Agricultural Economics Commons^™

The Socioeconomic And Ecological Impact Of Cool Season Forage Production: A Case Of Black Belt Counties, Alabama, Lila B. Karki, Uma Karki

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

Raising livestock during the lean season of forage production has become a great challenge for small and limited resource farmers because of a high cost involved in procuring supplementary feed. This study was conducted to assess the impact of cultivating cool-season forages on the feeding costs for meat goats and cattle. Three case studies were conducted in three Black Belt Counties of Alabama, Russell, Dallas, and Bullock. The socioeconomic and ecological impacts of developing cool-season pastures were evaluated using the before versus after assessment approach. The findings revealed that all three cooperator farmers reduced costs of procuring hay and …

Assessing The Impact Of The Small Farmer-Tuskegee University-Walmart Project On The Household Economy Of Small And Limited Resource Farmers In Alabama, Lila B. Karki, Walter A. Hill, Raymon Shange, Tasha M. Hargrove, Miles D. Robinson, Barrett Vaughan, Ntam R. Baharanyi, Gertrude Wall, George Hunter, Konnie D. Pace

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

This study focused on the impact of the Small Farmer-Tuskegee University-Walmart Project, an agribusiness opportunity for small and limited resource farmers in rural Alabama. The Project provided a package of programs that strengthened the farmers’ entrepreneurial capacity and secured a market with Walmart for contracted produce. The study applied the triangulation approach to collect field data, and conducted a case study using quantitative and qualitative tools to measure socioeconomic and environmental impacts. The results revealed that the target group benefitted enormously, as desired variables, namely, family income; technical knowledge; agribusiness entrepreneurial skill; leadership quality; factor productivity; direct, indirect, and …

Assessing Marketing Alternatives For Small Farmers In Selected Alabama Black Belt Counties, Langston Anderson, Tasha M. Hargrove, Robert Zabawa, Andrew A. Zekeri

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

Market access is an important factor for the success of small farmers. In Alabama rural counties, farmers are in search of alternative market outlets to broaden their sales and make a profit. The purpose of this research was to assess marketing alternatives for small farmers in selected Alabama Black Belt Counties because local markets are essential to the economy and the overall well-being of local communities. Ethnographic field research was used to collect data by interviewing participants in selected rural counties, as well as from the Alabama Farmers Market Authority and USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The findings indicate …

Revaluating Whole Measures Of Community Food Security In Unity State, South Sudan, Bijiek G. Jieknyal, Lorien E. Macauley

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

Conflict in the newly formed South Sudan has had devastating effects on the nation’s food security. Many food security metrics overlook factors of agriculture, such as seasonality, access to agricultural inputs; or the effects of displacement of small farm holders due to conflict. In light of these complexities, constructs were adapted from Whole Measures for Community Food Systems (WMCFS), and evaluated for their appropriateness in articulating the food situation in Unity State, South Sudan. This study used a pilot study approach, triangulating publicly available, qualitative and quantitative datasets from the Famine Early Warning System Network, United Nations, Government of …

Table Of Contents

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

No abstract provided.

Overview Of The Small Farmer-Tuskegee University-Walmart Project Articles, Walter A. Hill, Gertrude Wall, Lila B. Karki, Barrett Vaughan, Miles D. Robinson

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

No abstract provided.

The Small Farmer-Tuskegee University-Walmart Project: Observations Of The Steps Within Commercial Supply, Barrett Vaughan, Miles D. Robinson, Audrey Zeigler, George X. Hunter, Gertrude Wall, John Brown

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

Observations of the various efforts necessary in an initiative, the Small Farmer-Tuskegee University-Walmart Project, to assist small farmers to comply with produce industry standards and supply produce to a major retailer over a six-year period were documented through an illustrative case study. The observations were taken from meetings with commercial buyers and farmers, site visits to processing centers and corporate farms, conference calls, and, mainly, from the authors’ “hands-on” participation with the functioning and preservation of this initiative. Consequently, these observations were organized into a framework of criteria that must be successively satisfied to be able to supply produce …

