented Solow framework that separates immigration's quantity channel from its human capital channel and estimates dynamic effects in a balanced quarterly panel of 50 states (2010 to 2023 ). The empirical strategy estimates a two-step difference GMM Arellano-Bond model that reinforces identification using a double/debiased machine learning (DML) variant that orthogonalizes high-dimensional nuisance components via cross-fitting. This design targets the distinct roles of immigrant headcount versus skill in per capita …

National Halo And Culture Mixing: U.S. Consumer Acceptance Of Korean Cultivated Meat Made With Seaweed Components, Mark Chong, Angela K. Y. Leung, Tricia Marjorie Fernandez

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate U.S. consumers’ perception and acceptance of a “culturally mixed” product – i.e., cultivated meat (beef) made with Korean seaweed components – a product that involves the blending of a foreign cultural element (Korean seaweed) with a local cultural element (cultivated beef) to create a mixed cultural representation. Subsequently, it aimed to assess if the product’s country of origin (i.e., South Korea) would influence consumer perception and acceptance. Online in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 U.S. consumers recruited through two market research companies. The interview transcripts were analyzed by two trained coders …

Economically Optimal Soil Sampling Density And Application Technology For Potassium Fertilizer For Soybean In The Mid-Southern Us, Bayarbat Badarch, Aurelie Poncet, Shelby Ridar, Nathan Slaton, Michael Popp

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

To maximize beneficial potassium (K) fertilizer use in irrigated soybean (Glycine max. (L.) Merr.) fields with spatially varying soil-test K (STK), the value of added information from more precise STK maps must be greater than the associated information collection costs. In eleven fields, we modeled the impact of soil sampling densities (SD) ranging from 2.2 samples ha-1 in the largest field (41.2 ha) to 13.59 samples ha-1 in the smallest field (7.4 ha) on STK maps with 0.4 ha grid size. The accuracy of profit-maximizing fertilizer rate prescription maps varied by SD and subsequent yield estimates using either uniform …

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

Western Australia’S Primary Industries: 2021-22 Economic Overview, D. Maharjan, S. Akbari, A K. Abadi Ghadim, P. Mattingley, I. Wilkinson, J. Tan, J. Van Staden, M. Radhakrishnan

All other publications

The Western Australia’s Primary Industries: 2021-22 Economic Overview (WAPIEO) is developed by DPIRD in partnership with the Forest Products Commission.

The WAPIEO has a trade focus and provides a single source for consistent statistics and insights on observed industry trends.

The WAPIEO is based primarily on 2021-22 economic indicators from the Department of Treasury, DPIRD data, and statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), in line with the release cycle dates of final ABS data.

Biosecurity Investment Impacts On Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Control In United States Commercial Turkey Operations, Jada M. Thompson, Kelly Patyk, Victoria Fields, Matthew Branan, Amy Delgado, Kylie Roesler

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is an extremely transmissible virus that poses a significant threat to the U.S. turkey industry through contagion from migratory birds and results in whole-farm depopulation. To combat the disastrous economic impacts of HPAI, this study examined how biosecurity investments may have economic benefits to producers and the industry. Using data collected from a farm-focused survey of commercial turkey producers, the differences in biosecurity practices between farms affected by HPAI and unaffected farms in 2022 were analyzed. This evaluation aims to understand how effective biosecurity investments were towards reducing the susceptibility of a turkey farm to …

Utilizing Ensemble Learning Techniques To Enhance Corn Price Prediction: A Case Study On South Dakota, Youssef Harrath, Jihene Kaabi, Ethan Price

Research & Publications

Predicting crop prices is a complex challenge that farmers must navigate each year, but machine learning algorithms can provide valuable insights to support more informed decision making. In recent years, agricultural price prediction models have made significant advances, with architectures achieving varying degrees of success. However, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of these models remains an ongoing challenge. This research explores the use of stacking, an ensemble learning technique, to enhance the performance of base models in predicting corn prices in many regions of the state of South Dakota in the USA. We propose a hybrid architecture that combines Long …

