Agriculture Commons^™

From Insight To Impact: Segmenting Consumers By Their Regenerative Agriculture Priorities, Lourival Carmo Monaco Neto, Gustavo Stevanin De Souza, Owen Jerome Zakrzewski, Allan Wayne Gray

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Regenerative agriculture is gaining traction in agrifood value chains, yet its definitional ambiguity and the heterogeneity of consumer priorities create strategic challenges for commercialization. Firms commonly assume a homogeneous ‘sustainable consumer’ motivated by environmental outcomes, but research on consumer food values suggests that economic attributes often outweigh environmental concerns when trade-offs are required. This study segments U.S. consumers based on how they prioritize seven core attributes of regenerative agriculture: soil health, biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, water use, food prices, crop yield, and farmer profitability. Using forced-ranking data from 1231 nationally representative U.S. consumers surveyed in August 2024, we apply a …

Estimating A Model Of Forward-Looking Behavior With Discrete Choice Experiments: The Case Of Lifetime Hunting License Demand, Matthew Gibson, Marina Sundiang, Daniel Mason-D’Croz, Thais Diniz Oliveira, Felicitas Beier, Lauren Benavidez-Brouk, Astrid Bos, Maksym Chepeliev, Jonathan Doelman, Shahnila Dunston, Shinichiro Fujimori, Tomoko Hasegawa, Petr Havlik, Jordan Hristov, Jonas Jägermeyr, Marta Kozicka, Marijke Kuiper, Page Kyle, Thijs De Lange, Benjamin Leon Bodirsky, Hermann Lotze-Campen, Hermen Luchtenbelt, David Meng-Chuen Chen, Abhijeet Mishra, Christoph Müller, Gerald Nelson, Amanda Palazzo, Ignacio Perez Dominguez, Alexander Popp, Ronald Sands, Marco Springman, Elke Stehfest, Timothy B. Sulser, Kiyoshi Takahashi, Gianmaria Tassinari, Ferike Thom, Philip Thornton, Kazuaki Tsuchiya, Willem-Jan Van Zeist, Hans Van Meijl, Dominique Van Der Mensbrugghe, Detlef Van Vuuren, Hannah H.E. Van Zanten, Isabelle Weindl, Keith Wiebe, Xin Zhao, Mario Herrero

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Food systems are a major contributor to exceeding planetary boundaries1,2,3 and poor quality diets are a key mortality risk globally4. Projected population and income growth could exacerbate these challenges5. In response, there are calls for transformation towards healthy and sustainable food systems6,7,8. However, the scale and distribution of the impacts of this transformation on agriculture are underexplored. Here we show that, by 2050, the transformation of food systems towards healthy diets (adoption of the EAT–Lancet reference diet), improved productivity and halving of food waste results in a fundamental restructuring of global agriculture, aspects of which break with historical trends. Scenario …

Capturing System Complexity In Maritime Decarbonization: A Multilayer Modeling Perspective, Maksym Chepeliev, Rene Banares-Alcantara, Lorenza Campagnolo, Ronald Apriliyanto Halim, Jim Hall, Gianandrea Mannarini, Hesam Naghash, Carlo Palazzi, Ramiro Parrado, Paola Rocchi, Alessandro Taberna, Soheil Shayegh

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Hedonic Analysis Of Farm Tractor Auction Prices, Madison Pearson, Chad Fiechter, Andy Campbell

