Agricultural and Resource Economics Commons^™

Expanding Regenerative Agriculture Practices In East Texas, Treasure Hance

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Regenerative agriculture has increasingly been referenced since 2015 for its ability to provide healthy food with less environmental and social impacts. Its basic premise/ideology is to follow a process whereby soil, biotic, and human communities are not just maintained but prepared to return to a better state. Soil health is a primary concern. Actions include no-till planting, composting to create more organic soil, less use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, along with better employment, animal care, and ecological outcomes/practices. Regenerative versions of other professions, such as regenerative medicine (e.g. gene/stem cell therapy) and regenerative architecture (design for surplus energy, restored …

An Examination Of Student-Faculty Relationships As A Factor In Retention Of Students In The Department Of Agriculture, Macie C. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover the best approach in building academic relationships between students and faculty. Based on past research, student GPA, learning style, faculty relatability, and involvement were common factors in retention research. These factors contributed to the creation of statements used to analyze the best course of action in building academic relationships between students and faculty. Students and faculty in the Department of Agriculture at Stephen F. Austin State University were able to rank statements using a Quasi-Q-Sort. Results from the Quasi-Q-Sort were analyzed using cross-tabulation, descriptive statistics, Kendall’s W, and Mann-Whitney tests. Following these …

Assessing The Impact Of Local–State Revenue Shares And Property Tax Structure On Effective Farmland Tax Rates: Panel Evidence From Seven Midwestern States, 2009–2022, Imtiaz Amin Chy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Property taxes are the primary revenue instrument of local governments in the United States, yet the burdens they impose are distributed unevenly. Farmland, because it cannot be relocated, often absorbs a disproportionate share. This paper examines two related questions: what fiscal factors determine how heavily agricultural land is taxed, and do those tax rates capitalize into farmland asset values? Using an annual panel of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin from 2009 to 2022, we first document how each state allocates property tax revenue across four major spending categories (education, public welfare, health, and utilities) finding that all …

Political Ecologies Of The Livestock Industry, Jecca Bowen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the United States today, livestock production is dominated by an intensified, industrialized production paradigm whose growth in recent decades has utterly transformed the logistical realities and community impacts of animal agriculture. This dissertation investigates the effects of this production paradigm on livestock producers—whose decision-making is shaped by multi-scalar and often contradictory forces—as well as residents living near these large operations. To do so, I draw upon mixed-methods fieldwork, including in-depth interviews, spatial analysis, and field odor measurements in Weld and Morgan Counties in northern Colorado. I also use political ecologies of emotion, embodiment, and health to examine the complex …

East Texas Master Gardener Characteristics, Volunteer Choices, And Willingness To Answer Questions From The Public, Damon Gregory Grant

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

East Texas Master Gardener volunteers were asked to participate in an exploratory Qualtrics survey during the fall of 2023. This study examined the demographic characteristics, volunteer engagement choices, and challenges of Master Gardener volunteers in Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service District 5, focusing on whether current training adequately prepares volunteers for public-facing roles. Findings showed that volunteers were primarily older, retired, well-educated, white females, favoring hands-on activities like garden demonstrations and fundraising over Help Desk question answering roles due to perceived inadequacies in knowledge. Over 80% indicated that mentorship and advanced training could improve their confidence in public interactions. Recommendations …

Do Agricultural Commodity Price Spikes Always Stem From News?, Zhouxin Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study delves into the occurrence and differentiation of significant price jumps in agricultural commodity markets, challenging the conventional belief that such movements are solely driven by exogenous factors. Existing literature has primarily focused on the impact of news on agricultural commodity prices, neglecting the distinction between endogenous and exogenous price spikes. I aim to identify and categorize both types of price spikes in corn, soybean, and wheat futures markets. I propose a comprehensive methodology involving the collection of agricultural news, non-parametric price jump detection, and differentiation between exogenous (newsdriven) and endogenous (non-news related) price spikes. By utilizing intraday price …

What’S Good: Sharing Food And Meaning-Making Among Commensals, Lucor Jordan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To explore how systems of meaning are formed and reformed over an individual’s lifetime in the context of food, meals, and commensality, this research applies a critical phenomenological lens to food-centered life histories centered on the life experiences of childhood, adulthood and the diffusion of food knowledge within a food centric community between individuals within age cohorts and across generations. Through reflective interviewing community members within Denver metropolitan area anti-hunger organization, this research is able to provide insight into several secondary questions, including: Is childhood a formative space for the cementation of these systems of meaning and value and do …

