Agricultural Economics Commons^™

The Evolving Changes In The Regionalization Of Export Bans On U.S. Poultry Trade From The 2015 And 2022 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Events, Kylie A. Roesler

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As food security becomes a growing concern worldwide in a trading system dominated by globalization, the safeguarding of a bio-secure food system is at risk. One of the greatest risks to this stability of the system is, highly pathogenic avian influenza or HPAI which is growing in frequency and impact. Therefore, the global response to disease events is evolving into a newfound understanding of disease prevalence across the animal protein industries. This study will analyze the 2022 HPAI event in the United States regarding the regionalization of restrictions imposed by trading partners accounting for trade agreements executed. The examination of …

Understanding Pre-Harvest Hedging Behavior And Basis Forecasting: The Role Of Information In Grain Marketing, Iyore Eronmwon

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation examines decision-making under risk in grain marketing, focusing on how information influences behavior, attitudes toward accessible information, and methods for forecasting commodity basis. Through three essays, it explores the impact of information on hedging decisions, the determinants of information-seeking behavior, the extent to which students can serve as proxies for farmers in risk experiments, and the effectiveness of different forecasting approaches for commodity basis.

The first essay examines the impact of information on pre-harvest grain marketing hedging decisions and grain marketing information-seeking behavior. Specifically, it evaluates two types of information hypothesized to influence decision-making: expected cost of production …

Livestock Risk Protection Basis Risk For Feeder Cattle, Bryce Anderson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent government subsidies make livestock risk protection (LRP) insurance an affordable price risk management tool for many U.S. cattle producers. LRP insurance triggers a loss when the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Feeder Cattle Index falls below the selected coverage price. The CME Feeder Cattle Index is a 7-day weighted average of feeder cattle prices in 12 states. This paper determines if LRP policy holders who produce feeder cattle in states whose feeder cattle prices are not included in the CME Feeder Cattle Index are exposed to excess basis risk. To do this, we use a hedonic regression model to determine …

Where Is Your Crop Insurance Agent? Understanding The Geographical Distribution Of Agents, Cory Walters, Nathan Delay

Cornhusker Economics

Following the modifications to the Standard Reinsurance Agreement (SRA) in 2010, there was limited understanding of the impact of policy changes on agent availability. Our objective is to construct a model of the equilibrium supply of crop insurance agents and to test hypotheses regarding the factors influencing agent concentration, such as commissions, competition, and risk. We developed a theoretical equilibrium model of the federal crop insurance market, which encompasses three tiers: insurance companies, agents, and farmers. The model incorporates key features of the federal program, including government-set premiums and the stipulation that agents cannot refuse coverage or modify premiums for …

Efficiency’S Role In Irrigation And Nitrogen Use, Matt Stockton, Shannon Sand

Cornhusker Economics

Summary

The WNIPI is a purely physical measure of I and N efficiency and was developed to determine efficiency winners in several TAPS contests. DRIN is a powerful tool in measuring the effectiveness of the dollars spent on I and N. It is a ratio of dollars returned as revenue in terms of dollars spent. The third measure, NRIN, is an overall measure of economic gain. It is the difference in money spent on I and N versus the revenue taken in and measures the volume of net returns. Both DRIN and the NRIN measure dollar effectiveness dependent on the …

Empowering Rural Communities: Unlocking Potential Through The Online Rural Economic & Community Vitality Graduate Certificate, Daniela Mattos

Cornhusker Economics

In today’s evolving economic landscape, rural Nebraska stands at a crossroads. While communities face challenges like population decline, job loss, and infrastructure needs, they also have enormous potential for growth, innovation, and resilience. The key to unlocking this potential lies in skilled, passionate leaders ready to shape the future.

