Agricultural and Resource Economics Commons^™

Use Of And Satisfaction With Home Broadband Service By Business Ownership, Rebecca J. Vogt, Charlotte Narjes, Connie Hancock

Cornhusker Economics

Technology is critical for businesses to remain competitive in this knowledge-based economy. Many businesses are home-based, making it necessary to have adequate Internet service at home. So how are business owners and farmers/ranchers currently using technology in their homes? Is their home Internet service meeting their needs?

The Nebraska Public Service Commission was awarded a grant from the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to conduct a study of broadband use and needs in Nebraska. The University of Nebraska- Lincoln conducted the survey for the Commission. In addition, the Nebraska Information Technology Commission (NITC) Community Council and …

Foreign Land Investments And Traditional Land Ownership Rights In Africa, Kepifri Lakoh, E. Wesley F. Peterson

Cornhusker Economics

This is the second in a series of three Cornhusker Economics articles on the institutions governing the ownership, use and transfer of agricultural land around the world. Last week, the focus was on the difficult transition from social to private land ownership in the countries of the Former Soviet Union. This week, the issue concerns the recent increase in land purchases in Africa by foreign governments and firms, referred to by some as a new colonial land grab.

Transboundary Water Issues In The Kura-Araks River Basin, Marianna Khachaturyan, Karina A. Schoengold

Cornhusker Economics

Water resources that are shared across boundaries by different states or countries are referred to as “transboundary” or “international” water resources. Worldwide, there are about 263 international basins that are shared by two or more countries, with 40 percent of the world population living on these international basins (Giordano and Wolf, 2003). This is an increase from the 214 basins that were identified in 1978, due to better mapping technology and newly emerging nations. For example, the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 created 15 new independent nations and simultaneously created new transboundary water resources.

Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Highlights 2010-2011, Bruce B. Johnson, Sara Van Newkirk, Tyler Rosener

Nebraska Farm Real Estate Reports

The Department of Agricultural Economics, UNL has conducted a state-wide study of agricultural land markets each year for the past 33 years. The state is richly endowed with productive agricultural land, which results in Nebraska ranking among the top five states in agricultural production. A primary aspect of the UNL land market series is an annual land market panel survey conducted February 1 of each year. In the 2011 survey, some 130 panel reporters from across the state provided their professional insight into the dynamics of the agricultural land markets in their areas of the state. These individuals are closely …

National Agri-Marketing Association (Nama) Annual Conference Connects Student Members With Professionals, Kristin Witte, Rosalee A. Swartz

Cornhusker Economics

The opportunity to connect with professionals is an important aspect of college life for students. It helps them to more clearly understand career possibilities, and learn from professionals who are in careers and working for companies and organizations in the students’ areas of interest. The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) is an outstanding venue for promoting connections between students and professionals. It is comprised of over 25 chapters in six regions nationwide, and has more than 3,500 professional and student members. Nebraska’s Midlands (professional) Chapter works closely with the University of Nebraska student chapter. Students are invited to monthly Midlands meetings …

Property Rights In Post-Conflict Sri Lanka, Ryan P. Anderson, E. Wesley F. Peterson

Cornhusker Economics

This is the third and final article in a series on property rights. In the previous two articles we saw how conflicts often emerge during the transition from one set of legal or social institutions to another. In this article we consider how such challenges helped spark a prolonged civil war in Sri Lanka, and how they might finally be resolved now that peace has been realized.

Land Reform And Farm Structure In The Former Soviet Union, Marianna Khachaturyan, E. Wesley F. Peterson

Cornhusker Economics

Land is a critical input for agricultural production. At the same time, land has long been seen as a store of wealth, an asset that may be held for a wide range of purposes and that may account for a significant share of a nation’s resource stock. The way in which land is owned, used and transferred has varied over time and throughout the world. Laws and customs governing land ownership, use and transfer, are known as institutions, and are extremely important determinants of agricultural output. Insecurity of land ownership rights, for example, may reduce not only the incentive individual …

Recetario De Productos Elaborados A Base De Sorgo (Sorghum Bicolor, L. Moench), Kimberly Christiansen

