Agriculture Commons^™

Linking Risk Preference, Women’S Empowerment, Farm Investment And Household Well-Being, Samuel Olusesi Olumide

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

A nuanced understanding of intra-household dynamics can inform the design of more effective empowerment and agricultural investment policies. By integrating household risk preferences and empowerment dynamics, this work offers valuable insights into the complex mechanisms driving household welfare and provides a framework for future interventions to promote gender equality and economic development in rural settings. This thesis addresses three core hypotheses: first, that the spouses of risk-seeking male heads are more likely to be disempowered compared to those of risk-averse male heads; second, that households with risk-seeking male heads and disempowered spouses are likely to invest more in farming activities; …

Producer Perceptions Of Us Livestock Indemnity Policy, Victoria L. Campbell, Jada M. Thompson, Jenny L. Apriesnig, Glynn T. Tonsor, Dustin L. Pendell

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective

Materials and Methods

Results and Discussion

Measurement Reliability For Intentions To Change Behavior, Emily Schlichtig

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

It is common for researchers to ask participants to associate probabilities with words, often using tools like the Likert scale to measure behavioral intentions and attitudes. However, it remains unclear what specific probabilities participants assign to the response options on a Likert scale, how much variation exists across these options, and whether these probabilities differ across various behaviors. The purpose of this paper is to explore the numeric probabilities that participants associate with different Likert scale points, to understand their perception of the variation at each point, and to compare these perceptions across three behaviors: eating more vegetables, exercising more, …

Utilizing Unmanned Aerial Systems (Uas) And Computer Software To Assess Effects Of Cover Crops On Cash Crop Volumetric Mass And Plant Height, Carlos Andres Garcia Patlan

Theses and Dissertations

Sustainability in agriculture starts with the health of soil-- from its productivity and fertility, to its ability to retain water during droughts and allow for drainage during rain. One approach of improving soil health is the use of cover crops, a practice associated with improved nutrient availability in soils, the promotion of soil biodiversity and organic matter to improve density and structure, effective weed management, and ultimately improved yields of subsequent cash crops. Assessing the cumulative impacts of cover crops is difficult, with various metrics and indicators. Crop dry weight may be a way to predict the effects cover crops …

The Effects Of Cover Crop Adoption On Yield Distributions Under Extreme Drought, Emory Johnson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events due to climate change negatively impact agriculture output. Of particular concern is the adverse impact of droughts on corn and soybean yields, as these crops represent a significant portion of cash crop receipts in the United States. Cover crops are one practice that has gained attention due to their agronomic benefits and their potential to reduce downside production risk for producers. This study focuses on the impact of cover crop adoption on corn and soybean yields during drought conditions. We use cover crop adoption data from the Operational Tillage Information System, RMA …

Agronomic Practices To Enhance Weed Management, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Some agronomic practices, such as crop choice and sequence and improving crop competition and pasture competition, can improve crop environment and growth, and the crop's ability to compete with weeds.

Modeling Enterococcus Cecorum Horizontal Transmission To Investigate The Impact Of Perinatal Exposure On Extraintestinal Colonization, Disease Presentation, And Performance In Young Broiler Chickens, James Y. Higuita Valle

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Enterococcus cecorum (EC) has primarily been associated with osteomyelitis and lameness in older chickens. The recent emergence of pathogenic EC causing morbidity and mortality in young broiler chicken flocks requires further investigation. The purpose of this thesis was to develop a model to simulate horizontal transmission of virulent EC during the hatching phase in small scale hatchet cabinets. The model will be used to investigate novel pre- and post-hatch strategies to mitigate EC infections in young broiler chickens. The current thesis contains four chapters. Chapter I includes the thesis introduction. A literature review focusing on EC-associated disease in chickens, with …

Influence Of Row Pattern And Prohexadione Calcium On Peanut (Arachis Hypogaea L.) Maturity And Profitability, Samantha N. Mehl

All Theses

Many newer peanut cultivars offer yield benefits but have larger canopies and are taking 10 or more days longer to reach desired maturity levels. Prohexadione calcium (PC) and twin row planting pattern have been reported to increase the amount of orange, brown or black pods compared to their respective alternatives. Four cultivars were selected and studied based on frequency of use in South Carolina then paired into an earlier maturing group that reached optimal maturity at 135 to 140 days after planting, and a later maturing group that reached optimal maturity at 150 or more days after planting.

