Agricultural Economics Commons^™

Insect Population Dynamics, Varietal Preference And Performance Of Organic Bio-Pesticides, Anitha Chitturi, Jeanine Davis, Margaret Bloomquist, Franklin Quarcoo, Kokoasse Kpomblekou-A, Desmond Mortley

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

Organic farming prohibits use of synthetic agrochemicals and encourages use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) methods. States in the Southeastern US generally lag behind the rest of the country in organic vegetable production partly because of high insect pressures that make it difficult to grow vegetables without pesticides. This study on summer squash (Cucurbita pepo), grown using organic management practices, was conducted at a research station located in Mills River, North Carolina. The objectives of the study were to assess insect population dynamics and to evaluate performance of three OMRI-approved bio-pesticides: Azadirachtin, Pyrethrin and Spinosad against major …

A Retrospective Study Of Epa's Record Of Decision Report On The Woolfolk Arsenic And Lead Contamination In Fort Valley, Georgia, Ovigueroye L. Ojarikre, Oreta Samples, Jacques Surrency

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

Heavy metal contamination is a major anthropogenic challenge in communities with heavy presence of chemical industries. Most of the contamination is due to the improper disposal of chemical waste. The study involved the evaluation of the levels of arsenic and lead regarding remediation activities carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It compared the results of the EPA’s 1993 soil analysis of arsenic and lead, and a subsequent soil analysis of the same mapped areas. It also covered the evaluation of the level of arsenic dust in the attics of residential properties and evaluation of the EPA’s record …

Production Period Of Different Browse Species Suitable For Grazing Small Ruminants, Bidur Paneru, Uma Karki, Shailes Bhattrai, Nevershi Ellis

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

Browse (shrubs, trees, and vines) species are important sources of feed for small ruminants in Alabama and many other states of the U.S. Information on the production period of these species is important to prepare a year-round grazing plan to utilize them well. The objective of the study was to determine the leaf-shedding time of common browse species suitable for small ruminants. This study was conducted at the Atkins Agroforestry and Browse Research and Demonstration Site of Tuskegee University, Alabama. Ten samples of each browse species were tagged, and leaf-yellowing and leaf-fall data collected using photoplots every 14 days …

The Difference Between Maximum Profit And Maximum Production, Matthew Stockton

Cornhusker Economics

Nitrogen fertilizer (N) is commonly used as a production input to increase crop yields. It is included as one of the six Testing Ag Performance Solutions (UNL TAPS) program decision choices and contributes much to productivity as well as costs. Its use however is not without controversy. The over-application of N gets into the groundwater and nearby waterways becoming a pollutant. Excessive use does little or nothing to increase revenue but can inflate costs, thereby reducing profit. For these reasons and others, using the right amount of N has become a popular and important topic among those that use and/or …

Wasatch Front Preventative Capital Study, Arthur Caplan, Ramjee Acharya

Browse all Datasets

We address the issue of optimal investment in “preventative capital” to mitigate episodic, mobile-source air pollution events in Utah’s Wasatch Front region. We calibrate Berry et al.'s (2015) endogenous-risk model using a unique dataset related to the region’s "red air day" episodes occurring over the past decade. Our analysis demonstrates that, under a wide range of circumstances, the optimal steady-state level of preventative capital stock – raised through the issuance of a municipal “clean air bond” that can be used to fund more aggressive mitigation efforts – meets the standard for PM2.5 concentrations with positive social net benefits. We estimate …

The Role Of Farm Size In Crop Insurance, Sankalp Sharma, Cory Walters

Cornhusker Economics

The role of farm size in crop insurance has been a reoccurring U.S. political issue with multiple attempts at legislation proposing to limit premium subsidies to large producers. For instance, in 2015 bill S.2244, amongst other items, proposed to cap crop insurance premium subsidies at $40,000 per year1. The most recent attempt was made by the current administration in mid-2017, where they introduced the same premium subsidy cap of $40,000 per year. The first mention of the $40,000 figure emerged from a report sanctioned by the Government Accountability Office in 2012 (GAO-14-700, 2014)2. Eventually no premium subsidy caps were included …

Stakeholders’ Perceptions Of Geographical Criteria For Loblolly Pine Management For Bioenergy Production In Virginia, Meghann Smith, Gia Nguyen, Taylor Wieczerak, Bernabas Wolde, Pankaj Lal, John Munsell

