Agricultural and Resource Economics Commons^™

How Does Vertical Hydroponic Farming Compare To Traditional Soil Farming In Terms Of Crop Yield, Energy Efficiency, And Cost?, Grace Morgan, Grace Henry, Rebecca Meenach, Jeana Odom

Student Scholar Symposium

Vertical hydroponics (hydro “water;” ponics “labor”) is a method of year-round farming that uses water in place of soil and supplies vegetables’ nutrients in a space-efficient setting. It dates back to 500 BC when it was used in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, a wonder of the ancient world. Thousands of years later, vertical hydroponics has expanded across the globe to supply leafy greens, herbs, and grains. It is typically implemented in dense urban environments where green space is hard to come by as a form of sustainable farming. Our research seeks to answer the question “How does vertical hydroponic …

Deforestation Affecting Developing Nations, Nicole Villa

Sustainability Conference

Deforestation continues to be a growing problem around the globe, while it is affecting wildlife what can be overlooked is the challenges it’s creating for the livelihood of nations. This goes beyond losing the biodiversity of our ecosystems but social consequences with the scarcity of water in Malawi, rise in health risks in Democratic Republic of Congo and negative effects of agricultural expansion in Belize. Overall social conflict in these areas that are suffering to grow. Furthermore, I aim to cover the major challenges previously mentioned followed by counteracts of deforestation including action plan in Brazil, efforts of other countries …

Gardens Through The Ages: How Public Gardens Impact The Growth Of Society, Abby J. Cutsinger

ATU Scholars Symposium

Throughout history, gardens held a vital role in the development of civilizations, often serving as spaces for food, reflection, and community. The aim of this study was to explore the progression of gardens parallel to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Additionally, the study aimed to determine whether gardens help fulfill those needs and, in doing so, influence human morality. To examine these possibilities, the researcher conducted a literature review of historical and contemporary accounts of gardening and its effects on physical and psychological well-being, analyzing these findings through the lens of Maslow’s framework. Additionally, crime rate data were compared across several …

Impact Of Community Gardening On Neighborhood Crime Rates: Research Proposal, Abby J. Cutsinger

ATU Scholars Symposium

Gardening has been a part of human existence from the beginning of time, but people have become distanced from gardening as civilization has grown and urbanized. As this distance has grown, so has the disconnect between people and the basic needs which shape their views of themselves and of society. It is possible that, in the drift away from gardening as communities, humans have become less moral.

The purpose of this study is to determine if community gardening lowers violent crime rates.

This relationship will be gauged by answering the following questions:

• Which type of community gardening benefits community relationships …

Food Insecurity In The Philippines, Hannah Dennis, Kassidy Lake, Esther Van Horn

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

Overconsumption and food waste in the United States have a major impact on food insecurity globally, including in the Philippines, due to the dependency of food production from these countries. The Philippines is a country currently devastated by food insecurity, leading to malnutrition and poverty because individuals are unable to meet their basic nutritional and economic needs. Currently, 44.7% of the population in the Philippines faces moderate to severe food insecurity, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, while the U.S. Department of Agriculture states that food waste is estimated at between 30-40 percent of the …

Addressing Local Food Insecurity Through A Problem-Based Learning Classroom, Kaley Mumma, Aimable Mugabo

National Collaborative for Research on Food, Energy, and Water Education (NC-FEW)

Through the frame of Problem-Based Learning (PBL), a curriculum is proposed to engage students in addressing local food insecurity. Students collaboratively define the problem, explore underlying issues, establish goals, design solutions, and implement their chosen solution to address food insecurity within their community. The importance of community engagement and utilizing local resources are highlighted in advising the implementation of this program.

The Economic Contribution Of Cherry To The Household Economy In Pakistan. A Case Study From Lower-Hunza, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan, Rizwan Akhtar

CBER Conference

The cherry, one of the most recognized fruit crops, has become a significant source of income for rural farmers in Pakistan. However, limited research has been conducted on the economic impact of cherry farming. Consequently, there is a growing demand for a deeper understanding of cherries' economic contribution to the domestic economy. This study used socio-economic data from 315 cherry-producing households in Lower Hunza, GilgitBaltistan, to examine the role of cherries in community income. Data was collected through direct face-to-face interviews and semi-structured questionnaires with cherry producers, emphasizing group family discussions and interactions with local cherry traders. The findings indicate …