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Used farm machinery values play a critical role in farm management and in assessing the financial health of the agricultural sector. However, the heterogeneity of machines, particularly regarding embedded technology and usage, complicates efforts to isolate the factors that influence prices. This study leverages a detailed dataset from Tractor Zoom to estimate the effects of machine characteristics and market conditions on auction prices of used 300 to 450 horsepower tractors. We find a nonlinear relationship between machine usage and price: tractors with fewer than 500 hours of use lose approximately 118⁢𝑝⁢𝑒⁢𝑟⁢𝑎⁢𝑑⁢𝑑⁢𝑖⁢𝑡⁢𝑖⁢𝑜⁢𝑛⁢𝑎⁢𝑙⁢ℎ⁡𝑜⁢𝑢⁢𝑟,𝑤⁢ℎ⁡𝑖⁢𝑙⁢𝑒⁢𝑡⁢𝑟⁢𝑎⁢𝑐⁢𝑡⁢𝑜⁢𝑟⁢𝑠⁢𝑤⁢𝑖⁢𝑡⁢ℎ⁡𝑚⁢𝑜⁢𝑟⁢𝑒⁢𝑡⁢ℎ⁡𝑎⁢𝑛⁢10,000⁢ℎ⁡𝑜⁢𝑢⁢𝑟⁢𝑠⁢𝑠⁢ℎ⁡𝑜⁢𝑤⁢𝑜⁢𝑛⁢𝑙⁢𝑦⁢𝑎⁢𝑤⁢𝑒⁢𝑎⁢𝑘⁢𝑙⁢𝑦⁢𝑠⁢𝑖⁢𝑔⁡𝑛⁢𝑖⁢𝑓⁡𝑖⁢𝑐⁢𝑎⁢𝑛⁢𝑡⁢𝑑⁢𝑒⁢𝑐⁢𝑙⁢𝑖⁢𝑛⁢𝑒⁢𝑜⁢𝑓⁡𝑎⁢𝑏⁢𝑜⁢𝑢⁢𝑡2 per hour. We also document pronounced seasonal patterns, with …

Buying Intention Of True Price Labelled Food Products For Different Motive-Based Consumer Segments, Machiel J. Reinders, Houkje Adema, Liam Dwyer, Ellen J. Van Loo

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Jobs-To-Be-Done Framework For Mapping Digital Innovation Opportunities In Climate-Smart Agrifood Systems, Lourival Carmo Monaco Neto, Allan Gray

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

The agrifood sector faces well-documented barriers to climate-smart agriculture (CSA) adoption, reflecting systematic difficulty identifying where digital tools address specific stakeholder needs rather than a technology shortage. This paper presents a prescriptive framework for mapping digital innovation opportunities in complex, multi-stakeholder agrifood systems. Grounded in Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) theory and structured as a two-dimensional matrix of meta-jobs and value chain segments, the framework was developed through a design science research (DSR) paradigm evaluated on utility, coherence, and actionability. Construction involved a purposive synthesis of three literature streams and iterative refinement through 136 stakeholder engagements within a six-month university-affiliated startup studio cycle. …

Evaluating Short-Day And Intermediate-Day Sweet Onions As Early-Season High Tunnel Onions In West Virginia, Lewis Jett

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

High tunnels can be used to grow winter alliums such as onions, garlic and leeks.  Onions are  diverse and include groups such as short-day and intermediate-day bulb onions as well as non-bulbing scallions or green onions.  Onions can be diverse in color, size and shape.  Short day onions are typically sweet onions which start bulbing when photoperiods reach 10-12 hours. Short-day onions are typically planted in November-December in the Deep South of the U.S. for spring harvest.   Intermediate day onions start bulbing when the photoperiod is 12-14 hours.  Intermediate day onions are planted in the spring in the Mid-Atlantic region. …

Attempts To Increase Ear Height And Reduce Tillering In Sweet Corn, Charlie Rohwer, Jesen Hosch

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

Sweet corn is a major crop in Minnesota. Fresh-market growers supply seasonal produce, and the processing industry grows >80,000 acres. The hybrids grown for each use are different, but both fresh-market and processing growers are interested in ear height; too low, and mechanical or manual harvest is more difficult. Tillering is another trait of interest to growers, as it is thought that tillers reduce yield or interfere with harvest. To address these issues, we studied practices that may reduce tillering or increase sweet corn ear height. Elevated population reduced tillering, and so did two applications of Proliant™ plant growth regulator. …

