Agricultural and Resource Economics Commons^™

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 …

Sustaining A Biosecurity Response: What Makes An Effective And Contemporary Biosecurity ‘Combat’ Agency? Summary Report By The Biosecurity Council Of Western Australia, Biosecurity Council Of Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

The overall purpose of this work was to provide advice and guidance to the Minister for Agriculture and Food and Director General of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) on how the combined skills and resources of DPIRD can better sustain a high-level biosecurity response whilst retaining the integrity of its other functions.

To develop this advice, two key activities were undertaken:

1. Information gathering and review (via literature review and key informant interviews) to identify the essential characteristics of a biosecurity combat agency; the skillsets required to respond to high-level biosecurity incidents; and ways biosecurity combat agencies …

Enhancing Rural Economies Through Agroforestry, Gary Bentrup, Dean Current, Christopher Hartley, Marlen Eve, Tricia Kovacs, Kate Mcfarland, Eric Norland, David Smith, Susan Stein, Richard Straight

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Executive Summary

Accelerating the adoption of agroforestry will require a better understanding of the economic opportunities and financial benefits to society, says a recent assessment of United States agroforestry.1 Providing this understanding is critical for agroforestry to reach its full potential, whereby it enhances rural economies and provides ecological services that people need, such as clean drinking water. To assess emerging opportunities, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) convened more than 60 people in March 2018 to learn, network, and, above all, generate ideas for raising the economic profile and viability of agroforestry in the United States.

The effort …

Producer Preferences For Alternative Irrigation Practices In The Arkansas Delta, Robert Edward Rosene

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

We use a bivariate sample selection model to address peer network effects on participation in and/or intensity of use of land being irrigated by alternative irrigation practices in the state of Arkansas. As groundwater in the state becomes more limited, the use of scientific scheduling, flowmeters, and more efficient row crop water application systems will allow producers to better manage water resources. We find relatively large, positive relationships between belonging to a peer network of the same irrigation practice and participation in that practice. Intensity of use of alternative irrigation techniques is mostly influenced by which crop type the practice …

Presence And Distribution Of Leptodactylus Guianensis Heyer And De Sa, 2011 In Colombia: Comparisons With Other Species In The L. Latrans Group., Mariela Osorno Muñoz, Doris L. Gutiérrez-Lamus, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

Leptodactylus guianensis is reported for the first time for Colombia along with a distributional map of the species. The species is the fifth species of the L. latransspecies group documented in the country. Males possess a single, conical and slightly chisel-shaped thumb spine; only three species in the group have a single thumb spine. In collections, specimens of L. guianensis are misidentified as L. macrosternum, L. latrans or L. bolivianus. We provide morphological, colouration and habitat descriptions for where the species occurs in Colombia.

Food Insecurity Awareness, Acknowledgment, And Actions On A University Campus, Heather Adams

Undergraduate Research Conference

The purpose of this pilot study was to understand student awareness of food insecurities. Subjects for the study were students enrolled in a Foundations in Human Sciences course at a university located in East Texas (n=55). Students were asked to complete an online survey concerning knowledge of food insecurities, impacts of budgeting on food buying, previous personal food insecurity, skipped or had less nutritious meals due to the cost, and the food pantry on campus.

Río Muchacho: La Interacción Entre Agricultura Orgánica, Educación Ambiental Y Ecoturismo, Tatum Contreras

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El enfoque principal de mi proyecto fue crear un documental sobre cómo Río Muchacho combinada lo orgánico, el ecoturismo y la educación ambiental. Hice mi proyecto en la provincia de Manabí cerca del pueblo Canoa. Documenté y entrevisté a todas las personas involucradas en Río muchacho- de los dueños, a los visitantes. Empecé mi proyecto el 8 de abril y terminé con la filmación y las entrevistas el 26 de abril. En la primera semana trabajé en la finca orgánica de 7 de la mañana hasta las 4 de la tarde. Las dos otras semanas trabajé de 7 a la …

The Last Yak Song: A Recount Of The Decline Of Pastoral Herding In Lower Mustang, Rachel Hellman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This project is fundamentally one of documentation and rumination, a case study of a profound change taking place. I initially sought to exercise my creative voice, and to uncover the world of the yak, a dying world at that. As my time progressed in Lower Mustang, it became clear that given the breadth and depth of change in the area, a more extensive and detailed analysis was necessary to truly paint a picture of the ways in which yak herding, engrained so finely into the cultural and social tapestry of the landscape, is disappearing. In this paper, using primarily interviewee’s …

Regenerative Grazing And The Benefits Of Livestock On Soils In Northern New South Wales, Raymond Mooney

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Conventional cattle grazing has received criticism for environmental degradation in the past. Regenerative grazing and the principles of regenerative agriculture show encouraging signs that proper livestock management and planned grazing can reverse degradation and mitigate climate change. An emphasis on soil health and increasing soil carbon and organic matter levels reveals positive feedback for environmental health, the economic security of farmers, and nutritional health of consumers.

