Agricultural Economics Commons^™

Eyes In The Field, A Seat At The Table, A Voice At The Ranch : A Study On Optimal Farm Labor Conditions., Christine Wiggins-Romesburg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The field of human resource development has twin obligations to promote the performance of organizations and the satisfaction and welfare of all workers. Nevertheless, agriculture appears to be an understudied industry in the field, despite this obligation and the potential for suffering experienced by workers performing crop work. This case study sought to understand the process through which a single agricultural operation fosters optimal conditions for workers engaged in labor-intensive crop production. This study found employees experienced better treatment compared to other agricultural operations, and that conditions were rich in both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Intrinsic factors were marked by …

Examining The Capacity Of Nebraska Rangelands For Cattle, Kaitlyn Cumming, Jay Parsons, Walter H. Schacht, Brian Baskerville

Cornhusker Economics

According to the 2017 United States Department of Agriculture National Agriculture Statistics Service report (USDA-NASS 2017), Nebraska is the number one ranked state in the United States for both cattle on feed and for beef slaughtering capacity. It ranks number two in all cattle and calves while ranking number four in the number of beef cows. Beef production has a $12.1 billion impact annually to the Nebraska economy including $6.5 billion in direct sales (Nebraska Beef Cattle Facts 2016).

Given the above information, a research question was motivated to evaluate the forage production of Nebraska’s perennial grazing land systems and …

The Farmers’ Federation: Regional Racial Mythologies As Agricultural Capital, Jama Mcmurtery Grove

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In 1927, the Farmers’ Federation agricultural cooperative in Western North Carolina launched an organization to solicit funds from wealthy donors. The money raised through philanthropic campaigns enabled the cooperative to fund large-scale agricultural projects, which helped members navigate the dramatic agricultural transformations of the early twentieth century. Although the cooperative advocated a progressive program of business-minded, scientific farming, its leadership modified programs to reflect farmer members’ limited resources and the realities of mountain production. As a result, the co-op provided a crucial bridge between white farmers and new methods of agricultural production that reached deep into peoples’ familial and productive …

Farm Shops: A Direct-To-Consumer Extended Season Opportunity, Kynda R. Curtis, Emily Rice, Susan L. Slocum, Karin E. Allen

All Current Publications

This fact sheet discusses the impact of the expanding food tourism and local food movements on the demand for locally-produced goods, how farms shops can cater to that demand, the advantages and disadvantages of farms shops for both growers and consumers, and best practice suggestions for operating farm shops.

Targeting Farmers' Markets In Utah: Understanding Fresh Produce Pricing, Kynda R. Curtis, Karli Salisbury, Ruby Ward, Carrie Durward

All Current Publications

This fact sheet focuses primarily on farmers’ market price comparisons to assist fresh produce growers in determining which produce varieties have the highest premiums, the range of prices they can expect, and any considerations for production method, seasonality and market location. This information will be useful for growers as they develop production plans and a marketing strategy, including varieties and farmers’ market locations that may be most profitable.

Does Consumer Knowledge Of Organic Production Standards Influence Demand For Organic And Non-Gmo Labeled Foods?, Tatiana Drugova, Kynda R. Curtis

All Current Publications

This fact sheet summarizes a study conducted on consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for organic and non-GMO labels alone and in combination for bread and cookies, and how consumer knowledge that organic is non-GMO and overall organic knowledge of organic standards impacts WTP.

Evaluation Of Herd Size Management Strategies, Colson A. Tester

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is comprised of two studies examining the effects of price signal based herd size management strategies on profitability of cow-calf operations. Herd size management strategies were evaluated across the previous two cattle cycles, 1990-2014, using a fixed land resource and included a variety of production scenarios. These scenarios varied in terms of stocking rates, fertilizer applications rates, and calving season. Each scenario was also analyzed both with and without weather effects on forage production. Weather effects were simulated using a production index derived from satellite imagery across the observed 25-year period. Three herd size management strategies: i) constant …

Comprehensive Poultry Supply Chain Model With Vertical And Horizontal Linkages: Implication Of Domestic And International Shocks, Hakan Unveren

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

According to USDA FAS, in 2017, the US was the largest broiler-producing country with 18.696 million metric tons and the second largest exporter of broiler products with 3.075 million metric tons (Brazil is the largest exporter with 3.847 million metric tons). Thus, around 83% of US production is consumed domestically. According to USITC, chickens are the most important protein source in the US, and Americans consume more chicken per capita than any other country. However, while the broiler industry is a key segment of US agriculture, it is underserved by large-scale supply-chain and trade models.