Is Precision Agriculture Technology Adoption Persistently Overestimated?, Trey Malone, Chad Fiechter, Zanliang Meng, James Lowenberg‐Deboer, Bruce Erickson, Jay Akridge

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Precision agriculture is sometimes assumed to diffuse steadily over time, and industry planning frequently extrapolates early adoption trends forward. This study evaluates the accuracy of such expectations by comparing agricultural input dealers' forecasts of future service offerings with the actual levels of offerings that dealerships eventually provided. Using 21 waves of the CropLife-Purdue Precision Agriculture Dealership Survey from 2000 to 2025, we examine expected and realized precision agriculture offerings across 26 technologies. We document systematic and persistent overestimation of adoption: for most technologies, expected diffusion exceeds realized outcomes, with forecast errors becoming especially pronounced as adoption flattened or declined in …

Broccoli Yield Following Varying Ratios Of Barley And Pea Cover Crop Mixtures, Jesen Hosch, Charlie Rohwer

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

While cover crops can provide a variety of services to farmers, there is debate about the benefit of cover crop mixtures compared to monocultures. A barley monoculture, a pea monoculture, and varying ratios of a barley-pea cover crop mixture were planted in spring before broccoli and under-fertilized with nitrogen. Though both broccoli yield and head weight had a positive relationship with the percent peas in a mixture, a fallow control was similar to all treatments but the barley monoculture, which resulted in the lowest yield and head size.

Ozone Pollution Reduction Partially Offsets The Negative Impact Of Climate Change Mitigation Efforts On Global Hunger, Shujuan Xia, Tomoko Hasegawa, Thanapat Jansakoo, Daniel Mason-D’Croz, Kazuaki Tsuchiya, Shinichiro Fujimori, Maksym Chepeliev, Marta Kozicka, Abhijeet Mishra, Willem-Jan Van Zeist, Xin Zhao, Thijs De Lange, Thais Diniz Oliveira, Jonathan C. Doelman, Matthew Gibson, Petr Havlík, Mario Herrero, Ipsita Kumar, Yuki Ochi, Timothy B. Sulser, Marina Sundiang, Kiyoshi Takahashi, Jun’Ya Takakura, Keith Wiebe

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Studies warning of the potential negative effects of climate mitigation on food security through the competing use of land for bioenergy and afforestation have overlooked the impact of reduced ozone and its potential enhancement of crop yields. Here we use six global agro-economic models to compare the impacts of climate change with climate mitigation policy and ozone reduction on agriculture. We find that ozone reduction could reduce the negative impact of a 1.5 °C-consistent climate change mitigation policy on global hunger by 15% in 2050. Sub-Saharan Africa and India, where hunger is most severe, account for 56% of this global …

From Niche To Norm: Plant-Based Labelling Strategies To Shift Social Norms To Support Plant-Based Food Choices, Houkje Adema, Marleen C. Onwezen, Ellen J. Van Loo, Liam Dwyer, Ellen Van Kleef

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Plant-based labels aim to promote plant-based choices by highlighting which products are plant-based. However, these labels are often applied selectively, leaving many more plant-based products unlabelled. We argue that this may unintentionally communicate that plant-based options are more ‘niche’ rather than the ‘norm’, and thereby hinder normalisation of plant-based consumption. Across two incentive-compatible experiments with representative Dutch samples in a simulated online supermarket, we examined how labelling interventions influence perceived availability of plant-based options, descriptive and injunctive social norms for choosing plant-based, and plant-based choices. In Study 1 (N = 1474), we manipulated the number of plant-based products labelled as …

2025 Late-Season Bell Pepper Production In High Tunnels, Lewis Jett

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

Bell peppers (Capsicum annuum) are widely grown as an open-field vegetable crop in West Virginia.  There is limited production of bell peppers in high tunnels.  However, the high tunnel protected microenvironment may accelerate maturity and improve quality of colored bell peppers for late-season bell peppers.  Late season peppers have high market value since open-field production has completed by the first frost in mid-October.  The objective of this research was to evaluate 7 bell pepper cultivars planted within a high tunnel in early August for late fall harvest in West Virginia in 2025.   The bell peppers were once-over harvested …