In this study I looked to investigate the benefits of regenerative agriculture, reasons why it is being practiced, and the extent it is practiced within the grazing in comparison to traditional methods within Northern …

Islands In A Sea Of Aaruul: Globalization And Mongolian Cheesemakers, Pearse Anderson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Despite being a sparsely-populated country with less than 2% of its land arable, Mongolia has developed a rich and complex food culture, notably for its meat and dairy products, which could soon be at an historic high thanks to the tens of millions of animals on Mongolian pastureland. Many Mongolians and non-Mongolians view the countryside as a sea of milk that is currently being underutilized for economic exploitation. Various projects, whether funded and organized by international NGOs, the Mongolian government, or private companies, have tried to use Mongolian’s dairy resources to fill Mongolian demand, with more recent private ventures also …

Spun Truths: Outcomes Of Mongolia’S Cashmere Program In Domestic Processing Facilities And Supply Chain, Daniel Strodel

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Since Mongolia’s transition to a market economy cashmere goats' population quintupled and their share of the nation’s total live-stock doubled. Cashmere is Mongolia’s third largest export and herders’ primary source of cash income. However, Mongolian cashmere processing facilities operate well below capacity because they cannot compete with high prices paid by Chinese traders. The latest intervention in a series of industry reforms is the four year Cashmere Program, which is being implemented by the Mongolian Ministry of Agriculture and Light Industry. In order to increase the amount of cashmere processed and exported from Mongolia, the program invests in domestic processing …

Evaluating The Impact Of Feed Supplementation On Productive And Reproductive Efficiency In Smallholder Dairy Cattle In Arusha, Tanzania, Hayley Hall

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study was performed to determine if supplementing concentrates and/or minerals significantly affect productive and reproductive efficiency in smallholder dairy cattle in Arusha, Tanzania. The goal was to estimate the necessity and effectiveness of supplementing a forage diet on production and reproduction. Data was collected through interviews of small scale dairy cattle owners in nine regions within and around Arusha. Productive efficiency was measured by milk yield per cow per day. Reproductive efficiency was evaluated by the amount of time to heat resumption after calving and reproductive disease status. This was studied because determining the factors that improve the efficiency …

Examining The Capacity Of Nebraska Rangelands For Cattle Production And Evaluating Drought Management Strategies, Kaitlyn L. Cumming

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

This thesis has two chapters focusing on the grazing capacity of Nebraska rangelands, and drought management strategies. The first chapter conducts a gap analysis comparing forage supplied by perennial grasslands to the animal unit months (AUMs) required by the cattle. The purpose of this research was to quantify potential AUM supply (i.e., carrying capacity) of grazing lands dominated by perennial grasses on a regional basis in Nebraska to the AUM demand based on cattle inventories and standard production practices in each region of Nebraska. The results suggest that Nebraska is operating at 100% of potential carrying capacity. Harvest efficiency for …

Modeling And Economic Analysis Of A Crop–Livestock Production System Incorporating Cereal Rye As A Forage, Eric R. Coufal

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

This thesis consists of two chapters using agent-based modeling for a crop-livestock production system incorporating human labor. The first chapter examines the principles used to develop a fundamental simulation pertaining to grazing cereal rye (Secale cereal L.) with calves. Within the software guidelines, the base model has the ability to capture diverse system interactions between livestock/plants and land management with human labor efficiency. AnyLogic incorporates agent-based modeling while combining with discrete event modeling and system dynamics. The purpose of the model was to find the economic returns of grazing cover crops relative to the area of Mead, Nebraska. In …

Lepidopteran Diversity And Abundance Across Five Different Indigenously Managed Land Use Zones In The Naso-Teribe Territory, Bocas Del Toro Province, Panama, Eli Dotson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Lepidopterans, the order that includes both moths and butterflies, are among the best-known insects taxonomically and ecologically due to the relative ease of monitoring them in comparison to other groups of insects. Their distribution follows that of other insects and forms of life, as around 90% of species have a tropical distribution. This incredibly speciose group of animals fills many vital roles in the ecosystems they inhabit, including herbivores in their larval stages, prey for a variety of predators in all life stages, and pollinators for many plant species as adults. In some circumstances, certain species may also serve as …

Humanitarian Assistance In Protracted Emergencies: Rethinking The Role Of Food Aid In Adjumani, Victoria Puglia

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Humanitarian food assistance is incredibly susceptible to funding cuts, which reduces the quantity of food available to refugees. If refugees depend solely on food aid for survival, the implication of reductions is increased food insecurity at a household level. The Government of Uganda champions a self-reliance strategy that has failed to support refugees to the desired extent, especially when food rations are low. This study aims to assess the impact of humanitarian food assistance on the socioeconomic structures of refugee settlements in Adjumani, Uganda to understand the consequences of unstable food aid. The research was conducted over a four-week period. …

Local Perceptions Of Cannabis And Cannabis Laws In Morocco: Unpacking Past Laws, Moroccans' Perceptions, And Exploring Organizational Efforts, Shadae Tingman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In Morocco, cannabis production and consumption are illegal, both medicinally and recreationally. The cultivation of the plant is among the top five in the world. This research will explore many aspects of cannabis in Morocco. There is much literature that exists surrounding the agricultural, economic, and political implications of cannabis, but this research will focus on social perceptions of cannabis and cannabis laws of local Moroccans. This research will explore past government attempts to legalize marijuana and why they did not pass. It will also explore the work of local youth organizations (that focus on cannabis) to understand what they …

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 …

Sustainable Agriculture Lesson For Middle School Classrooms, Sara Colombe, Madhav P. Nepal, Jennifer Mclaughlin, Matthew L. Miller, Larry B. Browning, P. Troy White

iLEARN Teaching Resources

In this lesson, students will learn about sustainability, where farmers/agriculturists can meet the needs of food, fiber, and fuel for the growing population. Students learn about growing population, its growth rate, major food source, sustainability barrel, potential ripple effects of positive impacts as well as the food waste and its effects.