Evaluating The Impact Of Nitrogen Fertilization Treatments And Irrigation On Soil Health Indicators In A Long-Term Crop Rotation Research Plot, Andria Howard, Raymon Shange, Anthony S. Kumi, Leonard Githinji, Yucheng Feng, Ramble Ankumah

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

Many agriculturalists have been focusing on the most efficient farming method that would produce the maximum yield while still sustaining the soil ecosystem. Soil samples were collected from the “Old Rotation” area (Auburn University, Auburn, AL), and were assessed for soil biochemical, chemical and biological characteristics related to soil quality. Treatments of the experimental site were a control with no legumes or N fertilizer; cotton every year with winter legumes; a 3-yr cotton-corn-soybean rotation with wheat and winter legumes; and cotton every year with N fertilizer. Impacts of irrigation were also tested between the sites. Assays were performed measuring …

Small Farmer Cooperative-Larger Farmer-Commercial Retailer Partnership, Walter A. Hill, Thomas Turner, Miles D. Robinson, Barrett Vaughan, Tasha M. Hargrove, John Brown, Gertrude Wall, Raymon Shange

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

No abstract provided.

Projecting Corn And Soybean Crops: How Accurate Are Crop Forecasts?, Fabio Mattos, Kattie Cumming, Xiaoli L. Etienne

Cornhusker Economics

Commodity prices are determined by the dynamics of supply and demand and they oscillate over time according to expectations of market participants, who form and update their outlooks based on new information available in the market. As new information about supply and demand of commodities becomes available, buyers and sellers review their beliefs and trade in the market accordingly. This process of price discovery is crucial for various business decisions in the agricultural sector, such as production, marketing and risk management. For instance, if new information on supply and demand suggests that corn prices will decrease, grain producers might want …

Healthy Food Promotion: The Role Of Information Framing, Cognitive Processes, And Social Influence, Christopher Gustafson

Cornhusker Economics

Rates of overweight and obesity in the U.S. have increased steadily over the past 50 years, with serious consequences for people’s health, livelihoods, and quality of life. Estimates of U.S. adult and childhood overweight and obesity that were based on measurements of height and weight, rather than self-reported data, were collected in a nationwide study conducted in 2011-2012. These data suggest that over one-third of adults were obese and another third were overweight, while 17 percent of children were obese and 15 percent overweight.

Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Highlights 2016-2017, Jim Jansen

Nebraska Farm Real Estate Reports

The Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Highlights 2016-2017 report represents the 39th edition to the annual series. These reports provide an important insight on agricultural land market dynamics for stakeholders across Nebraska. In today's market, where market transactions exceeding a million dollars are the norm, objective market information and analysis is more critical than ever. The focus of the report continues to provide unbiased information on agricultural land values and rental rates so industry participants can make educated and informed decisions.

This year, the February 2017 survey of nearly 150 expert-panel members from across the state provided current information and …

Rural Manufacturing Factors Associated With Plant Survival, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel

Cornhusker Economics

In a recent report from the USDA Economic Research Service, rural manufacturing resiliency was measured as it related to plant survival, from 1996- 2011. The author, S. Low*, makes the case that rural manufacturing is a critical piece of the rural economic pie. In 2011 nationally nonmetro/rural manufacturing employment was approximately equal to that of rural retail trade and the rural healthcare/ social assistance sectors. These jobs are also considered to be relatively well-paying jobs and often include benefits.

Ennis, William Franklin, Sr., 1856-1939 (Mss 614), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 614. Journals with short entries about daily happenings and listings of farm expenses for William F. Ennis, a farmer, quarry owner, and businessman from Warren County, Kentucky. Also includes some poetry, weather information, and data about an unnamed individual conducting a school.

North Central Extension Risk Management Education, Christine Lockert, Bradley D. Lubben

Cornhusker Economics

After peaking over $123 billion in 2013, U.S. net farm income fell to $68 billion in 2016 with projections of $62 billion for 2017, a nearly 50% drop (USDA Economic Research Service). The large drop from 2013 to 2017 after nearly a decade of strong growth in agricultural income presents a substantial challenge to agricultural producers and an increased need to manage risk on the farm or ranch carefully.