The Rural Economic & Community Vitality (RECV) Graduate Certificate offered 100% online by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Department of Agricultural Economics, provides a powerful platform to do just that. This 12-credit, no-prerequisite program is designed for individuals eager to create real, lasting impact in rural communities—whether you're already working in …

Economic Considerations For The Transition To Organic Farming: Insights From The 2023 Conference, Asa B. Stone, Katja Koehler-Cole, Ronald Christian Stephenson

Cornhusker Economics

Introduction

The Transition to Organic Farming Conference, led by Katja Koehler-Cole and sponsored by the Nebraska Extension and the USDA-TOPP (Transition to Organic Partnership Program), aimed to equip farmers with the essential knowledge for effective agronomic management. Focusing on overcoming challenges related to soil fertility and weed control, the conference served as a platform for both education and community building. It provided crucial insights into the economic considerations faced by farmers transitioning to organic practices, underscoring the economic complexities and benefits associated with this transition. The conference highlighted the need for comprehensive support systems to aid farmers in making informed …

Water Holding Capacity Of Soil And Resilience To Drought, Taro Mieno

Cornhusker Economics

For the past two years, I have been involved in an NSF-funded research project titled “RII Track-2 FEC: Supporting Rural Livelihoods in the Water-Stressed Central High Plains.” The overarching goal of this project is to evaluate the potential of microbials and biochar to enhance soil water holding capacity (hereafter, WHC), thereby improving drought resilience in crop production and reducing irrigation demand to slow aquifer depletion. Visit the project website for more details. A key component of this research is assessing the economic viability of these interventions, a task for which I am responsible.

To understand the economic benefits of increasing …

Consumer Perceptions Of Hemp-Fed Aquaculture, Jillian Hyink, Brandon R. Mcfadden, Saroj Adhikari, Brandy E. Phipps, Tyler Mark, Waldemar Rossi, Craig Schluttenhofer, Seong D. Yun

Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Global demand for seafood has increased significantly in recent decades and is projected to continue rising. Aquaculture production has increased in the United States and globally to meet this demand, offering a relatively sustainable supplement to wild fish supplies. However, increased production further strains natural populations of pelagic species used to make fishmeal and fish oil into feedstocks, raising production costs and introducing safety concerns associated with fish consumption. A potential alternative feed ingredient is hemp, which can provide a cost-effective and nutritious feed for carnivorous fish. Moreover, hemp could meet the requirements for the final product to carry a …

Vitamin A Fortification: Key Factors And Considerations For Effective Implementation, Joohun Han, Alvaro Durand-Morat, Khondoker Abdul Mottaleb

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Vitamin A fortification plays a crucial role in achieving long-term economic development in developing countries by supporting the growth and development of human capital. While fortification programs involve a range of nutritional, agricultural, economic, and political considerations, there is a lack of a comprehensive overview of the topic in the literature. Our review highlights the importance of holistic approach in designing fortification programs: the effective program should consider (a) the agronomic, economic, and administrative capability of the target regions in regard of fortification method and vehicle to maximize effectiveness; (b) strategies to ensure the producers' and consumers' adoption to enhance …

Novel Approaches To Analyze Consumer Behavior And Policies To Promote Sustainable Consumption, Bhagyashree Katare, Xuejian Wang, Shuoli Zhao, Jacqueline Yenerall

Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Technological advancements, such as online grocery shopping, have significantly transformed consumer retail environments and experiences. Effectively studying consumer behavior in these new environments requires the use of novel methodological approaches, which will also aid in developing interventions to encourage sustainable consumption. This paper begins by providing an overview of the current literature on novel approaches to analyzing consumer behavior, then provides an empirical application by examining consumer decision-making pathways within an online grocery shopping platform. Specifically, the paper focuses on exploring the consumers’ digital footprints, such as page visits, product additions and removals, and interactions with information labels to identify …

Growing South Dakota (Spring 2025), College Of Agriculture, Food And Environmental Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