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study analyzed the perceptions of four stakeholder groups (forest landowners, private forest consultants, forest management researchers or educators, and federal or state agency foresters), regarding their management practices and preferred geographic growing conditions of loblolly pine in Virginia by combining AHP (analytical hierarchy process) and regression modeling. By ranking the importance of different geographical conditions for managing loblolly pine, we aimed to identify ways to support loblolly growth as a potential feedstock for biofuel generation. We achieved this through collecting survey responses from 43 stakeholders during the 2019 Virginia Forestry Summit. The results showed that the landowner, researcher/educator, and …

Potential Economic Impact Of The Goshen/Gering-Ft. Laramie Tunnel Collapse, Jessica J. Groskopf

Cornhusker Economics

Goshen and Scotts Bluff Counties reside in the High Plains and receive less than 16 inches of average annual precipitation. This low precipitation makes surface-water irrigation a critical component of modern agriculture in this area. Farmers in these counties produce irrigated alfalfa hay, corn, sugar beets, and dry edible beans, as well as other hay and crops.

Surface-water refers to water derived from melted snow that is delivered through a series of dams and canals from the mountains of Colorado and Wyoming along the North Platte River. This infrastructure, often referred to as “The North Platte Project,” was built by …

Ag Lenders Panel Provides Insight Into Beef Systems Initiative, Jay Parsons, D. D. Redfearn, Mary E. Drewnoski

Cornhusker Economics

In 2017, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agricultural and Natural Resources (IANR) and Nebraska Extension made a commitment to implement a multidisciplinary Beef Systems Initiative (BSI). The BSI is administered by the Center for Grassland Studies and is comprised of six projects designed to develop and support the implementation of beef production systems that optimize feed resource use, natural resource conservation, and producer success in Nebraska through improved management of perennial grasslands and systems of integrated crop-beef cattle production. In addition to the BSI, a parallel project funded by the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) is studying …

Managing Farm/Ranch Transfer To Next Generation, Allan Vyhnalek

Cornhusker Economics

The first step to have the next generation come back to the farm or ranch is to get them there. The next step is to keep them there. This requires thought about how to transfer management and ownership of the operation over a period of time. Four phases of transfer have been identified and are discussed in this article.

The first phase is Testing. Before transferring management and ownership, the current owner needs to feel like the younger generation is ‘tested’ or able to effectively help with the operation. One older farmer said to me, “I think my sons want …

Precision Agriculture Gis Technologies For Mississippi, 1st. Edition, Amelia A.A. Fox

CALS Publications

Precision agriculture is meant to improve on-farm efficiency in hopes of ultimately increasing profitability while also protecting the environment. However, this difficult process almost always includes the proper management and interpretation of data. Therefore, it is imperative that those individuals involved in making such decisions are educated on these processes. In a data-driven world, this textbook is a great resource for those wanting to learn how to utilize their data in hopes of making better informed on-farm decisions.

Impact Of Pesticide Regulation On Innovation In The United States And European Union, Brooke D. Schafer

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Accounting For Risk: Agricultural Land Leases And Natural Disasters, Jim Jansen, Jeffrey Stokes

Cornhusker Economics

According to recent findings from the USDA Agricultural and Resource Management Survey, agricultural land rent totaled $2.44 billion in Nebraska for 2018. The survey found rent as the third largest farm and ranch production expense (USDANASS 2019). Natural disasters limiting the ability of farmers or ranchers to fully utilize rented land pose a financial risk to these operators.

The 2019 floods and related natural disasters lave left many landlords and tenants across Nebraska wondering how resulting damages will influence their agricultural properties . Contractual lease arrangements may have not fully accounted for these natural disasters. This article provides guidance on …

2018 Nebraska Top Efficient Farms, Tina N. Barrett

Cornhusker Economics

A quarter doesn’t buy much these days so it’s easy to dismiss the value, but when 25 cents is what separates the cost of production per bushel of corn between two groups, the difference in net return starts to add up.

In 2018 the net farm income average of all farms included in the Nebraska Farm Business, Inc. group was $94,121. That was a surprisingly high number, but when compared to the net income of $261,059 for the group called the Top Efficient Farms, it shows there is a significant difference. The Top Efficient Farms group is a selection of …

Subsurface Mimo: A Beamforming Design In Internet Of Underground Things For Digital Agriculture Applications, Abdul Salam

Computer Information Technology Faculty Publications

In underground (UG) multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), the transmit beamforming is used to focus energy in the desired direction. There are three different paths in the underground soil medium through which the waves propagates to reach at the receiver. When the UG receiver receives a desired data stream only from the desired path, then the UG MIMO channel becomes three path (lateral, direct, and reflected) interference channel. Accordingly, the capacity region of the UG MIMO three path interference channel and degrees of freedom (multiplexing gain of this MIMO channel requires careful modeling). Therefore, expressions are required for the degree of …