Evaluation Of 18 Broccoli Cultivars For Summer Harvest In Southwest Michigan In 2025, Ben Phillips

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

A broccoli cultivar trial was planted at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (42.081985, -86.354087, Benton Harbor, Michigan). Bejo (BJ), Rijk Zwaan (RZ), Sakata (SK), and Tozer (TZ) seed companies donated 18 broccoli cultivars for plastic mulch-bedded hand harvest. Overall, the trial quality was good for collecting data on stressed plants from both heat and fertility.

Evaluation Of 9 Cauliflower Cultivars For Summer Harvest In Southwest Michigan In 2025, Ben Phillips

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

A cauliflower cultivar trial was planted at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (42.081985, -86.354087, Benton Harbor, Michigan). Bejo (BJ), Rijk Zwaan (RZ), Sakata (SK), and Tozer (TZ) seed companies donated nine cauliflower cultivars for plastic mulch-bedded hand harvest. Overall, the trial demonstrated poor growth in cauliflower before heading amidst high heat, resulting in small plants, small heads and poor head quality.

Applied Research For Corn Production In Indiana, 2022, Daniel Quinn

Purdue University Press Books

The 2022 edition of Applied Research for Corn Production in Indiana offers accessible, research-based tips for farmers who want to improve corn production practices by using applied field-research trials. Daniel Quinn and the Purdue University Corn Agronomy team reveal practical ways to boost yields, reduce costs, and improve sustainability on the farm. Their findings are derived from applied research trials across the state and relate to important topics such as planting practices, fertilizer use, crop nutrition, cover crops, and new technologies. Applied Research for Corn Production in Indiana distills complex research into clear insights and supplies corn producers with effective …

Advanced Design Topics For The Engineering Of Agricultural And Mechanical Equipment, Robert M. Stwalley Iii, Roger Tormoehlen

Purdue University Press Books

Off-road equipment designs contend with some unusual challenges and environmental conditions that are not seen by standard on-road vehicles. Advanced Design Topics for the Engineering of Agricultural and Mechanical Equipment offers design topic reviews related to areas that need special consideration within off-road applications. CAN-BUS systems, soil compaction, composite bearings, field welding practices, and weld strength in bending applications are examined, among other subjects. Providing comprehensive coverage of these matters with the current state-of-the-art technologies and best practices as they relate to equipment design for the agricultural, construction, forestry, and mining industries, this book is well-aligned with collegiate advanced agricultural …

Mechanized Tube Well Installation, Robert M. Stwalley Iii, Grace L. Baldwin Kan-Uge, Roger Tormoehlen

Purdue University Press Books

Mechanized Tube Well Installation provides detailed information on the design development of a mechanized means to install shallow tube wells using a hydraulic driver attached to a small vehicle. This book explores the creation of this technique through the merging of available components, selection of the components, testing of the assembly, and the driving of wells. It also provides comprehensive coverage of state-of-the-art engineering, technology, and best practices as they relate to driving water wells for human consumption, animal care, and irrigation. Mechanized Tube Well Installation is well-aligned with collegiate humanitarian aid, environmental and natural resources engineering, and agricultural equipment …

Horse Evaluation: A Multibreed Text For Competitive Youth Equine Judges, Colleen M. Brady

Purdue University Press Books

Horse judging is one of the most popular activities in 4-H, FFA, and other youth-development organizations. Judging teaches youth how to both critically analyze animals based on a specific set of criteria and justify their decisions through oral reasoning. This book includes information on examining a wide variety of breeds—from quarter horses and Arabians to Saddlebreds, Drafts, and Miniatures—and covers a range of disciplines. Both halter and performance classes are explored, and the rules and regulations used to govern contests at the national level are provided. Example sets of reasons are supplied for most classes, as are lists of potential …