Twin row …

Sustainability Across The Food System In The Southeastern United States: Mitigating Restaurant Plate Waste And Exploring Peach Orchard Viability Amidst Armillaria Root Rot, Samuel Francis

All Theses

In 2023, 5.6% ($1.5 trillion dollars) of the United States’ Gross Domestic Product was derived from agriculture, food, and related industries. Despite the sector being efficient, challenges still exists. For example, food waste is a problem in the hospitality industry and farmers face challenges related to disease. To ensure the security and efficiency of the food supply, it is in our best interest to make adjustments in these sectors by taking actions such as reducing waste and mitigating food loss associated with disease. I explore two areas of the food supply that can benefit from changes, seeking to mitigate food …

Exploring The Motivations And Determinants Of Farmer’S Market Consumers And Organic Specialty Crop Producers, Jane Arnold

All Theses

This two-chapter thesis evaluates the motivations and determinants of the central figures in farmers’ markets and organic markets. The first chapter explores the rise of farmers’ markets popularity through an in-person survey that was designed and distributed to 274 farmers' market consumers. Logit and ordered logit regressions were used to identify the motivations and characteristics that affect the likelihood of being a frequent farmers’ market customer (visiting 5 times or more per season) and spending over $50. The second chapter investigates the organic markets for cucumber and kale, which are dominant specialty crops on today’s grocery shelves. To identify the …

Tolerance Of Young Blackberries To A Selection Of Preemergence Herbicides And Rates, Kayla Knepp, Matthew B. Bertucci, Aaron J. Cato, Amanda L. Mcwhirt, Nilda Roma-Burgos

Horticulture Faculty Publications and Presentations

Limited preemergence herbicides are registered for new blackberry (Rubus subgenus Rubus) plantings. This greenhouse experiment was designed to investigate the effects of a broad selection of preemergence herbicides at multiple rates on blackberry transplants. Screening was initiated Aug 2021 and repeated Mar 2022 in Fayetteville, AR, USA, in a greenhouse at the Milo J. Shult Agricultural Research and Extension Center. ‘Ouachita’ blackberry plugs were transplanted into utility pots that contained field soil and growth media treated with preemergence herbicides. After transplanting, plant height was measured from the substrate to the highest apical meristem of 25 representative plants. Initial …

Carcassformer: An End-To-End Transformer-Based Framework For Simultaneous Localization, Segmentation And Classification Of Poultry Carcass Defect, Minh Tran, Sang Truong, Arthur F.A. Fernandes, Michael T. Kidd, Ngan Le

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

In the food industry, assessing the quality of poultry carcasses during processing is a crucial step. This study proposes an effective approach for automating the assessment of carcass quality without requiring skilled labor or inspector involvement. The proposed system is based on machine learning (ML) and computer vision (CV) techniques, enabling automated defect detection and carcass quality assessment. To this end, an end -to - end framework called CarcassFormer is introduced. It is built upon a Transformer -based architecture designed to effectively extract visual representations while simulta- neously detecting, segmenting, and classifying poultry carcass defects. Our …

The Utah State University Ambassador Program: Predictors Of Acceptance And Rural High School Representation, Mariah P. Spencer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Utah State University Ambassador Program focuses on leadership, recruitment, and service. In addition to the Logan Main Campus, there are ambassadors on the USU Eastern and Statewide Campuses. The Logan Program is the most competitive, receiving 450-700 applications each year. Selected applicants receive a scholarship of 100% tuition and fees renewable for up to four years. This study looked at what factors predict whether students are accepted into the University Ambassador Program in Logan for in-state and out-of-state first-year applicants. Factors considered included involvement in student government, school and community activities, whether the student is the first in their …

Enhancing Crop Resilience: Physiological And Omics Approaches For Drought And Heat Stress Tolerance In Soybean And Peanut, Jyoti Prasad Kakati

All Dissertations

Soybean and peanut are two major crops globally grown for oil and protein. Climate change-associated factors like drought and increased temperature (heat stress) challenge the global production of soybeans and peanuts. Though the United States is the second-largest producer of soybean and the fourth-largest producer of peanuts, it still faces production constraints associated with drought and heat stresses. In the present study, we have examined the responses of soybean and peanut plants to drought and heat stresses during germination and reproductive phases. We conducted field and controlled environmental studies to elucidate the impact of drought stress on germination and seedling …

Approaches To Controlling Palmer Amaranth And Its Interference In Furrow-Irrigated Rice, Tanner Austin King

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats) is the most troublesome and problematic weed in most mid-southern U.S. row crop production systems. With the increased adoption of furrow-irrigated rice (Oryza sativa L.), there is a greater occurrence of Palmer amaranth due to sustained moist conditions allowing continual emergence of the weed throughout the growing season. Palmer amaranth has previously been shown to negatively affect crop yields when left unmanaged. Therefore, there is a high potential for rice yield loss due to the weed’s ability to emerge over an extended period and interfere with crop development. However, there is a lack of …