Satellite Remote Sensing Reveals Voluntary Cover-Crop Adoption And Crop-Rotation Hotspots In The Mississippi Alluvial Plain, Zobaer Ahmed, Connor Lawson, Kris R. Brye, V. Steven Green, Mike Popp, Aaron Shew, Lawton Nalley

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Government-subsidized programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program provide financial motivation for adopting cover crops. Nevertheless, many producers have internalized the holistic benefits of cover crops and voluntarily adopted them as a sustainable soil management practice. Yet, little is known about how cover crop adoption propagates beyond the first order link between financial incentives and total adopted cover crop acres. This study examined voluntary adoption of winter cover crops as well as which crop rotations had the highest cover crop use in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) region. Cover crop locations were identified using remote …

Sentiment Analysis Of Public Commentary On U.S. Farm Bills, Frank Tenkorang, Fletcher Ziwoya

Mountain Plains Business Conference

This study applies sentiment analysis to public commentary on U.S. farm bills to assess patterns of support and opposition. Using Reddit posts from relevant subreddits, we employed two natural language processing models, VADER and RoBERTa, to evaluate sentiment over time. While both models yielded differing sentiment distributions, they revealed increased public engagement during farm bill years, particularly in 2018. Most sentiments were neutral, but negative opinions outweighed positive ones. Posts with stronger sentiments tended to attract more user interaction, especially controversial ones. These findings highlight the polarized yet active public discourse surrounding agricultural policy and the potential for data-driven policy …

Will Labor-Saving Automation Save Western Agriculture?, Lynn Hamilton, Bryan Lohmar, Michael Mccullough

Agribusiness

Among the most salient and intractable challenges facing labor-intensive western agriculture is the rapidly rising cost of labor, driven primarily by reduced availability of workers. Unlike field grains, oilseeds, and cotton, producers of fresh fruit and vegetables still rely extensively on hired manual labor to carry out multiple tasks, particularly harvesting. Nearly one third of total U.S. agricultural labor expenses occur in California alone, a state dominated by fruit, vegetable and horticultural (FVH) crops (Win, Rutledge, and Maredia, 2024). To address the rising cost of labor, producers have been adopting several innovations leading to automated irrigating, weeding, and crop protection …

Minority Farmer And Rancher Delinquency And Local Cultural Climate: Evidence From Farm Service Agency's County Office Committees, Lawson Connor, Bruce L. Ahrendsen, Charles B. Dodson, Logan Moss

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Farm delinquency is linked to many negative indicators of farm survival, including increased risk of bankruptcy and farm failure. Minority farmers and ranchers (MFR) have been found to exhibit higher rates of delinquency on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans compared to their non-Hispanic White male counterparts. These findings persist even after accounting for economic/financial factors expected to predict loan repayment performance. In this study, to further explore the existing discrepancy between loan default rates for MFR and White, non-Hispanic borrowers, we look more broadly than financial indicators and introduce MFR representation on the FSA County …

Measuring The Impact Of Hurricane Incidence On Agricultural Production Risk Using Insurance Data, Hunter D. Biram, Micah Cameron-Harp, Jesse Tack

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Hurricanes are considered among the most destructive natural disasters in the United States. The exposure of agricultural production systems to hurricanes varies between regions in contrast to global risks like commodity price volatility and international trade policies. The regional differences in hurricane exposure may lead to heterogeneity in crop insurance premium rates. This work aims to measure the impact of hurricane incidence on production losses for crops grown in the Mississippi Delta. We leverage a county-month panel of insurance losses spanning 2002-2021 from the US Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency, and daily data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric …

Western Australian Regional Development Trust Annual Report 2024-25, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Western Australian Regional Development Trust Annual Reports

The Trust is an independent statutory advisory body to the Minister for Regional Development, established under the Royalties for Regions Act 2009 (Act).

The functions of the Trust are to provide advice and make recommendations to the minister:

• for the purposes of sections 5(2) and 9(1) of the Act; and
• on any other matter relating to the operation of the Fund that is referred to it by the minister.

