Agricultural and Resource Economics Commons^™

Sustainable Agriculture Bibliography, Matt Bogard

Agriculture Department Seminar Series

An annotated bibliography related to the sustainability of biotechnology and pharmaceutical technologies used in modern agriculture.

Does "Free Sampling" Enhance The Value Of Public Goods?, Arthur J. Caplan, Douglas Jackson-Smith, Sandra Marquart-Pyatt

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

This study investigates whether a ‘free sampling’ marketing strategy induces an enduring WTP premium effect for public goods. Using data from a unique field experiment involving curbside recycling, we find that the premium effect associated with providing non-participating households a brief opportunity to participate in a curbside recycling program for free is relatively small and not enduring. It may therefore not be cost effective to offer a free-sampling participation incentive for this type (or similar types) of local public good(s).

Powering America: The Impact Of Ethanol Production In The Corn Belt States, Luisa Blanco, Michelle Isenhouer

School of Public Policy Working Papers

This paper investigates the impact of ethanol production in the Corn Belt states (Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin). Employing data at the county level, from 2005 and 2006, we investigate the effect of ethanol production on employment and wages. Our empirical results show that ethanol production has a positive significant effect on employment and wages, but this effect is of insignificant magnitude. We also find that counties with high and medium levels of ethanol production capacity show higher levels of employment and wages than those counties that do not produce ethanol. …

An Inventory And Condition Survey Of The Western Australian Part Of The Nullarbor Region, Peter-Jon A. Waddell, A K. Gardner, P Hennig

Technical Bulletins

The inventory and condition survey of the Western Australian part of the Nullarbor region, undertaken by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) between 2005 and 2007, describes and maps the natural resources of the region. This survey report provides a baseline record of the existence and condition of the area's natural resources, to assist with the planning and implementation of land management practices. The report identified and described the condition of soils, landforms, vegetation, habitat, ecosystems, and declared plants and animals. It also assessed the impact of pastoralism and made land management recommendations. The Nullarbor region has …

Price Discovery In Nebraska Cattle Markets, Matthew C. Stockton, David A. Bessler, Roger K. Wilson

Department of Agricultural Economics: Faculty Publications

Monthly observations on prices from 10 weight/gender classifications of Nebraska beef cattle are studied in an error correction model (ECM) framework. This study attempts a replication of the 2003 paper on Texas prices by Bessler and Davis, where they find medium heifers (600–700 lb) at the center of price discovery. Using the ECM results Nebraska light steers are found to be weakly exogenous, with the innovation accounting results showing marked differences. Industry structure, production choices, and animal type and breeding herd differences between Texas and Nebraska are proposed as plausible reasons for partial (or incomplete) success at replication.

Department Of Economics Publication List 2010, Penny Stover

Economics Pamphlet Series (1985-2016)

This compilation lists published works authored by Department of Economics faculty members and other staff working on projects funded through the Department of Economics. Publications resulting from their research and academic activities are indexed by author at the end of this pamphlet for easy access by the public. The articles were published between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009.

Constructing Credibility: Using Technoscience To Legitimate Strategies In Agrifood Governance, Carmen Bain, Elizabeth Ransom, Michelle R. Worosz

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Agrifood scholars working within a political economy framework increasingly draw upon the concept of governance to analyze the regulation of global agricultural and food systems. An important limitation of this approach is that it fails to explain how governance strategies are legitimated. Drawing on three diverse cases that span three continents, our paper examines how standards makers appeal to technoscientific norms and values to establish both credibility for their standards and their authority in constructing them. These cases explore the development and implementation of a standard requiring complete elimination of a tart cherry insect pest in the United States; the …

2010 Nebraska Wind Energy Legislation, J. David Aiken

Cornhusker Economics

In 2010 the Nebraska Unicameral enacted a major wind energy statute, LB1048, that will lead to significantly increased wind energy development in Nebraska. Nebraska has always had major wind energy development potential, but wind farm development has lagged far behind this potential. LB1048 changes this, and will allow Nebraska to increase wind energy development.

Identifying Profitable Characteristics Of Steer Calves To Be Retained, Matthew Stockton, Brian Williams

Cornhusker Economics

A recent study done by the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, investigates the predictive power of physical characteristics exhibited by steer calves, at and prior to weaning, on profits associated with weaned calf retention. Historically, retained ownership of beef cattle calves owned from birth through the finishing stage of production by a single owner, has been found to be a profitable endeavor for cow-calf producers. Despite these findings, observed evidence indicates many producers choose not to retain ownership. Three reasons that may explain this include tradition, cash flow needs of the business and risk. Producers who choose to …

Developing A Community Marketing Plan, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel

Cornhusker Economics

When you think of the word “marketing” what comes to mind? Do you think of advertising and promotional strategies in print, other forms of media or the internet? Maybe you think of direct marketing flyers, email blitzes or email newsletters?

Typically, individuals equate marketing with specific promotional tools, but in reality it is a much broader process. It traditionally starts with identifying consumer wants and needs and developing products or services to meet those needs. The next step for the business owner is to match up their product or service benefits with potential customers groups. Then one tries to find …

A Quick Look At Nebraska’S Youth Population Data From Recent Census Estimates, Randolph L. Cantrell

Cornhusker Economics

According to population estimates released by the Bureau of the Census, Nebraska’s population under 18 years of age grew between the years 2000 and 2009, but at a rate much below that of the general population and in a geographically very uneven fashion.