Perception Of Alumni Of The Department Of Agriculture At Stephen F. Austin State University, Sherifat Rufai

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

University alumni surveys have served various purposes since they were introduced in the 1930s in the United States. The Department of Agriculture at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) aimed to evaluate alumni perceptions between the Fall of 2010 and the Spring of 2022 to provide an opportunity to examine the relationship between degree fields and occupations and the agriculture curriculum, salaries, and demographic data for college graduates. This study's web-based survey was designed to include closed-ended and open-ended questions to collect individual opinions using Qualtrics Survey Software. The survey materials were made available on the alumni's social media accounts. …

Famines, Poverty And Intergenerational Mobility In Developing Countries, Monishankar Sarkar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The famine has not ended yet. Though much has been done, famine is still visiting some parts of the globe, ravaging economies, taking lives, and compelling people to experience acute hunger, starvation, and associated diseases. Deadly famines have impacted parts of Asia and the Pacific at different times. China has experienced the most lethal famine in history in terms of severity and fatalities. Africa is still facing famine. There are many countries worldwide, across continents, whose population is still facing hunger and starvation on an alarming scale. Thus, famine is still relevant today.

The effects of famine have been the …

Farmers’ Preference And Willingness To Accept Carbon Payment Programs: Evidence From South Dakota, Pramisha Thapaliya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is crucial to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Agricultural soil carbon sequestration holds great potential in reducing GHG emissions. No-till, conservation till and cover crops are some of the widely recognized carbon-sequestering agricultural conservation practices. However, farmers need to adopt these carbon-sequestering practices to realize the potential of agricultural soil carbon sequestration. Carbon payment or market programs are voluntary mechanisms that could incentivize farmers’ adoption of conservation practices that sequester carbon. However, there is limited knowledge of farmers’ preferences and willingness to accept (WTA) carbon payments for enrollment in such programs. This study investigates …

The Role Of Carbon Credits On Farmers’ Adoption Of Climate-Smart Practices In South Dakota, Stephen Cheye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Net-zero pledges and carbon credit systems have gained momentum due to the growing urgency to address climate change and limit global warming to below 2°C above preindustrial levels. Agricultural carbon credits can be a potentially win-win mechanism by providing extra income for farmers while helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of understanding about farmers’ willingness to accept carbon credit incentives and adopt climate-smart practices that sequester carbon. To address this, we analyzed 309 responses from a South Dakota producer survey conducted in 2021. We estimated probit and interval regression models to ascertain the level of …

U.S. Consumers’ Willingness To Pay For Raised Carbon-Friendly Beef: Moderation Effect Of Information And Consumer Characteristics, Mariam Ishaq

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Impacts Of Urban Agriculture In Gentrifying Neighborhoods In Denver, Kate Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Urban Agriculture is prominent in cities across the United States and has been studied in relation to food security, sustainability, and gentrification. Urban agriculture is context specific and can include individual gardens, community gardens, guerilla gardening, and urban farms. Urban agriculture is a product of the community it is based in, depending on politics, history, and social environments. For these reasons, the relationship between urban agriculture and the community is an area where more research is needed. This thesis explores the role visible gardens play in community building, sustainability, and food security in gentrifying neighborhoods in Denver. Through qualitative methods …

Factors Affecting The Farmers’ Adoption Decision And Usage Intensity Of Conservation Tillage In Eastern South Dakota, Sarmila Belbase

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many farmers are continuously looking for new ways to protect soil and increase yields and returns on investment. No-tillage and reduced-tillage farming may provide ways to achieve these goals. Such practices have been found as the alternative to overcoming the environmental challenge posed by conventional tillage practice and providing significant economic returns. However, a comprehensive study of the factors affecting the adoption and adoption intensity of these practices is lacking. This paper intends to fill this gap by utilizing a double hurdle model to analyze farmer survey data. The data used in this study were obtained from a survey of …

A Joint Estimation Of Pheasant Hunting Parameters, Rama Khadka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The decreasing pheasant population from 2008 to 2019 across South Dakota is a concern as it may lead to decreased hunting activity and consequently reduced economic activity. Past studies have shown that changes in the landscape (e.g., from changing agricultural practices) is a major factor responsible for decreasing the bird population. However, these studies lack a clear understanding of how the fluctuating crop mixes impact the pheasant population together with harvest volume. The goal of this study was to analyze the pheasant population and the quantity of harvested birds during 2008 to 2019 in South Dakota to understand how variations …