Virtual Water Trade: Theory And An Empirical Application, Sultan Sat, Harun Uçak

CBER Conference

Throughout human history, water has been a determining factor in all human actions. In fact, it is seen that the oldest civilizations were established near rivers. There have been mutual effects between civilizations and water, and lifestyles have changed due to these effects. Today, access to usable water is becoming increasingly difficult. The water problem that arises due to some qualitative and quantitative negativities in a country is spreading to other countries with a butterfly effect under the influence of increasing globalization. This situation removes the water problem from being a local problem and turns it into a global problem. …

Telework And Food Insecurity In The United States, Andrea Leschewski, Bhaskar Kaushik, Triwit Ariyathugun, Bridget Bafowaa

Mountain Plains Business Conference

Nearly 20% of Americans telework or work from home. Telework has the potential to impact household food insecurity by reducing household time constraints and increasing household disposable income and time flexibility. Using data from the Household Pulse Survey, this study analyzes the association between telework and food insecurity in the United States. Two-stage least squares results indicate the association between telework and food insecurity varies with income. Telework is associated with reduced food insecurity among households with income between 100% and 200% of the Federal Poverty Line (FPL) and increased food insecurity among households with income below 100% FPL.

Using Field-Level Data To Address Profit And Yield Impacts Of Climate-Smart Production Practices: An Application To Soybean Production In Illinois, Sarah Sellars, Gary Schnitkey, Laura Gentry

Mountain Plains Business Conference

This study investigates the effect of cover crops on soybean yield and profit in Illinois. The analysis utilizes a unique and precise field-level panel data set of farmer data combined with weather data for 2015 to 2022. Using a linear fixed effects econometric model, we estimate the effect of cover crops and tillage on yield and profit. We find no difference in yield and a decrease in profit of $40 per acre from using cover crops. No-till systems have a one bushel per acre lower yield than one pass tillage system, but we find no difference in profit.

Obedient Bellies And The Coming Of Urbanization In Fourth Millennium Mesopotamia, Saikat Mukherjee

Dublin Gastronomy Symposium

Hunger has always been a persistent trauma of mankind in every age. As a matter of fact, “hunger” which according to Seth Richardson can be defined as the "routine and everyday sub-nutrition, less than a famine and more than a temporary inconvenience" is “one of the most powerful, pervasive and (arguably) emotive words in our historical vocabulary” (Richardson, 2016; Murton, 1988). Food has been the only way to satiate the mass cry and is overlooked by social and economic historians and/or archaeologists as a potent medium to understand an interdependent mass psychology. We seldom try to study food at the …

Food, Memory, And Cuban Society: Unraveling Trauma, Traditions, And Future Imaginaries In Havana, Mallory Cerkleski

Dublin Gastronomy Symposium

This paper delves into the intricate interplay of food scarcity and memory in contemporary Havana, Cuba, drawing on a period of immersive fieldwork conducted in the summer of 2022. Situating itself amidst the lived experiences of diverse Cubans, the study examines the enduring impact of historical challenges, particularly the Special Period, on present-day perceptions and experiences. Employing an oral history methodology rooted in collective memory theory, the research explores how food serves as a potent medium for encapsulating past experiences and shaping future imaginaries. Through oral narratives spanning from 1941 to 2022, the paper uncovers diverse memories and emotions associated …

“Praying And Eating”: The Preservation Of Jewish Food Traditions In The Wake Of Brexit Trauma, Angela Hanratty

Dublin Gastronomy Symposium

This research examines the impact that Brexit, the Northern Ireland Protocol, and the Windsor Framework have had on the food traditions of the Jewish population of Ireland, through focusing on the lived experience of the Jewish communities of Belfast and Dublin and their collective memory. While there has been much debate on the lasting effect of the UK leaving the EU on industry and agriculture, the deleterious impact on the kosher observant in Ireland has been less documented, with specific challenges for the preservation of food traditions in a community with a history “full of praying and eating” (Maurice Cohen, …

Wildlife Trafficking And Illegal Trade In Endangered Species, Caden J. Kump

ATU Scholars Symposium

There has been a long endeavor with illegal trade and trafficking involving endangered species. There are ways to fix it if we put more focus into the type of punishments or boons to give to the people who do it right. There are numerous ways to fix this like better surveillance or rewards/encouragement for the people who do it by the book where it outweighs doing it illegally. Using surveillance has helped locating and identifying the lawbreakers for people like game wardens. Giving rewards or encouragement has also kept people at bay from committing these crimes because now they can …

Globalization, Climate Variability And Food Security In Pakistan: The Moderating Role Of Population Density, Shazia Kousar, Muhammad Afzal, Adeel Nasir

CBER Conference

The aim of this study is twofold; first, this study examined the impact of globalization and climate variability on food security. Second, this study examined the moderating role of population density on the relationship between globalization, climate variability and food security. This study utilized the data for food security from FAO, while the data for globalization related to the KOF globalization index.

