Agricultural Economics Commons^™

Will Saf Turbocharge The Corn Ethanol Market?, Richard K. Perrin, Lilyan E. Fulginiti, Felipe Miranda De Souza Almeida

Cornhusker Economics

The long-run outlook for the corn ethanol industry is questionable, due to a transition to electric and hybrid vehicles. One source of hope for the long run is the potential demand for producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). SAF is a key component in the United States Aviation Climate Action Plan, a path to net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the aviation industry by 2050. Demand for ethanol for SAF offers hope to the ethanol industry, but it depends a great deal on policy decisions that are being made now. Here we sketch out this story.

Based on the information available …

2024 Nebraska Farmland Values And Cash Rental Rates, Jim Jansen, Jeffrey Stokes

Cornhusker Economics

The market value of agricultural land in Nebraska increased by 5% over the prior year to an average of $4,015 per acre, according to the 2024 Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey. This marks the third consecutive year of increases in the market value of agricultural land in Nebraska, setting another high in the non-inflation-adjusted statewide land value in the survey's 46-year history.

Autonomous Roadside Mower Testing And Evaluation In Digital Twin Environments, Michael Mardikes, Ethan Brown, Timothy Wiegman, Nathan Sprague, Shreyas Supe, J. T. Evans

Graduate Industrial Research Symposium

Modern day roadside mowing operations in Indiana are performed by contractors operating tractors that pull flex-wing mowers. These mowing operations span over 11,000 miles of road across the state and create serious risk for human operators. Autonomous mowers can provide a safer alternative, but a replacement system must demonstrate an acceptable level of trust before large-scale deployment. A high-fidelity digital-twin environment can facilitate the capability to rapidly test and evaluate platforms in their desired application, while enabling zero real-world risk, a wide range of test variables, and repeatability of a test setup. The simulation environment must be at a level …

Does Sin Tax On The Legal Market Facilitate The Illicit Market? An Ex-Ante Assessment On The Us Cannabis Market, Yoohun Han, Khondoker Abdul Mottaleb, John N. Ng'ombe, Alvaro Durand-Morat

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Sin tax is essential to reduce the harm caused by products like cannabis. However, excessive taxation may facilitate illicit markets. We examine sin tax policies' impact on legal and illicit cannabis markets in the selected US states. Using a Constant Elasticity of Substitution utility framework, we assess scenarios like sin tax increase and anti-illicit cannabis policies. Our findings indicate high sin taxes may drive consumers to illicit markets, but anti-illicit market policies could control its extent. However, there is a trade-off between market size, tax revenue, consumers' utility, and illicit market control. Thus, optimizing sin tax policies is challenging, necessitating …

Value Of Gain In The Lamb Feeding Industry, Jay Parsons

Cornhusker Economics

Value of gain (VOG) is a term in the livestock feeding industry that refers to the average value of a pound of gain. It is the most appropriate revenue value to use in comparison to the cost of gain to determine profit margin.

Knowledge Gaps About Micronutrient Deficiencies In Tanzania And The Effect Of Information Interventions, Pius Kilasy, Brandon R. Mcfadden, Kelly A. Davidson, Leah H. Palm-Forster

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Reducing micronutrient malnutrition (“hidden hunger”) in low-income countries is a global challenge, particularly among women, children, and high-poverty households. Countries like Tanzania have developed diverse strategies to combat malnutrition, including the biofortification of staple foods. However, broad awareness and knowledge of micronutrient deficiencies and beneficial foods are needed for these strategies to be effective. The objectives of this study were to (i) examine Tanzanian consumers' initial awareness and knowledge of deficiencies for four micronutrients and associated biofortified foods, and (ii) to examine the effectiveness of targeted communication approaches (i.e., information and branding) to improve knowledge. Data were collected from 1029 …

Understanding Demand For Broken Rice And Its Potential Food Security Implications In Colombia, Juliann Phillips, Alvaro Durand-Morat, Lawton L. Nalley, Eduardo Graterol, Michelle Bonatti, Katerine Loaiza De La Pava, Sergio Urioste, Wei Yang

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Rice is a crucial contributor to global food security and is an important staple for over half the world's population. Irrigated paddy rice is a water-intensive crop, and an important contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, improving the efficiency of using rice as food rather than non-food uses is paramount to sustainably feeding a growing global population. One source of inefficiency in the rice market is using broken rice for non-food purposes. This study focuses on consumer preferences for rice with different broken percentages in Colombia. We used a mixed-method approach to ascertain the stated (experimental setting) and revealed (using …

Interrelationships Among The Rice Export Prices Of Major Exporting Countries: In Search Of The Leader And Followers, Khondoker Abdul Mottaleb, Alvaro Durand-Morat

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

By examining the econometric interrelationships of rice export prices of India, Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, the U.S., Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, this study examines the most influential rice-exporting countries in the international rice export market. The sampled countries are the source of more than 80% of the global rice exports. In the process, this study relies on online data portals of the United Nations and country-level sources for aromatic and non-aromatic rice export price information from India, Pakistan, and Thailand. This study employed the Prais-Winsten and Autoregressive Distributive Lag (ARDL) estimation processes with the error correction procedure. Combining the findings from …