[Page] 2 Keeping South Dakota's food supply safe
[Page] 6 Controlling environmental listeria
[Page] 8 Inaugural 2+2 vet program class graduates
[Page] 10 Faculty honored for excellence
[Page] 12 New leader for agronomy, horticulture, plant science
[Page] 14 Students spend spring break in South Africa
[Page] 16 Hadacek offers advice to fellow graduates
[Page] 17 Park Interpretation and Management Club starts
[Page] 18 On the front lines with invasive species
[Page] 22 Director Karla Trautman retires
[Page] 24 Helping navigate precision ag
[Page] 26 Growing bigger, better beef
[Page] 28 Jackrabbits Then and Now

Additionality Of Solar Tax Incentives Under Community Choice Aggregation In Ohio, Michael L. Smith, Carson Reeling, Michael D. Wilcox

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

In the State of Ohio, the electric regulatory landscape permits local governments to become energy suppliers to residents and small businesses through community choice aggregation (CCA). Some CCAs provide enrollees 100% renewable electricity. Concurrently, the federal government offers an income tax credit (ITC) for the purchase of a solar array. With policy incentives, it is important to ensure they encourage behavior beyond the baseline scenario without the ITC. This is known as “additionality.” Renewable aggregation programs may crowd out the benefits of the ITC, violating additionality. This paper assesses additionality of the ITC in the context of Ohio’s CCA programs. …

Nebraska Women In Agriculture Conference Marks 40 Years, Lindsey Mckeever, Sarah Sivits, Jessica J. Groskopf

Cornhusker Economics

The Nebraska Women in Agriculture program marked 40 years of educating and empowering females in farming, ranching, and agribusiness, with nearly 370 people attending its annual conference on February 20 and 21, 2025, in Kearney.

Racial Differences In Knowledge, Attitudes Toward Vaccination, And Risk Practices Around Lyme Disease In The United States, Madiha Shafquat, Niyati Patel, Brandon Mcfadden, James H. Stark, L. Hannah Gould

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction Lyme disease (LD) incidence in the United States is highly regional, with most cases occurring in 16 high-incidence jurisdictions. LD incidence and severity of disease have been found to vary by race. This study describes racial differences in knowledge, attitudes toward vaccination, and risk practices related to LD.Methods Four web-based surveys were conducted with adults and caregivers of children in high-incidence jurisdictions and 10 states neighboring them. Respondents were recruited via an established online panel to represent the general population. Self-reported race was pooled into 3 categories: 'White', 'Black or African American', and 'Other' for analysis. Analyses were conducted …

Nebraska Beef Cow Breeding Herd As Capital Stock, Richard Perrin, Margarida Noelia De Aguiar Cunha Souza, Lilyan E. Fulginiti

Cornhusker Economics

Throughout her lifetime, the capital stock value of a cow first rises as the size/quality of calves increase, then declines because there are fewer calves expected over her remaining lifetime. The value later in life begins to rise in anticipation of culling value.

We estimate the age distribution of the Nebraska cow herd every year, then we estimate the capital value of each cohort. Adding these values across ages and adjusting to 2015 prices, we obtain the series of capital values, measured in terms of 2015 dollars.

In addition, we calculate the value of the annual flow of services provided …

2025 Nebraska Farmland Values And Cash Rental Rates, Jim Jansen

Cornhusker Economics

The market value of agricultural land in Nebraska declined by 2% over the prior year to an average of $3,935 per acre, according to the 2025 Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey. This marks the first decline in the market value of agricultural land in Nebraska since reaching the record non-inflation-adjusted statewide land value in the survey's 46-year history in 2024.

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

Gendered Differences In The Implementation Of A Rice-Based Enterprise Program In Sariaya, Quezon Province, Philippines, Imelda Dg Olvida, Nico Jayson C. Anastacio, Paul Jersey G. Leron

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

This study examined gendered differences in the experiences of local farmers in Sariaya, an agricultural municipality in Quezon Province, Philippines. Using the Harvard Analytical Framework, this paper aimed to provide insights into how gender influences the experiences of local farmers under the Rice Business Innovation System (RiceBIS) Community Program of the Department of Agriculture - Philippine Rice Research Institute (DAPhilRice). A qualitative approach was employed using data from focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Thematic analysis was used to identify emerging themes on the different gendered differences in the roles, resource access, needs, and challenges of local farmers in …