Yield And Size Of Direct-Seeded Onions In Southern Minnesota With Three Row Arrangements, Charlie Rohwer, Jesen Hosch

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

Dry bulb onions are a minor crop in Minnesota, grown mostly by small-scale market farmers. Most onions are grown as transplants, likely due to the shorter growing season and easier weed control. We undertook a study to understand yield potential of four direct-seeded (unpelleted) onion varieties, and the impacts of between-plant spacing at a single population on onion yield, size, and size variability. Four onion varieties were seeded on 9 April using a Jang JP6 push seeder in one of three row arrangements: four evenly-spaced rows, two double-rows, or three rows with seeds scattered in the middle row. All were …

Evaluation Of 10 Pickling Cucumber Cultivars For Machine Harvest In Michigan’S Thumb In 2025, Saltanat Mambetova, Ben Phillips

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

Michigan is the leading producer of pickling cucumbers in the United States in both processed production and total acreage. This trial evaluated parthenocarpic pickling cucumbers varieties at the Saginaw Valley Research and Extension Center in Frankenmuth, Michigan, a major production area for pickling cucumbers. Ten parthenocarpic (seedless) varieties were included in the trial and were donated by Bejo (BJ), Nunhems (NU), PanAmerican (PA), and Rijk Zwaan (RZ) seed companies. Growing conditions during the trial were generally favorable. Yield results showed that half of the evaluated varieties exceeded the generally accepted yield benchmark of 250 bushels per acre. Quality data were …

Cost Effects Of Adding Poultry To Organic Vegetable Production Systems In California, Iowa, And Kentucky, Kwanele Magwaba, Alejandro Plastina, Ajay Nair, Maurice Pitesky, David J. Gonthier, Anne Carey, Faye Duan, Viktor Halmos

Journal of Applied Farm Economics

This study evaluates the economic viability of integrating poultry into organic vegetable crop rotations over three years in Kentucky and Iowa and two years in California. Given the growing global demand for food and heightened environmental awareness, understanding the financial implications of such integrated systems is crucial. Our comprehensive experiment compared integrated poultry-vegetable rotations with vegetable-only systems, assessing costs, revenues, and key factors influencing profitability. While integrating poultry reduced vegetable production costs by up to 10% in some cases, overall system costs increased due to high poultry expenses. Break-even poultry prices averaged $8/lb for low-density systems and $7 for high-density …

An Analysis Of Cover Crop Adoption In Southeastern Row Crop Systems: Benefits, Challenges, And Policy Implications, Madison H. Mccay, Yangxuan Liu, Alejandro Plastina, Guy A. Hancock, Amanda R. Smith

Journal of Applied Farm Economics

Cover crops, utilized by producers to provide seasonal soil cover between cash or forage crop cycles, play a significant role in diversifying crop rotations and enhancing environmental sustainability. This research aims to assess the economic impact and farmer perceptions of cover crop adoption in the southeastern United States, particularly in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. Producers show interest in adopting cover crops with increasing awareness of their benefits, such as improved soil health, water quality, weed suppression, and reduced soil erosion. Despite these advantages, adoption rates are hindered by economic challenges. A survey conducted from January to March 2021 gathered data …

Are Returns From Commercial Farming Heterogeneous? Case Of Wheat Growers In North India, Saroj Verma, Kirtti Ranjan Paltasingh, Phanindra Goyari

Journal of Applied Farm Economics

Contract farming (CF), generally a commercial farming system, is widely perceived as a welfare enhancement strategy in rural areas where agriculture is the major source of livelihood. However, those welfare implications have not been adequately explored in Indian agriculture. So, this study examines the returns to CF and the heterogeneity in their returns across various groups of wheat growers in Haryana, a leading agrarian state in India. Using an endogenous switching regression model on cross-sectional data of 754 farm households, the study found that CF adopters would lose 27% of their gross margins and 11% of their crop output if …

Evaluation Of 14 Round Tomato Cultivars In Southwest Michigan In 2025, Ben Phillips

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

A round tomato cultivar trial was planted at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (42.081985, -86.354087, Benton Harbor, Michigan). Bejo (BJ), Enza Zaden (EZ), North Carolina State University (NCSU), PanAmerican (PA), and Sakata (SK) seed companies donated 14 cultivars for plastic mulch-bedded hand harvest. Overall, the trial quality was good, with periods of high heat slowing ripening.