An Evaluation Of Comparative Advantage Of Domestically Produced Edible Oil Crops: Challenges And Opportunities, Farah Naz, . Abedullah

CBER Conference

Pakistan is spending US$7.57 billion to import food items and contribution of edible oils is US$3.06 billion which is equal to 40% of the food import. The present report aims to evaluate the economic viability of import substitution of edible oil in Pakistan, by focusing on canola and sunflower oil as alternative to wheat production. The study compares the economics of competing crops and assesses the potential for reducing oil imports by reallocating land from wheat to canola or sunflower canola. It further evaluates the import substitution by comparing the price of 1kg of imported oil with domestically produced edible …

Market-Mediated Effects: What Are They? And Why Are They Important For Geospatial Analysis Of Sustainability Policies, Iman Haqiqi, Zhan Wang, Srabashi Ray, Uris Baldos, Jing Liu, Thomas Hertel

I-GUIDE Forum

Market-mediated effects can mitigate or amplify the intended effects of sustainability policies. They can also have unintended consequences, including inducing new sustainability stresses or threatening food security. It is important to understand these effects when designing sustainability policies. This paper provides prominent examples of market-mediated effects of a variety of sustainability policies in the food, energy, land and water nexus. This paper reviews the empirical evidence on market-mediated impacts of economic policies generally and then provides a review of recent geospatial modeling aimed at capturing these impacts in the context of local and regional land and water sustainability policies. The …

Simple-G In The Classroom And The Cloud, Elizabeth A. Fraysse, Thomas W. Hertel, Zhan Wang, Iman Haqiqi

I-GUIDE Forum

SIMPLE-G serves as a significant tool for researchers to address sustainability challenges, serving as a Convergence Catalyst for issues related to the global-local-global connections affecting land, water, and food security. This paper explores the pedagogical path of SIMPLE-G in the classroom setting, highlighting its key benefits in interdisciplinary education. Furthermore, we explore the future development of SIMPLE-G for facilitating collaborations between economists and other disciplines as well as increasing accessibility to users through cloud computing.

Adoption Of Ict To Support Rural Small-Holder Farmers : A Systematic Review, Abdus Salaam Seat, Shaun Pather

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

Access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are slowly becoming more available to rural communities given a number of innovative approaches over recent years such as the implementation of Community Networks (CNs). Consequently, ICTs are able to become more meaningful in support of livelihoods of these communities, such as in agriculture production. Potential benefits to smallholder farmers include increase yields and reduced effort. However, there is very little evidence of smallholder farmers integrating ICTs into their livelihood activity. In this paper a Systematic Literature Review is used to explore the challenges faced in this sector. A total of 83 articles …

Session 7: Would Ai Stocks Estimate Be As Surprised To Usda Stock Reports As Private Market Analysts?, Asif Mahmud Chowdhury, Matthew Elliott

SDSU Data Science Symposium

Would AI Stocks Estimate Be as Surprised to USDA Stock Reports as Private Market Analysts?

Keywords: Machine Learning, Random Forest, Agricultural Commodities Market, Informational Impact, Efficient Market Hypothesis.

The USDA survey-based Quarterly Grain Stocks reports are the primary source of information regarding the relative supply of U.S. corn, soybeans, and wheat for the last fifty years. Previous research has examined the accuracy of the USDA stock reports and their relevancy to the market, given alternative sources of estimates (e.g., Isengildina-Massa et al., 2021). For example, private industry analysts also estimate expected quarterly grain stock reports before USDA releases their reports. …

Evaluating The Potential Of Genotype And Feeding Strategy On Reducing Age At Slaughter In Dairy Beef Systems, Jamie O'Driscoll

ORBioM (Open Research BioSciences Meeting)

Background

Agriculture is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland with enteric fermentation from ruminants accounting for 58% of Ireland’s methane emissions. Research has shown that beef cattle excrete on average, approximately 230g of methane per day, if the national slaughter age reduced by one month, methane output would reduce by over 12,000 tonnes of methane annually. Therefore, a reduction in age at slaughter will lessen the contribution of Irish agriculture to global emissions and enhance its social acceptance and competitiveness.