Assessment Of American Tannin-Free Grain Sorghum As Feedstuff For Poultry: Nutrient Composition, Amino Acid Digestibility And Bird Performance, Santiago Sasia

All Dissertations

Given the rising cost of poultry diets, alternative ingredients like sorghum are crucial for maximizing returns without compromising product quality. Sorghum's drought tolerance and adaptability, along with its nutritional profile, make it a viable corn substitute. This dissertation examines the nutrient composition, amino acid digestibility, and performance of poultry fed with American tannin-free grain sorghum. Chapter II evaluates the impact of sorghum-based diets, with or without phytase superdosing, on broiler performance, including body weight, weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio. Results indicate that sorghum can replace corn without adverse effects on broiler performance. Chapter III explores the partial …

Consumer Perceptions Of Hemp-Fed Aquaculture, Jillian Hyink

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Global demand for seafood has increased significantly over the past several decades and is projected to continue rising in the future. The volume of aquaculture production has also particularly increased to meet this demand in the United States and globally, offering a relatively sustainable supplement to wild fish supplies. However, conventional fish farming uses unsustainable quantities of fishmeal and fish oil as feed inputs, which raises the cost of production and introduces safety concerns associated with fish consumption. One currently underexplored potential alternative to fishmeal is hemp grain, which can provide an affordable and nutritious feed for carnivorous fish and …

A Grain Of Hope: Analysis Of The Economic Potential For An Association Of South East Asian Nations (Asean) Rice Futures Market, Richard Nyarko

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Nations) region is the world's leading rice producer, yet the region lacks a dedicated rice futures market. In contrast other world grain markets are served by liquid futures contracts, which aid producers through price discovery and risk management. This glaring gap raises a critical question: Can an ASEAN rice futures market be established to unlock the potential economic benefits for the region's rice sector? By predicting ASEAN rice pricing features and analyzing the efficacy of hedging for regional rice market players, this study explores the viability of an ASEAN rice futures contract to service the …

Use Of Herbicides Coated Onto Fertilizer And Applied Over-The-Top Of Cotton, Summer Linn

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production faces numerous challenges, many related to weed management. A herbicide application method that focuses on combing resources that producers already have access to, such as herbicide-coated fertilizers, could be a practical approach for addressing late-season control of Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats) and other problematic weed species. Two main factors would potentially impact the efficiency of utilizing this method: cotton tolerance to the application and weed control provided by the herbicide-coated fertilizers. Some considerations could affect the efficacy of these applications, such as when the treatments are applied and when they are activated by …

Analyzing The Accuracy And Trading Strategy Potential Of Private Analyst Projections Of Usda Wasde Reports, Emmie Noyes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the economic impact of private analyst forecasts on trading strategies in agricultural commodities markets. The primary objective is to assess whether private forecasts of world ending stocks contained in the USDA’s WASDE report provide valuable information for forming profitable trading strategies. The study utilizes panel regression models to analyze the relationship between private forecast accuracy and strategic returns derived from trading strategies based on these forecasts. The research employs unbalanced panel data spanning from January 2011 to April 2021, integrating monthly and yearly indicators to capture temporal patterns. The dataset includes observations from multiple firms, allowing for …

A Grounded Theory Study Of White Educators' Conceptualizations And Negotiations Of Culturally Centered Practices In Colleges Of Agriculture And Related Sciences, Isabel M. Whitehead-Adams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The racial and ethnic demographics of higher education are becoming increasingly diverse; however, faculty demographics remain predominantly White. With agriculture being one of the largest economic sectors, often with many roles to fill, recruiting and retaining racially and ethnically diverse students into agricultural and related science post-secondary programs, hereby referred to as agricultural programs, is crucial to drawing talent into the agricultural workforce. However, racial and ethnic demographics among students in post-secondary agricultural programs also remain predominantly White. Established pedagogical approaches for supporting culturally diverse have been established, such as Culturally Responsive Teaching. There is little to no research exploring …

Cherry Powdery Mildew In Utah, Marion Murray, Christina Lilligren, Megan Kast

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides information on powdery mildew, a common problem in commercial tart and sweet cherry orchards in Utah and throughout the western U.S. Hosts, disease biology, symptoms and signs, and management are covered.