Understanding Dairy Livestock Farmers' Intention To Adopt Sociocultural Dynamics For Food Security Using The Theory Of Planned Behaviour, Paresh Kumar Sarma, Mohammad Jahanghir Alam, Samiha Sarwar, Sadika Haque, Golam Rabbani, Ismat Ara Begum, Andrew M. Mckenzie

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study examines the impact of socio-cultural dynamics (SCD) on food and nutrition security in dairy farming households. Recognizing the role of cultural practices, social networks, and access to resources in shaping food security, we emphasize the need to incorporate these factors into interventions for dairy farming. Using a systematic random sampling technique, we surveyed 400 households in the Rajbari District of Bangladesh in 2024 and analyzed the data using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM model). The results revealed a positive association between the intention to adopt socio-cultural dynamics and food …

Wayne E. Sabbe Arkansas Soil Fertility Studies 2024, Nathan A. Slaton

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Rapid technological changes in crop management and production require that the research efforts be presented in an expeditious manner. The contributions of soil fertility and fertilizers are major production factors in all Arkansas crops. The studies described within will allow producers to compare their practices with the university’s research efforts. Additionally, soil-test data and fertilizer sales are presented to allow comparisons among years, crops, and other areas within Arkansas.

Be Aware Of Basis Volatility When Using Price Risk Management For Calves And Feeder Cattle, Jay Parsons, Aaron Berger

Cornhusker Economics

Understanding basis volatility and the impact it has on the actual price received for calves or feeder cattle in relation to the CME Feeder Cattle Futures is important when considering price risk management opportunities. Currently, cattle markets are in a time frame where volatility appears to be like market conditions experienced in 2014 and 2015. These conditions should prompt producers to think through how basis volatility could impact the expected price they will receive for their calves or feeder cattle.

Consumer Acceptance Of Gene-Edited Food: The Role Of Knowledge, Trust, And Information, Anubrata Deka, Syed Imran Ali Meerza, Amalia Yiannaka

Cornhusker Economics

The research aims to assess consumer preferences and attitudes toward CRISPR applications in the food sector and estimate consumer willingness to pay for a food product developed using CRISPR technology to enhance food safety and confer health benefits. Additionally, the research assesses the impact of information provision on perceptions, attitudes and willingness to pay. Specifically, we consider the potential effect of both the nature of information provided (i.e., whether it emphasizes the differences between GM and CRISPR technology or not) and the delivery format (i.e., text versus video) used to present content-equivalent information. In this context, we also assess consumer …

The Employer/Employee Relationship: It’S More Than Just Hiring, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel

Cornhusker Economics

For some businesses this year, they may be thinking about hiring one or more new employees. This is a big decision. Initially, they may be thinking, “Can this business support another employee?” That could be the easy question. The harder questions could be, “How do I find a good employee, and then what do I need to do to retain them?”

These questions are at the top of the minds of businesses all across the country right now. The workplace environment is subtly changing with current trends impacting both employees and employers. In a recently published article by the …

Reconciling The Paradox Of Positive Profit And Negative Cash Flow, Timothy Meyer

Cornhusker Economics

One of the paradoxes of business that accrual accounting sorts out is the reconciliation between cash flow (liquidity) and profit. The rest of this article is a summary of a case study/example utilized in Farm and Ranch Management to explain how profits and cash flow can be opposite, how this can be analyzed, and how the concept of financial feasibility and investment analysis can be used to make strategic farm and ranch decisions.

Agricultural Drought Prediction From Multispectral Image Processing Using Deep Learning Models, Gowri L

Theses and Dissertations

Accurate and timely prediction of agricultural droughts is fundamental to the management of ecosystems, preservation of biodiversity, and environmental sustainability. It helps to reduce environmental exploitation, promotes eco-friendly irrigation techniques, and tackles climate change efficiently. Its social implications include food safety and financial stability through continuous rural employment. Drought prediction guarantees social progress and sustainability by ensuring zero hunger/poverty and effective water management. A multi-sensor image pre-processing framework that incorporates data from various satellite platforms like Landsat (30 metres), Sentinel-2 (10 metres, 20 metres, 30 metres), and MODIS (500 metres) is used to monitor and assess agricultural drought effectively.