Evaluation Of Eight Parthenocarpic Slicing Cucumber Cultivars And Four Production Systems In Southwest Michigan In 2025, Ben Phillips

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

In the machine-harvested pickling cucumber system, parthenocarpic (parth) varieties make up about 50% of the market, and is growing. The seed cost is higher, but this is offset by not needing to contract or truck bees and an increased yield when planted at half the population of standard varieties. Additionally, they hold their shape and size better when moisture and temperatures fluctuate, reducing docked payments from graders. In pickling cucumbers, a breakeven yield is approximately 250 bushels per acre with a plant population of 30,000 plants per acre. Plant populations can play a strong role in economic viability, as demonstrated …

Agricultural Evidence Synthesis At A Critical Juncture: Quality Gaps And Implications For Evidence-Based Agriculture, Chao Cai, Jane Yatcilla, Justyna Czader, Sylvie Brouder, Jeffrey Volenec

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have become essential tools for synthesizing evidence to guide agricultural policy and practice, yet whether these syntheses are themselves conducted with sufficient rigor has rarely been systematically assessed. This study provides a field-wide assessment of reporting quality in agricultural evidence synthesis, examining whether existing reviews are conducted with sufficient transparency and rigor to support the policy and practice decisions they are meant to inform. We drew a random sample of 244 systematic reviews and meta-analyses from a bibliometric dataset of 1,709 articles published between 1997 and 2023, evaluating reporting quality using a 12-indicator rubric across four …

The Loss Function Of Usda Forecasters: Evidence From Wasde Animal Product Price Forecasts, Chad Fiechter, Siddhartha S. Bora, Todd H. Kuethe

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

The loss function is a mathematical representation of the costs experienced by a forecaster when observed outcomes differ from what was predicted. Prior studies suggest that USDA forecasts are not optimal based on an assumed mean-zero quadratic loss function. This study proposes an alternative view of forecast evaluation, which assumes all USDA forecasts are produced to minimize the forecasters’ costs, and searches for the dimensions of the loss function under which optimality holds. We illustrate the degree to which USDA loss functions vary across a series of WASDE price forecasts. A better understanding of USDA forecasters’ costs will benefit forecasters …

Pumpkin Variety Demonstration In West Michigan, 2025, Benjamin P. Werling, Justin Adams

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

Pumpkin variety demonstrations were conducted in 2025 at the West Central Michigan Research and Extension Center in Hart, MI, to compare yield, size class, and irrigation response among 21 pumpkin varieties representing jack-o’-lantern, large carving, and decorative cultivars. Demonstration plots were established on sandy soil under standard commercial fertility, pest management, and weed control practices. To assess irrigation effects under dry conditions, approximately 60% of each plot received supplemental sprinkler irrigation.

Jack-o’-lantern varieties varied in size distribution, with some producing a mix of 60, 45, and 30–35 count fruit with few larger-sized pumpkins. Others skewed toward larger bin count classes. …

Applied Research For Corn Production In Indiana, 2024, Daniel Quinn

Purdue University Press Books

The 2024 edition of Applied Research for Corn Production in Indiana offers accessible, research-based tips for farmers who want to improve corn production practices by using applied field-research trials. Daniel Quinn and the Purdue University Corn Agronomy team reveal practical ways to boost yields, reduce costs, and improve sustainability on the farm. Their findings are derived from applied research trials across the state and relate to important topics such as planting practices, fertilizer use, crop nutrition, cover crops, and new technologies. Applied Research for Corn Production in Indiana distills complex research into clear insights and supplies corn producers with effective …