In this study, to fill …

Western Australian Sheep Producer Survey 2018, Mandy Curnow, Janet Conte

Animal production and livestock published reports

This survey was commissioned in 2018 by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), following earlier surveys in 2011 and 2014 conducted as part of national producer surveys for the Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Innovation (Sheep CRC). This report is therefore able to analyse respondents’ flock management over time.

The surveys were conducted by telephone with producers who had more than 500 sheep and were located in the Medium Rainfall Zone (MRZ) or Cereal Sheep Zone (CSZ). The sample sizes for the 2011, 2014 and 2018 surveys were 369, 368 and 389 respectively.

Implications Of Rice Cultivar Selection To Optimize Returns From Crop Insurance, David Ethan Branscum

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rice production differs from most other field crops by distinct differences in yields across cultivars and rice producers being paid for yield after post-harvest milling. Using eleven years (2003-2013) of Arkansas harvest data from performance trials in six different locations, hybrids have 19% higher paddy yields and head rice yield rate 1.7% lower than conventional cultivars. Given the 2014 Farm Bill’s emphasis on crop insurance as a risk management tool for producers, these variations in yield among cultivars have significant implications for rice producers. Comparing national level, crop insurance data on corn, soybeans and rice indicates rice producers strongly prefer …

Untangling The Economic And Social Impediments To Producer Adoption Of Organic Wheat, Donya L. Ralph-Quarnstrom

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Consumer demand for organic products has shown double-digit growth in recent years encouraging the development of a wider range of goods (Greene, 2017). Americans with an annual household income under $30,000 actively purchase organic foods at nearly the same rate as households with over $75,000 in annual incomes, 42% versus 49% (Greene et al., 2017). Previous research observed the adoption of organic farming practices on a combination of different grains, fruits and vegetables, meat, and dairy products from across the globe. However, this is the first study to examine the adoption of organic wheat in the Western U.S. By addressing …

Optimization Of The Light Environment For Broiler Chickens, Douglas J. Aldridge

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The use of artificial light sources has been necessitated by the use of fully enclosed rearing facilities for improved environmental control. Light Emitting Diodes (LED) have been developed as a light source that reduce the utilities required to provide equal light to that of incandescent sources. The following reports were carried out to investigate the effects of two light color temperatures, light intensity and light intensity gradients on broiler chicken production and behavior. The first investigation consisting of two consecutive trials investigated the effect of two light color temperatures (2700 K and 5000 K) in addition to the preference for …

George Finley Ledger 20, George Finley

Deeply Rooted

This item has been aggregated as part of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL)'s "Deeply Rooted: The Agricultural & Rural History of the American South" project.

George Finley Ledger 16, George Finley

Deeply Rooted

This item has been aggregated as part of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL)'s "Deeply Rooted: The Agricultural & Rural History of the American South" project.

George Finley Ledger 15, George Finley

Deeply Rooted

This item has been aggregated as part of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL)'s "Deeply Rooted: The Agricultural & Rural History of the American South" project.

George Finley Ledger 10, George Finley

Deeply Rooted

This item has been aggregated as part of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL)'s "Deeply Rooted: The Agricultural & Rural History of the American South" project.

George Finley Ledger 8, George Finley

Deeply Rooted

This item has been aggregated as part of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL)'s "Deeply Rooted: The Agricultural & Rural History of the American South" project.

George Finley Ledger 7, George Finley

Deeply Rooted

This item has been aggregated as part of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL)'s "Deeply Rooted: The Agricultural & Rural History of the American South" project.

George Finley Ledger 6, George Finley

Deeply Rooted

This item has been aggregated as part of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL)'s "Deeply Rooted: The Agricultural & Rural History of the American South" project.

George Finley Ledger 5, George Finley

Deeply Rooted

This item has been aggregated as part of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL)'s "Deeply Rooted: The Agricultural & Rural History of the American South" project.

Nebraska Strong - Social Capital In Action, Marilyn R. Schlake

Cornhusker Economics

We have heard it and we have witnessed it in action. Nebraska Strong has been a unifying message that is bringing Nebraskans, friends and family together from across the nation. Signifying strength, determination, and a resolve to rebuild, Nebraska Strong has bolstered communities and individuals who have, in some cases, lost all semblance of what they had prior to the disastrous March blizzard and floods. Through this simple message, individuals have begun to utilize their social group networks or social capital to support recovery efforts.