INTSORMIL Scientific Publications

El Centro Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria y Forestal (CENTA), “Enrique Álvarez Córdova”, a través del Laboratorio de Tecnología de Alimentos, ha venido desarrollando por más de una década, investigaciones relacionadas al uso de sorgo en la alimentación humana, con la colaboración del instituto para la investigación en Sorgo y Mijo de los Estados Unidos de América (INTSORMIL). A partir del año 2000, las investigaciones en el cultivo del sorgo han tomado más auge, por lo que el Programa de Granos Básicos, como apoyo al trabajo que realiza el Laboratorio de Tecnología de Alimentos, ha desarrollado una serie de variedades mejoradas, …

Ec872 Crop Budgets: Nebraska 2011, Robert N. Klein, Roger Wilson

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This publication contains crop production budgets for 13 crops and 50 cropping systems, as well as tables of power, machinery, labor, and input costs used to develop these budgets. Each budget consists of five sections: • Heading • List of representative field operations • List of materials and services used • Operations and interest tabulations • Overhead costs including real estate taxes and opportunitycharges The budgets are presented in a worksheet format with a “Your Estimate’’ column for recording cost modifications. Budget Divisions The heading consists of the crop name, source, amount, and method of water application, operating systemdescription, yield …

The Impact Of Water Price Uncertainty On The Adoption Of Precision Irrigation Systems, Karina Schoengold, David L. Sunding

Department of Agricultural Economics: Faculty Publications

The paper examines whether a firm is more or less likely to adopt conservation technology when input prices are stochastic. The results are critical to determining whether programs and contracts that reduce input price uncertainty may deter the adoption of conservation practices. An economic model of the technology adoption decision shows that the net effect of input price risk is ambiguous and depends on several factors: the mean price effect, the shutdown effect, and the risk aversion effect. Results are estimated using water price and irrigation technology adoption data. The results show that a stable input price increases the adoption …

Replacement Alternatives For Beef Cow Herds: An Analysis Of Retaining Non-Pregnant Cows, Trenton T. Bohling

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

A non-pregnant cow is a liability to a producer. Over the last four years, cow-calf producers have had an increased number of non-pregnant cows due to factors like environmental conditions and diseases like trichomoniasis. While most research has indicated that culling a non-pregnant female and replacing the cow with retained heifers, purchased heifers, or purchased cows are the only economic alternatives, recent trends in the cattle market have suggested that keeping a non-pregnant cow may also be an alternative.

Annual beef cow budgets were created based on typical Nebraska Sandhills conditions. Revenues and costs in these budgets vary according to …

Be A Part Of The Plan - Engaging People - Linking The World, Charlotte Narjes, Rebecca J. Vogt, Connie Hancock

Cornhusker Economics

Broadband is transforming the economy and society. Businesses are using telecommunications to speed up transactions, reduce costs and expand their markets. New technologies such as cloud computing are allowing businesses to further reduce costs, and increase flexibility and mobility. Students at all levels are taking courses via distance learning technologies. eHealth technologies are making complete patient information available at the point of care, eliminating the need to run redundant tests and reducing the risk of dangerous drug interactions. Broadband technologies are also opening significant opportunities for the agricultural sector to increase accuracy of production and profits, and stay abreast of …

Rural - Urban Interdependencies: What Can We Learn From Minnesota?, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel

Cornhusker Economics

In the current era of political hard choices driven by government austerity, it is not surprising to see a change in emphasis from statewide community collaboration and partnership to “every community for itself.” When tough choices at the state and regional level need to be made, one of the key issues is often where to put those limited resources . . . is it in rural areas or urban areas?