Information About Honey Fraud: Implications Of Information Choice For Consumer Behavior, Christopher R. Gustafson

Cornhusker Economics

The study highlights that standard research practice—exposing participants to information—may not capture what will happen outside of the lab when people have a choice about what to read, view, or do with their time. While we found that having participants read about honey fraud significantly shifted their willingness to pay for local and domestic versus imported honey, we did not find those changes when people were able to select a text to read.

The implications of these findings extend beyond the issue of honey fraud to broader contexts of food safety, nutrition, and production techniques. While people have preferences for …

Online Media Sentiment Analysis For Us Oysters, Taylor L. Bradford, Kwamena Quagrainie

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Sentiment analysis, a form of data analytics, utilises information from online discussions, reviews, and social media posts to assess consumer sentiments. This study utilised data collected from social media using online listening procedures to assess online sentiments on oysters from January 2019 through December 2022. The analysis utilises machine learning algorithms to extract consumer sentiments, opinions, and demands from online chatter from different online domains. The online sentiments are determined as positive, negative, or neutral based on their word choice, tone, and context. The information provided gives insights into perception, which is valuable information for oyster producers, seafood industry stakeholders, …

Consumer Perceptions And Preferences For Utah Fresh And Packaged Fruit, Makaylie Langford, Kynda R. Curtis, Marcelo Pignatari

All Current Publications

In this fact sheet, we discuss the results of a 2023 study examining Utah consumer perceptions and preferences for Utah fresh and packaged fruit products. Study data were collected online via a Qualtrics survey, and 384 Utah adults completed the survey. Utah consumer food behaviors and attitudes, including participation in food and agricultural tourism activities, are discussed. We analyze the most consumed fruits and the preferred purchasing options for various fruit types, such as packaged, frozen, canned, and fresh. Additionally, we explore the factors influencing consumers’ decisions when buying fruit and review the product information they rely on. Overall, the …

Fruit Production And Opportunities For Growers In Utah, Makaylie Langford, Kynda R. Curtis

All Current Publications

This fact sheet discusses the state of the fruit industry in Utah, its impact on the Utah economy, as well as current challenges the fruit industry faces and opportunities for fruit growers moving forward. These challenges and opportunities underscore the importance of fruit to the state’s economy, as growers navigate urbanization, competition, and consumer preferences for locally grown produce. Fostering collaboration between consumers and growers will ensure a commitment to local agriculture and community support.

Fruit Consumption Indicators: Who Consumes More Fruit In Utah?, Makaylie Langford, Kynda R. Curtis

All Current Publications

This fact sheet discusses fruit consumption patterns in Utah, exploring the key demographic and socioeconomic factors linked to increased fruit intake. Fruit growers and marketers can use this information to design effective promotional campaigns targeting consumers more likely to purchase fruit and fruit products.

Utah Fruit Growers Assessment Results Overview, Makaylie Langford, Kynda R. Curtis

All Current Publications

Fruit growers throughout Utah manage operations of varying sizes and sell their fruit products fresh or processed through various direct-to-consumer and wholesale markets. In early winter 2023, researchers conducted an online survey via Qualtrics to better understand the fruit products under production, current marketing methods, grower concerns, and future business interests. This fact sheet provides an overview of the survey results.

Pocket Gophers, Mark Nelson, S. Nicole Frey, Earl Creech, Kalen Taylor, Jacob Hadfield, Linden Greenhalgh, Cory Farnsworth, Jody Gale, Melanie Heaton, Justin Wyatt Clawson, Steve Price

All Current Publications

Pocket gophers can damage agriculture and human development infrastructure. In agricultural fields, pocket gophers cause conflicts by directly consuming plants, destroying plants when their soil mounds cover them, and causing premature loss of field stands such as alfalfa, necessitating expensive alfalfa stand replacement. They can chew through electrical, internet, and other utility cables, damaging irrigation pipes, and compromising the integrity of canals and ditch banks. They also cause significant damage to lawns and gardens in urban areas. Understanding pocket gopher habits, especially the burrow system, is the key to effective control. Management methods include trapping, hand or mechanical baiting, fumigation, …

Utah Consumer Preferences And Willingness To Pay For Specialty Labeled Fruit Products, Kynda R. Curtis, Makaylie Langford, Marcelo Pignatari

All Current Publications

In this fact sheet, we discuss the results of a 2023 study examining Utah consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for fruit products labeled local (Utah’s Own™), organic, and GMO-free. We discuss and compare survey respondents' past consumption, awareness, preferences, and attitudes toward these labeling programs. Additionally, we examine consumer WTP values for each of these labels for three fruit varieties and fresh and dried products, namely fresh apples, strawberries, and dried tart cherries.