In addition to its monitoring and advisory role, the Trust also works to engage and enhance relationships with key regional stakeholders and influencers to promote greater collaboration and innovation in the …

A Co-Design Approach To Integrating Gender Into The Cacao Value Chain In Davao City, Philippines, Mia Barbara Aranas, Aileen Lapitan, Mitchiko Lopez, Nico Jayson Anastacio, Canesio Predo, Mara Faylon, Emmanuel Flores, Claire Estelle Cruz, Anjelyn Joy Enong

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

The specific needs and challenges of women and their contributions are often not integrated when developing interventions and policies targeted to improve agricultural value chains. Therefore, this study developed a codesign approach to creating solutions to improve gender relations in agri-food value chains. Specifically, it focused on the cacao value chain in Davao City, which is located in the southern Philippines. Co-design is a highly participatory approach in which solutions are designed with, and not just for, the people who have lived experiences of the problems being addressed. The approach emphasizes understanding gender-related barriers and opportunities to inform government interventions …

Rural Business Development Corporation Annual Report 2024-25, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

All other publications

In this report, the Rural Business Development Corporation is referred to as ‘the Corporation’ or ‘the RBDC’. The RBDC is an independent statutory authority of the Government of Western Australia (WA), established under the Rural Business Development Corporation Act 2000 (Act). The Act preserved and continued the body corporate established by the Rural Adjustment and Finance Corporation Act 1993.

What we do

The RBDC administers approved assistance schemes on behalf of the WA Government for the benefit of rural industry and regional communities. Approved schemes may provide financial assistance by way of loans, grants, or other financial incentives. The Act …

Feed Prices, Substitution Patterns, And Technical Efficiency In Feedlot Cattle, Andrew E. Anderson, James L. Mitchell, Jamie R. Luke

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

The cattle feeding industry is sandwiched between relatively volatile commodity markets, and efficiency is critical. Changing prices for feedstuffs may cause substitution and output effects, in turn impacting technical efficiency. Using Kansas feedlot data, we estimate the effects of feed prices on cattle performance, focusing on the feed conversion ratio, average daily gain, and days on feed. Results show that several feed prices do indeed impact technical efficiency. These results have implications for management adapting to changing feed prices. Further, there are policy implications for programs that may impact commodity prices.

Global Commons, Local Crises: The Ecological Embeddedness Of Global Production Networks, Christopher R. Whynacht

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Notions of Global Production Networks (GPNs) are popular approaches to studying the complex, dispersed, and socially embedded production of goods and services. Yet, these concepts have largely struggled with incorporating environmental resources, risks, and actors. My dissertation leverages insights from Actor-Network Theory (ANT) to contextualize ecological elements of production as coequal participants with social stakeholders. I describe how GPNs are ecologically embedded and nested within the natural environment. I draw from ANT to develop a GPN framework that internalizes ecological dimensions. The second chapter in this dissertation develops these ideas and provides theoretical framing for further empirical chapters. The third …

Nursing Students’ Sociodemographic Characteristics And Consumer Preferences’ Prediction Level Of Perceived Food Literacy, Sinan Duru

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Food literacy, which is a critical competency for nursing students, plays a pivotal role in promoting evidence-based nutrition behaviors and contributes effectively to public health. This study aimed to determine the level of perceived food literacy among nursing students.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 488 nursing students from two universities in the south of Turkey. The research data were collected face to face via the Personal Information Form, the Consumer Preferences Form, and Self Perceived Food Literacy. The data was analyzed using the Independent Sample t Test, One Way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression.

Results: The …

Trump Administration Trade Policy: A Historical Perspective And Key Questions & Takeaways, Matthew P. Schaefer

Yeutter Institute International Trade Policy Review

Offers a historical perspective with key questions and takeaways about the Trump Administration's trade policy. Covers the periods of the first Trump Presidency (2017-2021), the Biden Administration (2021-2025), and the second Trump Administration (2025-).