The Role Of The Social Network In Adopting New Turfgrass Varieties: An Analysis Of Twitter Data, Joohun Han, Chanjin Chung, Yanqi Wu

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study examines the effect of social learning on new turfgrass variety adoption decisions using data from 231 turfgrass professionals’ Twitter accounts between 1 Jun 2018 and 31 Dec 2019. To determine the social learning effect, we decompose networking effects into social learning, individual-level and group-level similarities, herd behavior, and clustering effects. Our study estimates a spatial autoregressive probit model that directly incorporates the social network structure to account for unobservable networking effects and potential reflection problem. A Bayesian estimation procedure is used to alleviate the convergence problem caused by the complexity of model specification. Empirical results show that the …

2022 Census Of Agriculture: Nebraska Highlights, Kathleen Brooks, Bradley D. Lubben

Cornhusker Economics

In February 2024, the United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service published data from the 2022 Census of Agriculture. This data is collected every five years. The current article highlights a few of the Nebraska numbers. Two significant highlights from the data are the total number of farms and the total value of production. U.S. farm numbers declined modestly in the U.S. from 2.04 million in 2017 to 1.90 million in 2022. The total value of production for U.S. farms and ranches increased substantially from $388.5 billion in 2017 to $543.1 billion in 2022. Crop production accounted for …

Increasing Workforce Skills: The Possible Disconnect Between Employers And Potential Job Seekers, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel

Cornhusker Economics

In a multi-year survey of potential job seekers, those who are likely to change jobs in the next year or who are likely to reenter the workforce in the next year, several key training obstacles for improving their employment situation were identified. There seemed to be only slight differences in how they viewed these challenges, regardless of whether they saw their potential job as a career, a steppingstone to a career, or just a job to get by. The cost of training, the lack of available training, the distance or transportation to the training, lack of time, and the knowledge …

Food Labeling: Ingredient Exemptions And Product Claims, Elena Krasovkaia, Bradley J. Rickard, Brenna Ellison, Brandon R. Mcfadden, Norbert Wilson

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

New breeding methods have provided scientists with opportunities to improve traits in a wide range of crops, however, there remains resistance to foods that are produced from these crops, and mandates on labels used to describe such processes continue to be a source of policy debate. Here we focus on gene editing and examine (i) whether consumer acceptance varies when the technology is applied to different ingredients (unrefined versus highly refined ingredients) and (ii) the impact of two different claims related to gene editing (health-focused claim versus an environment-focused claim). Our results show that consumers are less likely to purchase …

Using Data From Uniform Rate Applications For Site-Specific Nitrogen Recommendations, Eunchun Park, B. Wayne Brorson, Xiaofei Li

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Much historical yield-monitor data is from fields where a uniform rate of nitrogen was applied. A new approach is proposed using this data to get site-specific nitrogen recommendations. Bayesian methods are used to estimate a linear plateau model where only the plateau is spatially varying. The model is then illustrated by using it to make site-specific nitrogen recommendations for corn production in Mississippi. The in-sample recommendations generated by this approach return an estimated $9/acre on the example field. The long-term goal is to combine this information with other information such as remote sensing measurements.

Slight Cost Of Production Changes Noted In The 2024 Nebraska Crop Enterprise Budgets, Glennis Mcmclure

Cornhusker Economics

The Nebraska crop budgets are available for the 2024 production season. The 84 enterprise budgets prepared in the October 2023 timeframe use input prices collected as of that time. Overall, estimates reflect slight cost of production decreases in the budgets when compared to the 2023 cost estimates. For 2024, the main drivers of cost decreases are due to decreased fuel and fertilizer costs. In some cases, pesticide costs decreased, yet for some of those products, prices increased. Seed and interest costs have increased for 2024 adding to cash expenses, while land opportunity costs and depreciation costs have continued to rise …

Program Requirements For Beef Cattle Certified As Usda Organic, Carsten Loseke, Elliott James Dennis

Cornhusker Economics

This document provides an overview of the use and production of the USDA Certified Organic program for the beef cattle industry, with an emphasis on the state of Nebraska. We detail what cattle qualify, feed requirements, medical and health standards of cattle, and premiums paid by consumers for USDA certified organic products. All information is taken from the Organic Foods Production Act Provisions available in the Federal Register.

Identification Of Influential Weather Parameters And Seasonal Drought Prediction In Bangladesh Using Machine Learning Algorithm, Md. Abdullah Al Mamun, Mou Rani Sarkar, Md. Abdur Rouf Sarkar, Sujit Kumar Roy, Sheikh Arafat Islam Nihad, Andrew M. Mckensie, Md. Ismail Hossain, Md. Shahjahan Kabir

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Droughts pose a severe environmental risk in countries that rely heavily on agriculture, resulting in heightened levels of concern regarding food security and livelihood enhancement. Bangladesh is highly susceptible to environmental hazards, with droughts further exacerbating the precarious situation for its 170 million inhabitants. Therefore, we are endeavouring to highlight the identification of the relative importance of climatic attributes and the estimation of the seasonal intensity and frequency of droughts in Bangladesh. With a period of forty years (1981–2020) of weather data, sophisticated machine learning (ML) methods were employed to classify 35 agroclimatic regions into dry or wet conditions using …

Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences - Volume 25 2024, Several Authors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Faculty Editor, Beth Kegley

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Featured Faculty Mentor/Student Team, Austin Jones, Ashley Dowling, Baylie Day

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Efficiency And Accuracy Of Three Texture Analysis Methods For Blackberry Fruit, Rhys M. Brock, Carmen Johns, Katelyn Lust-Moore, Margaret Worthington

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

A major objective of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA) Fruit Breeding program is to improve the texture of blackberry (Rubus subgenus Rubus Watson). Blackberry varieties with improved fruit firmness transport and store well and may maintain superior quality under challenging postharvest conditions than softer varieties. Increased firmness may also make cultivars less susceptible to red drupelet reversion (RDR), a postharvest disorder of blackberries in which fully black drupelets revert to red after harvest. This research project aims to assess the efficiency and accuracy of three methods applied in evaluating blackberry firmness. The study compares instrumental analysis …

Understanding The Impact Of Food Insecurity Among First-Generation College Students On The University Of Arkansas Campus, Madison Price, Jennie S. Popp Ph.D., Nathan Paul Kemper, Louise Michelle Hancox

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The purpose of this study was to: 1) better understand food insecurity among first-generation college students and how it might differ from that of other college students, and 2) gather opinions from students that may serve as solutions to alleviate food insecurity. This study was conducted with a mixed-methods survey that included both open-ended and closed-ended questions. This survey had 670 responses. Nearly 10% of respondents stated that they were experiencing food insecurity. Almost 18% stated they were first-generation college students. A greater percentage of African American (P = 0.0022) and Hispanic Latino (P < 0.0001) students were first-generation compared to all other students, while a lower percentage (P < 0.0001) of Caucasian students were first-generation compared to other students. The results suggested that first-generation students were more likely to experience nine food insecurity impacts than non first-generation students. Further, both first-generation and non first-generation students indicated low levels of knowledge and/or use of existing resources on the University of Arkansas campus that can help address food insecurity needs. Finally, both first-generation and non first-generation respondents overwhelmingly favored food insecurity solutions centered around expanding access to campus food programs through lower costs and increased awareness of existing campus resources via improved advertising.

Factors Affecting Graduation With Honors: A Case Study In Bumpers College, Timothy Dalton Roberts, Jennie Popp, Michael Popp, Nathan Kemper

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

This study aimed to understand the factors influencing the graduation rate with honors in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food, and Life Sciences (Bumpers College) at the University of Arkansas Fayetteville (UAF). Utilizing a data set of 220 Bumpers College Honors graduates from 2004 to 2014, provided by the Office of Strategic Analytics & Insights at UAF, this research investigated several demographic and academic variables to potentially identify predictors of successfully graduating with honors. The methodology involved cleaning the data, statistical analyses including t-test and Chi-square tests, and logit regression models to determine significant factors impacting graduating with honors. …

Stream Restoration Effectiveness In Mullins Creek In Fayetteville, Arkansas, Amadeo Scott, Shannon Speir

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Lotic waterways are vital for habitat, food, water, and flood protection, but urbanization poses a major threat to their integrity. Runoff from urban surfaces leads to pollution, flashiness, loss of biodiversity, and other symptoms, also known as Urban Stream Syndrome (USS). Streams can be restored in order to combat USS, but most restorations are not monitored, so their long-term effectiveness is unknown. This study quantitatively evaluated a decade-old stream restoration in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to assess its effectiveness in combating USS and achieving set restoration goals, and to gain insights for future restoration projects. Restoration goals included decreasing erosion and sedimentation, …

Letter From The Dean, Jeff Edwards

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Contents, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Instructions For Authors, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Available Funding Opportunities For West Tennessee’S Young And Beginning Row Crop Farmers, Logan Meeks

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Research quickly identified many different avenues of funding available to new and beginning traditional row-crop farmers in Tennessee, but questions surrounding local farmers’ knowledge of these opportunities are in question. Many programs specific to the New and Beginning Farmer demographic boasted the potential benefits of using these programs as well as the good work these programs are accomplishing. The current increase in cost of traditional row-crop funding continues to drive the need for more funding resources with New and Beginning Farmers. Providing resources of where farmers can find the best available funds for their operation will expand the level of …

A Tale Of Two Working Landscapes, Sage C. Sutcliffe

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Social Media Impacts On Arkansas Consumer Perceptions Of Gmos, Elizabeth R. Berner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study builds upon previous consumer perceptions of GMOs studies. A need existed to determine what, if any, effects social media messages about GMOs had on consumer perceptions in Arkansas. The study utilized a qualitative approach with three focus groups. Data were analyzed using descriptive code. Participants were found to have a general understanding of GMOs, though discussion about what a GMO product was took an uncertain tone. Most participants did not consider GMOs as a factor when purchasing products. Rather participants considered characteristics such as price, quality, and convenience. Participants did not believe the infographics had changed their opinions …