2010 - California Agricultural Vision - Strategies For Sustainability

Miscellaneous Documents and Reports

California is a major contributor to the global food supply and to the national security of the United States. To keep pace with growing demand for food, as the world’s population continues to expand, California agriculture must remain profitable and competitive in a global market by efficiently using resources and controlling production costs. California faces unprecedented challenges to its sustainability in the form of pressures on its profitability and productivity related to water, regulations, labor, invasive species, urbanization and many other factors.

2017 - Salinas And Carmel Rivers Basin Study - Plan Of Study

Miscellaneous Monterey and San Luis Obispo County Documents and Reports

The purpose of the Salinas and Carmel Rivers Basin Study (Basin Study) is to inform and guide future courses of action in response to existing and potential future imbalances between water supplies and demands in the Salinas and Carmel Rivers Basin. This Basin Study is a collaborative effort between four local partner agencies, and is supported by two Federal agencies. It will identify existing water supplies and demands, model future water supplies and demands, accounting for uncertainties in future climate conditions, population growth, and other socioeconomic trends.

The Basin Study will be developed in coordination with the Monterey Peninsula Drought …

2015 - Basin Study Workshop - State Of The Salinas River Groundwater Basin Report

Miscellaneous Monterey and San Luis Obispo County Documents and Reports

The Salinas River Groundwater Basin report provided a snapshot of the current conditions within Zone 2C. The report also addressed the ramifications of prolonged drought by considering potential changes in:

• groundwater storage,
• groundwater head elevations, and
• seawater intrusion

The report provided technical options that could help alleviate the consequences of continued drought conditions

2004 - Salinas Valley Hydrologic Subareas, 4th Quarter Water Conditions

Monterey County Water Resources Agency Water Reports

This report covers the fourth quarter of Water Year 2003-2004 (WY2004), July through September 2004. It provides a brief overview of water conditions in the Salinas River Basin with discussion on precipitation, reservoir storage, and ground water trends.

2009 - Salinas Valley Hydrologic Subareas, 4th Quarter Water Conditions

Monterey County Water Resources Agency Water Reports

This report covers the fourth quarter of Water Year 2008-2009 (WY09), July through September 2009. It provides a brief overview of water conditions in the Salinas River Basin with discussion on precipitation, reservoir storage, and ground water trends.

2005 - Salinas Valley Hydrologic Subareas, 4th Quarter Water Conditions

Monterey County Water Resources Agency Water Reports

This report covers the fourth quarter of Water Year 2004-2005 (WY05), July 2005 through September 2005. It provides a brief overview of water conditions in the Salinas River Basin with discussion on precipitation, reservoir storage, and ground water trends.

2013 - Salinas Valley Hydrologic Subareas, 4th Quarter Water Conditions

Monterey County Water Resources Agency Water Reports

This report covers the fourth quarter of Water Year 2012-2013 (WY13), July through September 2013. It provides a brief overview of water conditions in the Salinas River Basin with discussion on precipitation, reservoir storage, and ground water trends.

2015 - Salinas Valley Hydrologic Subareas, 4th Quarter Water Conditions

Monterey County Water Resources Agency Water Reports

This report covers the fourth quarter of Water Year 2014-2015 (WY15), July through September 2015. It provides a brief overview of water conditions in the Salinas River Basin with discussion on precipitation, reservoir storage, and ground water trends.

2012 - Salinas Valley Hydrologic Subareas, 4th Quarter Water Conditions

Monterey County Water Resources Agency Water Reports

This report covers the fourth quarter of Water Year 2011-2012 (WY12), July through September 2012. It provides a brief overview of water conditions in the Salinas River Basin with discussion on precipitation, reservoir storage, and ground water trends.

2011 - Salinas Valley Hydrologic Subareas, 4th Quarter Water Conditions

Monterey County Water Resources Agency Water Reports

This report covers the fourth quarter of Water Year 2010-2011 (WY11), July through September 2011. It provides a brief overview of water conditions in the Salinas River Basin with discussion on precipitation, reservoir storage, and ground water trends.

2008 - Salinas Valley Hydrologic Subareas, 4th Quarter Water Conditions

Monterey County Water Resources Agency Water Reports

This report covers the fourth quarter of Water Year 2007-2008 (WY08), July through September 2008. It provides a brief overview of water conditions in the Salinas River Basin with discussion on precipitation, reservoir storage, and ground water trends.