Nebraska National Agri-Marketing Association: Practical Experience And Professional Development, Kara Heideman, Rosalee A. Swartz

Cornhusker Economics

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln National Agri- Marketing Association (NAMA) chapter concluded a successful year at the NAMA annual conference. The chapter brought home three awards, a chapter performance award for chapter communications, fourth place outstanding student chapter and fifth place in the John Deere Signature Award competition. Chapter performance award judges praised Nebraska NAMA's collaboration with the University of São Paulo. Students from São Paulo joined Nebraska students each week to work on developing the marketing plan for the competition. The John Deere award is given to student chapters based on business knowledge, academic excellence, leadership development and community citizenship. …

Family Feud Ends Up In Court, J. David Aiken

Cornhusker Economics

A May 2017 decision by the Nebraska Court of Appeals deals with an unfortunately common situation in Nebraska family farm corporations– is the on-farm heir (or heirs) in charge of the corporation legally required to share the corporation’s income with the off-farm heirs? (24 Neb. App. 649) As we shall see, the court answered “no” even though that seems to be an unfair result.

Women In Agriculture: The Heart Of The Farm, Cheryl Griffith

Cornhusker Economics

Women in Agriculture: The Heart of the Farm was the theme of the 32^nd Nebraska Women in Agriculture (WIA) Conference, February 23-24, 2017 in Kearney. This annual conference is hosted by the Department of Agricultural Economics, Nebraska Extension and the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR). The Nebraska WIA program is committed to providing opportunities for all Nebraskans to develop risk management skills by providing tools for sound business decisions in every facet of agriculture through leadership, advocacy, and networking avenues.

Cost Benefit Analysis Of Genetic Markers In Cattle, Josh Crystal

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

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

The Influence Of The Agricultural Cluster On The Fayette County Economy [2017], Alison Davis, Simona E. Balazs

Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky Reports

Executive Summary:

Historically, employment associated with agriculture in Fayette County has been limited to production agriculture. Recently, the Ag Cluster has been extended to include agricultural inputs and food processing and manufacturing. However, there are hundreds of establishments in the county that are service-based (finance, veterinary, recreation), transportation, communications, as well as wholesale and retail businesses that are 100% dedicated to agriculture. These businesses have never been included in an economic impact study exploring the impact of agriculture in Fayette County. Ignoring these businesses underestimates the value of the agricultural sector. This is particularly important in Fayette County because of …

Refusing To Be Dispossessed: African American Land Retention In The Us South From Reconstruction To World War Ii, Camille Goldmon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

African Americans in the South were tied to the land during slavery and after emancipation. Many felt that land ownership was the key to freedom. For decades, black farmers strove for land ownership, in many cases falling prey to sharecropping and tenancy agreements in the meantime. Despite this drive toward independent farming, however, since 1920, there has been a steady decline in the number of black farm owners. This trend is especially prevalent in the Southern United States. The black farm owners who persevered through periods of economic, social, and political turmoil were able to, for varying reasons, navigate those …

Efficiency And Competitiveness Of Kosovo Raspberry Producers, Rina Vuciterna

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Raspberry production is a growing industry in Kosovo. In addition to private investments, this growth has been supported by grants, subsidies, and direct investment from international donor organizations and governmental institutions. At present, most of the commercially produced raspberries in Kosovo are produced on small farms, harvested by farmers and packed manually by collection centers, and then sold in frozen form for the export market. The long-term viability and continued growth of raspberry production in Kosovo depends on the industry being able to compete in export markets and hold its own against production regions in Poland, Serbia, and Russia. Our …

Influence Of Exogenous Phytase Level And Interaction With Supplmental Xylanase On Live Performance And Phosphorus Retention Of Broilers, Peyton Gilbert

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Two 3-week experiments were conducted, each using 480 day-old male broilers placed randomly among 96 battery cages (5 per cage; 680cm2 per bird), to evaluate the influence of phytase supplementation, with or without supplemental xylanase, on bird performance. Individual body weights and cage feed weights were taken on days 0, 7, 14, and 21, and mean BW, body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), and FCR over each period calculated. Mortality was recorded daily and used to calculate livability and adjust FCR in both trials. In trial 2, excreta was collected by cage from 14 to 21 days for bone …