Effects Of Late Gestation Supplementation And Creep Feeding On Spring Calving Beef Cows In The Nebraska Sandhills, Devin Lynn Broadhead

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The objectives of this research were to 1) evaluate the effects of late gestation supplementation, synchronization and creep feeding on cow and calf production traits 2) evaluate the pooled effects of 5 studies involving late gestation supplementation on cow and calf traits. Experiment 1 was a three year study conducted on 8 pastures at the Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory. Cows were assigned to 1 of 4 late-gestation supplementation treatments, postpartum progestin or control, and 1 of 2 creep feed treatments to make up a 4 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. Calves were followed through to slaughter.

Experiment 2 involved 5 …

Assessing The Economic Viability Of Arkansas Farms Under The 2018 Farm Bill, Grant Wilson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For over a century, the American agricultural industry has relied on federal government support to aid in the maintenance and expansion of farming operations. Since 1933, a series of 18 farm bills have shaped agricultural policy into what is commonly known as the agricultural safety net. The 2018 farm bill was passed on December 20, 2018 and is the most recent update of the agricultural safety net. Commodity programs and federal crop insurance are two key components of today’s agricultural safety net, and many times, these programs may be the difference between a net loss and a positive net income …

Evaluation And Enhancement Of Carbon Sequestration Potential Of Existing Vegetation Along Roadsides, Vikram Kapoor, Jeffrey Hutchinson, Samer Dessouky

Data

Corresponding data set for Tran-SET Project No. 18HSTSA01. Abstract of the final report is stated below for reference:

"The objectives of this study were to evaluate the vegetative composition and carbon sequestration potential of vegetation along a major roadway in Texas. Soil and vegetation were evaluated along IH-35 within Bexar County for composition and carbon content. Three 20 m transects were placed at each site and percent vegetative cover was estimated and above ground plant biomass, and soil was collected from three 0.25 m2 subplots along each transect. Plant and soil samples were analyzed for carbon content. Two non-native grasses, …

Ag Lease Termination And Hunting Rights, J. David Aiken

Cornhusker Economics

There are many questions regarding the differences between written and unwritten agricultural land leases for cropland and for pasture. This Q&A explores some of the more important differences, focusing on lease termination requirements and the status of hunting rights on leased cropland and pasture. How are cropland leases terminated in Nebraska? That depends on the type of cropland lease. If it is a written lease, the lease terminates according to its terms. If the lease does not address how the lease is terminated, it automatically terminates without notice on the last day of the lease (no six- months notice requirement). …

Do Consumers Who Prefer Gluten-Free Also Prefer Organic?, Tatiana Drugova, Kynda R. Curtis

All Current Publications

This fact sheet summarizes results of an online survey that examined consumer preferences for labels on bread and cookies, focusing on the preferences for organic and gluten-free labels and how they relate to the consumer wheat/gluten intolerance/avoidance.

Estimating Demand Elasticities For Rice In Benin, Ogoudele Simon Codjo

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rice consumption in Benin is increasing along with shifting consumer demand toward higher quality rice. In this context of changing demands, experimental estimation methods provide an effective way to estimate the current state of consumer preferences. We conducted a hypothetical choice experiment in 15 open markets in Benin to analyze the demand for rice and its substitutes. The results reveal that consumers value quality rice, even those in the low-income class. While high income consumers are more likely to choose high quality imported rice, low- and middle-income consumers are more likely to select high quality domestic rice among the set …

Poultry Labeling: Knowledge, Perceptions, And Preferences Among Adolescents, Eleni L. Parsons

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge, perceptions, and preferences of adolescents in regard to the labeling of poultry products. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) and Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) were used to display the relationship of perceptions, attitude, and behavior intentions. Quantitative data was collected in a descriptive research design. The population included youth, aged 14 – 18 years, involved in the Arkansas 4-H State O’Rama competition (N = 400). The sample (n = 80) ensured a 90% confidence interval of the population. Data was collected by administering paper surveys that addressed four product labels …

The Economic Evaluation Of Input Use Prescription Maps: Are You Paying To Make Less Profit?, Grant Edward Gardner

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

Variable Rate Prescriptions used by farmers to apply agricultural inputs are largely privatized and are normally seen only by the farmer that applies the prescription and the consultants whom create the prescription maps. Farmers need a way to evaluate the prescriptions that are being applied to fields. This paper explores modeling techniques which could be applied by farmers to determine the profitability of a particular consultant. Regression modeling is used on field trials which have been divided into site-specific management zones (SSMZ) based on a consultant’s variable rate prescriptions. Production functions are created for each management zone. The production functions …