Through the study of communities that have experienced major disasters, researchers found the existence of …

The Impact Of Different Data Processing Methods On Site-Specific Management Recommendation, Taro Mieno, Joe D. Luck, Zhengzheng Gao

Cornhusker Economics

Precision agriculture has the potential to enhance farming profitability substantially via site-specific management of fields. One of the promising ways of generating such profitability-enhancing input is to a use recommendation map is on-farm randomized trials. The process of generating an input (say nitrogen) using a recommendation map typically involves the following steps:

1. Design and implement randomized input use trial

2. Collect yield data along with other field characteristics (Slope, Electrical Conductivity, and Organic Matter)

3. Process the data for statistical analysis

4. Conduct regression analysis to estimate production function (how the input affect crop yield)

5. For each of …

Evaluating Opinions Of Kentucky’S Agri-Science Educators On Climate Change, Emily Cook

Scholars Week

Climate Change is the significant long term changes in the weather and temperatures on a large scale and is seen globally. Scientists have been studying the effects of Climate Change on the planet for decades; foreseeing problems of the future. Global Warming has been escalating over the past hundred years with the amount of Carbon Dioxide gases rising into to atmosphere at an alarming rate. Agri-Science Educators across Kentucky are teaching the topics of Climate Change and Global Warming and this research intends to find the truth and variances in their knowledge. Twenty educators from across the state of Kentucky …

The Role Of Insured Bushels And Pre-Harvest Hedging For An Eastern Nebraska County Under Rain-Fed Growing Conditions, Cory Walters, Richard Preston

Cornhusker Economics

At the beginning of the crop year crop producers face unknown yields and prices resulting in a large range of end of season (fall) net income. Producers can chose to participate in risk management tools, resulting in a reshaping of the fall net income distribution. Two of the most common tools are crop insurance and pre-harvest hedging (hereafter referred to as hedging). The most common crop insurance policy sold today is Revenue Protection (RP) where both yield and prices are insured. RP policy represents an intriguing crop insurance contract since it not only insures against price declines between spring and …

Nebraska Women In Agriculture “Take Charge Of Change”, Jessica J. Groskopf

Cornhusker Economics

A crowd of almost 300 gathered together Feb. 21 and 22 in Kearney, Nebraska for the 34th Annual Nebraska Women in Agriculture Conference, with the theme “Take Charge of Change.”

The conference is one of the longest-running women's conferences of its kind in the country. The goal of the Nebraska Women in Agriculture Conference is for women to build relationships with each other while gaining valuable knowledge about managing risk on their farms and ranches. The event featured 4 general session speakers and over 30 workshop sessions.

The keynote speaker this year was Marji Guyler- Alaniz, President and Founder of …

Impact Of Selected Financial Measures On The Term Debt Repayment Ability Of Illinois Grain Farms, Samuel Awortwe Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

A clear and accurate assessment of the financial performance of a farm business is an important component of financial management at any time but becomes even more crucial in periods of economic downturn in the farm sector. Farmers continue to increase their debt even though the prices of commodities are low, and the prices of inputs are high (Krapf, Raab, & Zwilling, 2017). In addition, high family living expenses can also place financial pressure on farms (Scott, 2016). This study focused on identifying and estimating the impact of key factors which included financial measures and family living expenses on the …

Market Impacts Of A Meat Tax, Regan Gilmore, Azzeddine Azzam

Cornhusker Economics

Over time, animal activists and environmentalists have made calls to put a tax on meat. What effect would that have? To find out, we estimated the impacts that a retail-level greenhouse gas (GHG) tax on meat would have on livestock and grain markets.

The research used a multi-market economic model that integrates the beef, pork, and poultry markets with the corn, distillers' grain, soybean, soymeal, and ethanol markets. For GHG taxes, we used those provided by Springman et al. based on a emission price (social cost) of $52 per metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent estimated by EPA. Emissions by …

Nebraska Farm Real Estate Values Continue Gradual Declines In 2019, Jim Jansen, Jeffrey Stokes

Cornhusker Economics

The market value of agricultural land in Nebraska declined by three percent over the prior year to an average of $2,650 per acre according to the 2019 Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey (Figure 1 and Table 1). This marks the fifth consecutive year of downward pressure as market values have dropped approximately 20 percent since reaching a high of $3,315 in 2014.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Agricultural Economics annually surveys Nebraska land professionals including appraisers, farm and ranch managers, and agricultural bankers. Results from the survey are divided by land class and summarized by the eight Agricultural …

Things To Consider Before Co-Signing A Loan, J. David Aiken

Cornhusker Economics

Parents co-signing loans for their children is common in agriculture. This usually happens when the child needs a loan to purchase land, livestock, or farm equipment. Lenders are more willing to make the loan to a beginning producer if the parents co-sign. This means the parents promise to repay the loan if the younger producer cannot. Parents have been doing this as a way to help their kids get started in agriculture for decades. If the child turns out to be an effective producer, the risk of the parents being on the hook for the unpaid loan balance is pretty …

Improving Access To Clean Water Through Service Learning, Rachel E. Gehr, Tolu Odimayomi, Carolina Tornesi Mackinnon

Engagement & Service-Learning Summit

No abstract provided.