Capture Theory & State Regulation Of Animal Cruelty, Kyla Henderson

Political Science Theses and Capstones

In this thesis I theorize that regulatory capture impacts animal cruelty laws in several different ways. Capture theory is the process by which regulatory agencies eventually come to be dominated by the industries they were charged with regulating. Regulatory capture happens when a regulatory agency, formed to act in the public’s interest, eventually acts in ways that benefit the industry it is supposed to be regulating, rather than the public. Animal cruelty regulations are an important factor in the way that everyday products are produced. Capture theory affecting animal cruelty is an important look at the growing concern with animal …

International Diffusion Of Food Safety Standards: The Role Of Domestic Certifiers And International Trade, Rezgar Mohammed, Yuqing Zheng

Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

We examined the cross-national adoption of six major private food safety standards, focusing on the role of certifiers and international trade. Results show that the number of certification bodies existing in the domestic country, food exports, and the proportion of food exports to North America had positive effects on a country's adoption of food safety standards. Distance leads to product differentiation for the standards and therefore disadvantages developing countries in Africa and Asia for adopting the standards, which are all based in the United States or Europe. Providing these countries with better access to certifiers can alleviate this geographic disadvantage.

Growth And Poverty Traps: Examples From Literature, Danielle Chaloux

Honors Scholar Theses

The writings of Charles Dickens, Emile Zola, Knut Hamsun, and Laura Ingalls Wilder capture humanity on the page. The characters in the works of these authors are confronted by realistic or autobiographical situations and make choices based on history, personal preferences, societal pressures, and economic constraints, just as real-life individuals do. They can thus serve as data for illustrating the implications of economic models, specifically poverty traps. To do so, I will draw from Great Expectations (1861) by Charles Dickens, The Fat and the Thin (1873) by Emile Zola, Hunger (1890) by Knut Hamsun, and The First Four Years (1971) …

Decision Support Software For Palmer Amaranth Weed Control, Karen Renee Lindsay

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth [Amaranthus palmeri (S.) Wats.] has been identified as one of the most troublesome weeds, specifically for corn (Zea mays L.), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] producers in the southern United States. The use of herbicide technology remains the most widely used method of weed control, despite the evolution of herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth. Therefore, a need currently exists for research and extension education to encourage the adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to address the problem of herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth in the southern United States. By equipping crop producers, educators, and weed management …

Economic Assessment Of A Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Outbreak In Washington And Benton Counties In Arkansas, Antonio Beitia

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) presents a substantial economic risk to the poultry industry. Domesticated fowl contract HPAI initially through exposure, direct or indirect with migratory waterfowl and outbreaks can result in significant economic losses to growers and the poultry industry at large. A HPAI outbreak occurred in Minnesota and Iowa and spread across over 13 other states in 2014 and 2015. This caused an estimated $1.6 billion in losses (CDC, 2016) and led to shortages of eggs and turkeys together with elevated prices (Anni et al. 2005). Even small outbreaks of HPAI inflict substantial damages as USDA-APHIS guidelines necessitate …

Rice Value Chain Development And Policy Sequencing In Southern Africa, Sandratra M. Razafinjoelina

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the wake of the 2008 food crisis, net food importing countries questioned the reliance on the volatile world market to meet their food demand. Consequently, the necessity to be selfsufficient returned to the forefront of national priorities. In Africa, the Coalition for African Rice Development (CARD) initiative was initiated and aimed to double rice production in the continent by 2018, with the eventual goal of achieving self-sufficiency in rice production. To attain this goal, each of the 23 CARD member countries drafted a comprehensive value chain upgrading strategy called the National Rice Development Strategy (NRDS). This study intends to …

Exploring Winery Operation As A Diversification Option For Native American Tribal Enterprises, Randi M. Combs

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to examine the perceptions of tribal members regarding the strengths, challenges, and opportunities presented by tribal winery operation. Specifically, issues of business diversification, marketing, perceived barriers to success, potential benefits to the tribe, and the role of agriculture in the preservation of tribal heritage were considered. A modified mixed-methods exploratory sequential research model was used to collect and organize data in two phases. Phase 1 quantitative data was used to inform the development of a Phase 2 qualitative interview protocol. Phase 1 found a significant relationship between a higher income level and a lower …