Which Credence Production Attributes Do Consumers Prefer? The Case Of Milk, Emmanouil Petrakis

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

The interest of consumers for non-traditional food production attributes like antibiotics free and animal welfare have made consumer preferences more complex. These new attributes, usually non-identifiable by inspection or experience of the product are called credence attributes. The objectives of this study are to analyze consumer preferences for milk production attributes by eliciting the relative importance of these attributes for consumers, and to identify possible sources of heterogeneity related to consumer characteristics and actual purchase data. The research method used to elicit consumer preferences is Paired Comparison Method. Consumers from California and Texas were administered the online survey questionnaire in …

Evaluation And Enhancement Of Carbon Sequestration Potential Of Existing Vegetation Along Roadsides, Vikram Kapoor, Jeffrey Hutchinson, Samer Dessouky

Publications

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the vegetative composition and carbon sequestration potential of vegetation along a major roadway in Texas. Soil and vegetation were evaluated along IH-35 within Bexar County for composition and carbon content. Three 20 m transects were placed at each site and percent vegetative cover was estimated and above ground plant biomass, and soil was collected from three 0.25 m2 subplots along each transect. Plant and soil samples were analyzed for carbon content. Two non-native grasses, bermudagrass and King Ranch bluestem, were the dominant cover at all sites accounting for > 90% coverage at several …

Essays In Microeconomics, Teng Ma

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three essays of different topics in microeconomics.

Chapter 1 investigates the effect of environmental uncertainty over the issue of resource allocation in a common pool resources setting. This chapter provides a model of how agents allocate resource among abatement technology, production, and saving with an endogenously determined uncertain damage. The results of a laboratory experiment show a negative effect of uncertain damage on abatement technology adoption and a non-linear relationship between the investment in abatement technology and the self reported risk aversion. Contrary to the “common belief” that greater risk averse agents invest more in abatement …

The Value Of Grazed Corn Residue For Crop And Cattle Producers, Jay Parsons, D. D. Redfearn, Mary E. Drewnoski

Cornhusker Economics

The Western Corn Belt has historically been corn and wheat cropping systems with cattle integrated on nearby grasslands. Recent agricultural production data ranked Nebraska, South Dakota, Kansas, and North Dakota in the top 10 states for both corn and beef cattle production in the United States. In 2017, these four states had about 20% of the beef cow inventory in the United States with Nebraska alone having 1.9 million beef cows (USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2018). Forage-based livestock production is a fundamental component of these agricultural economies. However, a large quantity of grasslands in this region were converted into …

2019 Nebraska Property Tax Issues, J. David Aiken

Cornhusker Economics

Nebraska property taxes are the tenth highest in the United States, sales taxes are the ninth lowest, and both income taxes and total state taxes are in the middle. Property taxes account for 38% of total state and local tax collections in Nebraska, the highest of any tax. Sales taxes are 29% of total tax collections, and income taxes are 26%. If property taxes, sales taxes and income taxes were equalized as sources of state and local revenue, property taxes would need to be reduced over $600 million.

Sixty percent of property taxes go to K-12 education funding. Nebraska state …

The World Is In Better Shape Than Most People Think, E. Wesley F. Peterson

Cornhusker Economics

Steven Pinker (2018, page 40) reports that “… large majorities in eleven developed countries said ‘the world is getting worse’ and in most of the last forty years a solid majority of Americans have said the country is ‘heading in the wrong direction.’” Recent polls conducted by the Pew Research Center show that Americans are pessimistic about the future (Gramlich, 2019) and that around the world many people are dissatisfied with the way democracy works in their countries (Wike et al., 2019). According to Twenge (2019), the level of happiness in the United States has been trending down for the …

The Economic Evaluation Of Input Use Prescription Maps: Are You Paying To Make Less Profit?, Taro Mieno, Grant Gardner

Cornhusker Economics

Technological advances in data collection and analysis engines have made variable rate input use application much more common. Producers typically purchase software that produces site-specific prescription maps or purchase maps from consultants. The process of generating prescriptions maps is typically black-box, i.e. the process is unknown. Does using these purchased maps lead to more profits for producers?

This article discusses a method of verifying the economic profitability of site-specific prescription maps using an on-farm field experiment and statistical and economic analysis. A 76-acre field in Crawford County, Ohio is used for the study.

The maps on the following page are …