Analysis …

An Intensified Cereal Push-Pull System Reduces Pest Infestation And Confers Yield Advantages In High-Value Vegetables, Frank Chidawanyika, Evanson R. Omuse, Lavender O. Agutu, Jimmy O. Pittchar, Dickens Nyagol, Zeyaur R. Khan

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Crop diversification is associated with ecosystem services that can improve yield. We integrated tomatoes and kales within the cereal push-pull technology (PPT), to form the vegetable integrated push-pull (VIPP), and explored the influence of these cropping systems on pest and disease management, and subsequent yield of the vegetables. Aphids and diamondback moths (DBM), the major pests in kale production, together with grasshoppers were consistently lower in the VIPP plots. Low incidences and damage by leafminers, whiteflies and fruitflies on tomatoes were observed in VIPP plots compared to plots of tomato intercropped with maize (control). The severity of black rot and …

Determinants Of Market Participation Among Milk Producers In Kyrgyzstan, Akhmadjon Nurullaev, Eunchun Park, Bruce L. Ahrendsen, Stijn Speelman, Lawson Connor

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Numerous studies have been conducted to comprehend the economic importance of market participation for producers. However, a significant gap remains, particularly in Central Asia. This study assesses market participation drivers for Kyrgyzstan's milk producers using the Life in Kyrgyzstan dataset, encompassing a comprehensive nationwide farm-level survey. Findings reveal that household assets boost market entry and sales volume, whereas distance from markets discourages participation but can increase sales for active sellers, reflecting transportation cost strategies. The insights inform policy interventions benefiting rural small-scale milk producers in Central Asian countries that share similar cultural backgrounds.

Lumpy Heterogeneity In Groundwater Service Values And Time Preferences, Kent F. Kovacs, Heather Snell, Brandon R. Mcfadden, Rodolfo M. Nayga Jr.

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

From a choice experiment about groundwater management, we consider time preferences and groundwater service values through sociodemographic characteristics using a model called the discounted latent class model. A policy-motivated latent class has a higher income, greater familiarity with an aquifer, and more concern for the risks that groundwater decline poses to people and the environment. A business-as-usual latent class has a conservative ideology. Exponential discounting is preferred, and the discount rate is larger for the policy group than the business-as-usual group. Other models we use include the discounted mixed logit model and the discounted logit-mixed logit model.

Online Media Sentiment Analysis Of Shrimp And Salmon In The United States, Jingjing Tao, Kwamena K. Quagrainie

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

There is a growing interest in the U.S. seafood and aquaculture market; however, studies utilizing online information to understand this market are limited. This study employs online media analytics to obtain insights into consumer perceptions and potential demand signals for shrimp and salmon in the U.S. Our results show that platform X is the preferred medium for shrimp and salmon discussions, with shrimp's physical quality and salmon's environmental impact being the two major perception drivers. Additionally, autoregressive modeling is conducted to explore the dynamics of net sentiments. Farmed shrimp and salmon consistently exhibit lower net sentiments compared to their wild …

Nebraska Crop Budgets Updated For 2025, Glennis Mcclure

Cornhusker Economics

For the 2025 production season, 83 crop budgets were developed for Nebraska. These budgets show slightly lower per-unit costs compared to 2023 and 2024. The primary factor behind the reduction in input costs is the lower estimated costs of fuel and fertilizer. In most cases, machinery depreciation and opportunity costs remained relatively stable, while land values and rental rates increased slightly. Additionally, seed and interest costs also rose in the 2025 budgets. Budget scenarios for individual producers may vary depending on the timing of their input purchases and fluctuations in prices.

The Nebraska crop budgets are updated annually to serve …