But what if we stepped back and approached this in a different way . . . instead of considering resource allocation in terms of rural or urban, what if we …

North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center, Cheryl Griffith

Cornhusker Economics

Today’s farmers and ranchers face an unprecedented risk environment. Extreme price volatility has impacted the cost of inputs for producers, as well as the prices they receive for farm commodities. Livestock producers face fluctuations forcing them to re-evaluate their business and marketing plans. Some face liquidation, due to declining profits stemming from high feed prices and reduced consumer demand. With a $1 per bushel swing possible in corn prices, feeder cattle prices could continue to be very volatile in the months to come (Feuz, 2011). At this point in the planting season there is still the potential to be short …

Do Emotions Matter In Environmental Choice? The Effect Of :) And :(, Natalia Czap, Hans Czap, Marianna Khachaturyan, Gary D. Lynne, Mark E. Burbach

Cornhusker Economics

The problem of shared resources, especially Common Pool Resources (CPRs), has been studied extensively. In such cases (e.g. aquifers), if the users are driven solely by self-interest and do not cooperate/coordinate their actions, over-extraction occurs. However, over the years many researchers (e.g. Ostrom, 2010) have found that users are not always driven solely by self-interest, and often manage to prevent the overuse of resources through self-regulation, tempering their self-interest. Similarly, while the use of other shared resources such as water in rivers and creeks and the atmosphere may not lead to over-extraction, a variety of “downstream” problems can arise, as …

Economic Input–Output Life Cycle Assessment Of Water Reuse Strategies In Residential Buildings And Communities, Derek J. Gardels

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The objective of this study was to determine the environmental sustainability and economic feasibility of five water reuse designs using economic input-output life cycle assessments and benefit/cost analyses. These five water reuse designs were evaluated for four regions of the United States including the Northwest (Seattle), Southwest (Scottsdale), Midwest (Omaha), and Southeast (Tampa). The water reuse designs include a greywater reuse system with no treatment for sub-surface landscape irrigation for a single-family residential house (Model 1), an indoor greywater reuse system with treatment for toilet flushing and laundry washing for a single-family residential house (Model 2), a hybrid untreated greywater …

Understanding Bioprospecting: Can Indigenous Populations Benefit From The Search For Pharmaceuticals In Areas Of High Biodiversity, Emily Schwindt

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Bioprospecting is a controversial issue, and anthropologists and other scientists are quick to take sides. The idea of large corporations pumping money into conservation and development programs, while developing what could be the latest life-saving drug simply sounds too good to be true, and often times is. However, if all parties work together and proceed with caution, these benefits could become more than a fantasy. Looking at case studies from Costa Rica, India, South Africa and Panama this paper attempts to find patterns among successful bioprospecting agreements and note shortcomings and identify risks. This information will be used to suggest …

The Role Of Sorghum In Food Security In Central America, Lloyd W. Rooney

INTSORMIL Presentations

Discusses the qualities of sorghum that make it suitable for human consumption, with a focus on its use in Central America.

Saŋɔ Baara Cogo N´A Feere Cogo Gafe: Mogo Minuwye Gafe Dilan Oye = Fiche De Production Et De Commercialisation Du Mil = Production And Marketing Of Millet, Botorou Ouendeba, Niaba Teme

USAID Mali Mission Awards

U.S. government publication about millet production and sales in West Africa. In the Bambara language.

Historic And Contemporary Trends Of The Conservation Reserve Program And Ring-Necked Pheasants In South Dakota, Christopher R. Laingen

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences (through 2013)

Over the past century, the interactions between agricultural land use and government cropland retirement programs have affected pheasant population change. Two government land retirement programs that returned croplands to grasslands, Soil Bank in the 1960s and the current Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), help to illustrate these connections. From 2007 to 2010, South Dakota lost 41% of its CRP lands and experienced an 18% decline in pheasants per mile. However, because of where CRP expirations have occurred and where pheasant populations are found, some regional variability is seen. Western South Dakota (Region 1) had an 80% increase in pheasants per mile …

Fiche De Production Et De Commercialisation Du Mil = Production And Marketing Of Millet, Botorou Ouendeba, Niaba Teme

USAID Mali Mission Awards

Publication about production and sales of millet in West Africa. In French.