Aims

The objective of this study is to investigate the potential of reducing age at slaughter through …

Comparing Heavy Metal Content Found In Spinach (Spinacia Oleracea) Grown On The Roof And Ground Sites At Portland State University, Tyler Robin, Gwynn R. Johnson, Olyssa Starry

McNair Symposium

As a result of urbanization, fresh, healthy food can be expensive and easily contaminated but space for local farming is limited. Roofs can be underutilized in densely populated cities and can offer a space for local fresh farming. The purpose of this study is to find if growing leafy vegetables on the roof can limit heavy metal exposure from air pollutants. By growing Spinach on five roofs and five ground locations around the Portland State University campus, at varying heights, we can extract the heavy metals found in these greens and compare them to each other. The expected results show …

Consumer Food Waste Behaviors In Relation To Open Date Label Misinterpretation, Daniel Hutchings, Elisabeth Seliga, Anya O'Meara, Anna Blank

Thinking Matters Symposium

In the United States, the legal framework for product date labeling is minimal and varies across states. Manufacturers have the discretion to use any date label that they deem appropriate, and this lack of uniformity leaves room for misinterpretation by both retailers and consumers. Previous studies have examined consumer misinterpretation of date labels and how this lack of knowledge correlates to food waste behaviors. This study was aimed at understanding how consumers apply their knowledge about date labels to make decisions about purchasing and discarding food. The research was conducted via an intercept survey outside of a grocery store to …

Genetically Modified Organisms Are Important But Also Controversial, Masen Pelletier

Thinking Matters Symposium

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are organisms containing a set or multiple sets of genes that have been introduced into the organism using laboratory techniques. In the instance of agriculture, the genes introduced provide advantages for the farmer and consumer by yielding plants that produce greater yields, longer growing seasons, longer shelf lives, greater concentrations of vitamins or add additional vitamins that are novel to the plant. There are two general ways that GM (genetically modified) crops are produced: the addition or removal of genes. This review focuses on an example of each strategy. An example of the latter is GM …

Why We Need To Account For Human Behavior And Decision-Making To Effectively Model The Non-Linear Dynamics Of Livestock Disease, Scott C. Merrill, Gabriela Bucini, Eric M. Clark, Christopher J. Koliba, Luke Trinity, Asim Zia, Ollin Langle-Chimal, Nicholas Cheney, Trisha R. Shrum, Timothy L. Sellnow, Deanna D. Sellnow, Julia L. Smith

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

Animal disease costs the livestock industries billions of dollars annually. These costs can be reduced using effective biosecurity. However, costs of biosecurity are steep and benefits must be weighed against the uncertain infection risks. Much effort has gone into determining efficacy of different biosecurity tactics and strategies. Unfortunately, the variability in human behavior and decision-making when confronted with risk information has largely been overlooked. Here we show that use of the human behavioral component is necessary to understand the patterns of infection incidence in livestock industries. Using an agent-based model developed with a foundation of supply chain and industry structural …

Conflict In Kashmir, Matthew Atkison '22, Sarah Oquendo '22, Manaal Shamsi '22

Student Leadership Exchange (SLX)

The topic we are discussing in our presentation is the controversy of Kashmir. Kashmir is a region that has recently been in a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan due to it being between the two nations and it having access to an abundant supply of resources. Kashmir has basically been blocked off by the rest of the world and because of this, many protests have sprung in the region, often violent ones with students throwing rocks at officers. Nothing has been done to solve the situation other than Pakistan and India pointing the blame to each other. Many have …

Innovative Collaboration To Further Community Self-Determination, Matthew Currie, Amaha Sellassie

Biennial Conference: The Social Practice of Human Rights

The built urban environment is the product of more than a century of policy decisions that have both intentionally discriminated and have had the effect of discriminating, against African Americas, immigrants, the work class, low income individuals and other undesirables. While more than fifty years have passed since the passage of civil rights legislation in the United States, individuals in today’s cities are living out our discriminatory legacy.

In Dayton, Ohio, a new movement has risen from the community to disrupt the legacy of de jure and de facto discrimination by the collaborative efforts of the impactive individuals, neighborhood leaders, …

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.

Effect Of Fertilizer On Snow Pea Plant Height, Alexis B. Burnett

Scholars Week

Management practices in gardens are often critical to the height of the plants grown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the differences in snow pea, Pisum sativum, height when grown with Organilock fertilizer compared to without fertilizer in Murray, Kentucky. The snow peas were grown in two separate 3 foot by 4 foot plots, one with the Organilock product and the other without fertilizer. The snow peas were planted at a 1 inch depth and 2 inches apart along a cattle panel in the middle of each plot. Plot A, no Organilock fertilizer, was planted exactly two weeks …

Community-Scale Water Treatment Systems In The Dominican Republic, Jonathan Racey, Annabelle Papai, Elise Fischer, Becca Johnson

Engagement & Service-Learning Summit

Engagement and Service-Learning Summit: Reciprocal and Sustainable Partnerships