Interrogating The Socio-Ethical Dilemmas Of Precision Agriculture Technologies, Ayorinde Ogunyiola

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Farming has moved into a digital age where data and information are available to farmers to make informed agronomic and financial on-farm decisions. The development of precision agriculture (PA), such as big data technologies and machine learning algorithms is transforming the agricultural food production system in diverse ways, economically, environmentally, and socially. Despite benefits afforded by PA to agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability, these technologies can raise unintended societal challenges that can also limit their adoption among farmers. PA is changing how farming is done, reconstructing farmers’ social identities, and influencing relationships between farmers, agronomists, and technology developers. This dissertation …

Exploring The Determinants Of Aspects Of Rotational Grazing In The U.S. Great Plains, Iftekhar Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pasture and rangeland make up about 45 percent of the agricultural land in the U.S. Great Plains and one of the most common form of mismanagement of this pasture is overgrazing. Which results in many detrimental effects on environment. Many practitioners endorsed Rotational grazing (RG) as an improved grazing management practice over season-long continuous grazing. The overall goal of the current study is to assess the certain aspects of using RG in the U.S. Great Plains. Using mail survey data of the of 874 beef cattle producers of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Texas, the study found that neighborhood practice, …

Genetically Modified Corn Diffusion And Biofuel Usage: Impacts On Corn Belt Cropping Systems Changes, Kenneth Annan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The adoption of genetically modified (GM) crops, the rise of ethanol production that produced an additional derived demand for corn, and the increasingly prominent position of corn and soybeans in crop rotations embody major changes in U.S. agriculture during the past decades. This study investigates the linkages among these developments in two ways. First, we look at how biotechnology and biofuels have influenced cropping system changes in the Corn Belt region of the United States, using state-level data from 2000 to 2019. Second, we investigate the determinants of corn acreage intensification levels and heterogeneity at the state level using data …

Improved Biochar Based Controlled-Release Nitrogen Fertilizers For Sustainable Corn Production, Robiul Islam Rubel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is an essential factor to increase crop yield. When conventional nitrogen fertilizer (e.g. Urea, Ammonium Sulphate, etc.) is applied in the field, generally over 50% of the N of these fertilizers may lose into the air due to vaporization, or run-off and leaching in rivers and lakes. The N losses lead to not only low NUE but also serious environmental problems. The consequence of N losses results in insufficient N available to meet the demand of crop growth at the growing stages. Lack of sufficient N for crop growth puts a threat of nutrient deficiency and …

An Economic Analysis Of Using Retired Vessels To Create Artificial Reefs In Costa Rica, Josué González

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The Republic of Costa Rica is a Central American country with only 0.03% of the world’s landmass, but 5% of the world’s biodiversity, making it a leading ecotourism destination. Ecotourism is one of the main sources of revenue for the country, but the degradation of coastal reefs has resulted in a significant loss of financial income for developing areas. As a result, many of these areas are searching for methods to revert the degradation of coral reefs.

Artificial reefs play an important ecological role in marine ecosystems due to their complexity and size. They help in the development of …

Food Insecuity In Historically Disenfranchised Parts Of Jefferson County, Ky., Kaitlyn Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study is to investigate the availability of fresh and nutritious foods in Louisville’s West End communities. This study operates under the assumption that residents in Jefferson County have unequal access to food. This study also addresses the question of how residents and local non-profits feel about strategies that build community through food. This study is significant because across Louisville, more than 120,000 people are living with food insecurity, meaning they don't have reliable access to healthy, affordable food (Dare to Care 2019). Multiple reports that have been commissioned by local non-profits and metro departments in the …

Factors Influencing Adoption And Adoption Intensity Of Precision Agriculture Technologies In South Dakota, Md Mahi Uddin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Precision agriculture can play an important role in preserving the environment and improving the economic conditions of agricultural producers. This thesis analyzes the determinants of adoption and adoption intensity of precision agriculture technologies in South Dakota. This analysis uses survey data collected from 199 farms distributed over 28 different counties in South Dakota, accounting for approximately 500,000 acres of tillable agricultural land, to (1) discover the factors impacting precision technology adoption; (2) compare and contrast several characteristics among adopters and non-adopters; and (3) develop probit, count, and negative binomial models to determine the significance of explanatory variables impacting precision technology …