Feedlot Willingness To Pay For Genomic Tested Feeder Cattle, Aisling G. Hagan, Karen L. Delong, Andrew P. Griffith, Christopher N. Boyer, Charley Martinez, Kimberly Jensen, Susan Schexnayder

Journal of Extension

Feeder cattle genomic tests assess the potential of economically important traits to feedlots such as residual feed intake and marbling. A survey was utilized to determine feedlot willingness to pay for genomic tested feeder cattle. Depending on test results, feedlots were willing to pay as much as 4.60% more for genomic tested cattle compared to untested cattle. Feedlots prioritize using genomic tests for marketing decisions and future purchases, despite reporting "poor" knowledge and perceived high costs associated with the tests. Findings can assist Extension personnel advising cattle producers about the potential uses and benefits of this technology.

Commodity Diversification, Technological Innovation, And Market Dynamics: Insights Into Beef Cattle Production And Feeder Cattle Basis In The United States, Nik Berg

All Theses

The beef cattle industry plays an important role in the agricultural economy, contributing to both domestic food supply and global trade. The United States is one of the world's largest producers of beef, with production systems varying widely across regions largely due to differences in available resources and market structures. Market conditions, technological advancements, and policy interventions shape the way producers operate, making research into these factors essential for both industry stakeholders and policymakers.

Producers are continuously adapting to changing economic conditions, environmental challenges, and evolving consumer preferences. By analyzing these factors, researchers can provide insights to support informed decision-making …

Two Essays On Index-Based Risk Management In U.S. Rangeland And Livestock Production, Wajdi Belgacem

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation investigates two distinct but complementary dimensions of risk management in United States rangeland agriculture. Essay 1 measures spatial variation in basis risk within the Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) rainfall-index program for 176 Nebraska grid cells (1988–2023). By linking official NOAA rainfall indices with 30-m Rangeland Analysis Platform biomass estimates, we find rainfall–forage correlations that peak at 0.45 but display pronounced heterogeneity. The probability that neither insured interval triggers during an actual forage loss averages 12%, rising to nearly 30% in several Sandhills cells, whereas optimally pairing late-spring and summer intervals reduces complete misses below 10%. These results …

Performance And Feasibility Of Pasture Rangeland And Forage Insurance In The Delta Region, Walker Bradley Davis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite being available nationwide since 2016, enrollment in Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) insurance remains low in many regions of the country. The program's performance also presents regional discrepancies, with loss ratios varying significantly. Studies that have simplified the complexity of interval selection for producers have been shown to positively affect PRF enrollment. Such studies remain limited in several forage-producing areas. This study aims to address the lack of information in Arkansas specifically. Arkansas has among the nation's lowest participation rates and loss ratios. Low loss ratios signal that participants pay more in premiums than received in indemnities and may …

Eliciting Supplier Cooperation For Value Chain Decarbonization: A Field Experiment With Smallholder Farmers In India, Sukti Ghosh, Jasjit Singh

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Many firms are attempting to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across their value chain. However, this requires convincing suppliers to adopt relevant decarbonization practices, which is challenging when the suppliers perceive such practices as risky or detrimental for their economic well-being. We employ a field experiment to examine relational investments (i.e., investments intended to promote mutual benefit for the exchange partners) as a tool for overcoming this challenge. In a research collaboration with a global firm pursuing decarbonization of its agricultural supply chain in India, we investigated the effectiveness of complementing training their supplier farmers on climate-friendly agricultural practices with also …

From Farm To Table: Chefs’ Perspectives On Managing Local Food Procurement, Nick E. Johnston

Journal of the North American Management Society

This study examines the role of chefs in procuring locally sourced food and the challenges they face in managing this process within the foodservice industry. Through qualitative interviews with seven executive-level chefs from diverse foodservice operations in West Texas, the research explores their decision-making processes, attitudes toward local sourcing, and the logistical hurdles involved. Findings highlight that while chefs are highly motivated to use local products due to quality and sustainability benefits, they face significant challenges such as limited availability, inconsistent supplier networks, and distribution inefficiencies. Additionally, concerns about managing the cost and quality of local ingredients were prevalent, especially …