Intraseasonal Management Strategies For Deficit Irrigation, Isaac I. N. Mortensen

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

Reduced availability of irrigation water to producers has led to the need for intraseasonal management strategies that efficiently use the limited supply of irrigation water.  Historical weather data was used to develop a range of conditions experienced at the location.  Sound weather data improves the dependability of management strategies.  Data from weather stations on the Automated Weather Data Network and the Colorado AgMet network were evaluated based upon net radiation and dew point temperature observations expected in an irrigated agricultural setting.  This weather data was used to create a relationship between the Penman-Montieth evapotranspiration (ET) and Hargreaves ET and …

Farm Program Payments: A Changing Pattern In Nebraska’S Farm Income, Bruce B. Johnson

Cornhusker Economics

Over the last decade, considerable change has occurred to the nature of farm cash receipts and net farm income. Total cash receipts to the state’s agricultural sector doubled from about $9.5 billion in 2000 to more than $19 billion in 2010. At the same time, total receipts to the crop sector accelerated even more - increasing from the $3 billion range to around $9 billion by the end of the decade, a threefold increase! The result has been net farm income levels climbing to the $4 billion range annually over the last few years, a level more than 50 percent …

Heifer Development Management: One Size Does Not Fit All, Matthew Stockton, Roger K. Wilson

Cornhusker Economics

A substantial cost to beef cattle producers is the development or purchase of replacement females. Each year, beef cattle producers may replace as many as 20 percent of the herd, with the average being close to 16 percent. With so much of the producer’s success riding on the proper care, development and cost of supplying replacement heifers, it is no surprise that the literature is filled with studies devoted to determining the ideal maturity and strategies to develop them.

While the question of determining beef heifer replacement strategies has been studied in some detail, the complexity of relationships between the …

Resolving Division Fence Disputes In Nebraska, J. David Aiken

Cornhusker Economics

Ideally, neighbors can agree between themselves on most fencing issues. If they do not, Nebraska Division Fence Statutes provide a legal process for resolving fence disputes. A recent Cornhusker Economics Newsletter (June 2, 2010), discussed the 2010 requirement that splits the cost of a wire division fence 50-50 between neighbors, and also the history of the Nebraska Division Fence Statutes. This newsletter discusses the process for resolving fencing disagreements in Nebraska.

2010 Census Data For Rural Nebraska Total, Youth And Latino Populations, Randolph L. Cantrell

Cornhusker Economics

As has been reported elsewhere, Nebraska saw a second consecutive decade of population growth between 2000 and 2010. The 2010 Census counted 1,826,341 Nebraskans, an increase of 6.7 percent (+115,076 residents) since the 2000 Census. This growth, while somewhat slower than the growth of 8.4 percent observed during the 1990’s, was better than the Midwest regional average growth of 3.9 percent, and better than the growth of either Iowa or Kansas.

According to the University of Nebraska Center for Public Affairs Research, Nebraska’s population growth during the last decade resulted from both a natural increase (excess of births over deaths) …

Ŋɔsibɔ N´A Feere Cɔgɔ = Fiche De Production Et De Commercialisation Du Sorgho, Mali = Production And Marketing Of Sorghum, Mali, Botorou Ouendeba

USAID Mali Mission Awards

U.S. government publication about production and sales of sorghum in West Africa.

Fiche De Production Et De Commercialisation Du Sorgho, Mali = Production And Marketing Of Sorghum, Mali, Botorou Ouendeba

USAID Mali Mission Awards

U.S. government publication about production and sales of sorghum in West Africa. In French.

Cash Leasing With Integrity, Bruce B. Johnson

Cornhusker Economics

The widow lady was calling from her retirement care facility. Her tenant of over 20 years wanted to finalize the cash rent agreement for 2011, and she was wondering, “What should I do?” With a lease rate that hadn’t seen an increase for several years, her per-acre rent payments in 2010 were not even half the average for the area. Even when her tenant said he could “raise it a few dollars per acre for this year,” the 2011 payments would fall even further behind the area average.

The out-of state land owner was following national media coverage of the …

Adjusting Farm Custom Rates And Grain Storage Rental Rates For 2011, Doug Jose

Cornhusker Economics

Custom Rates - How much should custom rates be adjusted this year? That’s a question on the minds of a lot of operators as they prepare to go to the field. The economic structure of agriculture has changed dramatically in the past 12 months. Unfortunately, this is the off-year to conduct our biennial Nebraska Custom Rates Survey. The survey was last conducted a year ago, in the January to March time period of 2010.