Reaching Zero Waste: Determining The Student Perspective On Campus Food Waste., Cassie Anne Parkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Food waste is an ongoing problem in the complex global food system. College campuses are in a unique position to address food waste through reducing it in their own food systems and by encouraging students to develop behaviors to reduce and divert waste from landfills. In this thesis project I seek to understand how students consider food waste and their attitudes and ideas about reducing it. To this end, I observed student behaviors and waste in University of Louisville’s all-you-care-to-eat dining hall and weighed plate waste there. I conducted informational interviews with University and Aramark employees, along with semi-structured interviews …

Social Determinants Of Health Theory: Policy Entry Points For Healthcare Providers, Kiah R. Vandergrift

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines a shifting paradigm in the U.S. healthcare system that will re-define the role that the healthcare provider plays in the production of health. It does this by first acknowledging two differing economic theories on the production of health: Human Capital Theory and Social Determinants of Health theory, and how both schools of thought have contributed to the paradigm that healthcare providers only play a role in the end stages of health production - to heal those who are already ill. However, policy, payment, and delivery system reforms have begun to force healthcare providers to re-think how they …

Consumer Perceptions And Demand For Locally-Grown Vegetables In South Dakota, Richard Mulder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An increasingly popular topic in the food labeling field over the last 15 years has been the increasing body of research for food that is locally produced. Consumers’ definition of, attitudes toward, and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for local food have been areas of interest for researchers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that contributes to the current body of local foods’ research for vegetables by providing information on these areas of interest for the state of South Dakota. This study acquires data through a consumer-intercept survey conducted in grocery stores throughout South Dakota with a sample …

Urban Gardens And Nutrition In Sioux Falls, Sd, Austin Brynjulson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the global population recently surpassing seven and a half billion, questions about feeding the population have emerged. In the past, increased demand for food was addressed through increasing intensification of land use and increasing the area of land under cultivation. Despite these efforts, food insecurity has increased for much of the population over this period, where, according to the USDA, in the U.S. 49.1 million people were food insecure in 2013. Food insecurity in this regard is the lack of access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food at all times. While the complex global food system may be difficult …

Performance Of The Producer Accumulator In Corn And Soybean Commodity Markets, Chad Te Slaa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research quantifies risk reduction and performance of the producer accumulator contract in corn and soybean markets. To quantify performance, we use three alternative theoretical pricing models to estimate historical producer accumulator contract specifications in corn and soybean markets. We then compare the performance of the producer accumulator to eight alternative agricultural marketing strategy portfolios that are also used in new generation grain contracts. The performance measures we compare are: average bushel price that would be received by the producer, daily portfolio risk, and the Sharpe ratio. The period we examine performance was between 2008 and 2017. We investigate performance …

Heterogeneous Nitrogen Losses: Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Of Changes In Management Across South Dakota, Archibold Quaye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The loss of nitrogen fertilizer into the atmosphere and waterways is of increasing concern for citizens and policy makers. This is particularly relevant for hypoxia in rivers, lakes, and oceans, but also relevant for policy makers in reducing the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere. GHGs trap heat in the atmosphere and include: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases. Overall, the estimated contribution from the agricultural sector to GHG emissions was 9% in 2013 (EPA, 2013). Further, the addition of nitrogen to the soil through the use of synthetic fertilizers is a main contributor to …

Restoring Relationship: How The Methodologies Of Wangari Maathai And The Green Belt Movement In Post-Colonial Kenya Achieve Environmental Healing And Women's Empowerment, Casey L. Wagner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The effects of the colonial project in Kenya created multi-faceted damages to the land and indigenous people-groups. Using the lens of ecofeminism, this study examines the undergirding structures that produce systems such as colonization that oppress and destroy land, people, and other beings. By highlighting the experience of the Kikuyu people within the Kenyan colonial program, the innovative and ingenious response of Wangari Maathai's Green Belt Movement proves to be a relevant and effective counter to women's disempowerment and environmental devastation in a post-colonial nation. The approach of the Green Belt Movement offers a unique and accessible method for empowering …

Temporal And Spatial Influences On South Dakota Farm Economies Of Size, Henry Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Census of Agriculture data are evaluated to test for economies of size of South Dakota farms. Economies of size occur when per-unit costs decrease as the size of a firm increases. This research measures technical economies of size, which assume that all firms pay identical input prices and receive identical output prices. The dependent variable of the model is expenses per dollar of sales. This is a typical measure of efficiency in agricultural statistics. The data come from the four prior Census of Agriculture years, 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012. A state-wide model and a county-wide model were developed to …