Overall, it is estimated that Nebraska’s population under 18 years of age grew by 0.31 percent between 2000 and 2009 (from 450,242 to 451,641), while the total population grew by 4.98 percent. However, young Nebraskans increased in number in only ten of the state’s 93 counties. Of the 83 counties that saw their youth decline in number, …

Economic Effects Of The Consumer-Oriented Gm Products In Markets With A Labeling Regime, Rim Lassoued, Konstantinos Giannakas

Cornhusker Economics

One of the most intriguing attributes of modern industrial society is its approach to nutrition. Humanity has moved from subsistence economies, where eating was a matter of survival, to economies characterized by the existence of an ever increasing variety of food products. An important recent addition to the types of food products included in our diet has been that of genetically modified (GM) products.

Despite their important agronomic benefits to agricultural producers (e.g., increased yields and/or reduced input costs), GM products have been facing a rather strong consumer opposition. Fears related to potential health and environmental effects of genetic modification, …

Sustainability Through Profitability: The Triple Bottom Line, Connie I. Reimers-Hild

Cornhusker Economics

Today’s highly competitive, globalized world requires organizations and businesses to think differently about how they are going to stay in business. Businesses can no longer afford to focus on profits as their sole purpose for existence. Organizations must instead think about the “Triple Bottom Line” and its implications for their ability to grow their brand, customer loyalty and profits.

The three components of the Triple Bottom Line are: people and community (social responsibility), planet (environmental sustainability) and profit (the bottom line). Successful 21st century organizations must consider how they are going to actively engage in each of the Triple Bottom …

The Nebraska Citizen Initiative Process, J. David Aiken

Cornhusker Economics

Nebraska is one of about half of the states that allow its citizens to initiate new statutes (legislative laws) or constitutional provisions by way of the citizen initiative petition process. Since 1992, over 30 constitutional amendments have been voted on under these provisions. In Nebraska, citizen initiatives have dealt with corporate farming restrictions, term limits, gambling, government spending limits and antiaffirmative action requirements. There is a chance that an animal welfare provision may be on the November 6, 2012 general election ballot. This newsletter takes a quick look at the initiative process. For more detailed information, consult an attorney.

Understanding The Value Of Water In Nebraska: Future Expectations And Considerations, Christopher L. Thompson, Ray Supalla

Cornhusker Economics

Nebraska’s water resources are cost-effective insurance for harnessing the productive potential of cropland. During the last 30 years, intensive irrigation development in Western Nebraska has led to regulations to prevent or reduce the over-use of Nebraska’s share of both surface and groundwater. Despite regulations affecting the amount of available water, farmers have been able to manage water in ways that lead to an acceptable net return, with little impact on land values. However, as stricter regulations are put in place to limit the amount of water that can be withdrawn each year per irrigated acre, it is quite possible that …

Toward Sustainability In Business, Industry And Community: Empathy Tempered Choices, Prabhakar Shrestha, Gary D. Lynne

Cornhusker Economics

In today’s world of 24-hour news service on the internet, youtube, facebook, twitter, electronic newspapers, etc., there are many sources of information constantly seeking our attention, triggering our response and affecting our psyche. Where are such habits of tuning into internet services, mobile services, etc., leading us? Jeremy Rifkin in his new book, The Empathic Civilization talks about the dawn of a new Third Industrial Civilization. The main feature is the sharing of information among millions of people, which is shaping the spatial and temporal orientation of human civilization. This also leads to greater differentiation of skills, greater connectivity, extension …

Microstructure And Property Evaluation Of Lifepo4 Thin Films For Application In Microbatteries, Jose Marcos Mares

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The shortage of fossil fuels and the requirements to produce clean, environmental friendly, efficient, and economical energy are the principal problems in the context of energy technology for current and future generations. Therefore, advanced energy storage and conversion capabilities with higher capacity and efficiency are desired. Currently, there is an enormous interest in the development of high energy density rechargeable batteries for use in domestic applications, automotive industries and portable electronic applications. The present research focuses on the development of LiFePO4 thin films for solid-state thin-film microbatteries. The present effort was performed with a specific purpose of understanding the effect …

Essays On Industrial Organization And Environmental Economics, Gibson Nene

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

This dissertation studies environmental regulation issues in the hog production industry as well as forces behind the reorganization of the industry during the past two decades. Federal and State-level environmental regulations imposed on U.S. hog production during the year 2003 are examined in Chapter 1. Based on the number of regulations passed by the Federal government and states, the 2003 regulatory index is constructed. The regulatory stringency index suggests that state-level regulations vary across states and have increased over the years. In addition, state-level regulations are more stringent than federal regulations. Chapter 2 develops an empirically implementable theoretical model which …

Genetically Engineering Crops For A Sustainable Agriculture, David E. Ervin, Rick Welsh

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The article examines the role of genetically engineered (GE) crops in fostering a more sustainable agriculture. An overview of the National Academy of Sciences metal study of the impacts of GE crops on farm sustainability in the U.S. is given. The two types of GE crops are discussed, one which produces its own insecticide called insect resistant (IR) crops and the other is engineered to resist particular herbicides. An explanation for sustainable agriculture is also presented.

What Drives Academic Bioscientists: Money Or Values?, David E. Ervin, Sharmistha Nag, Hui Yang, Steven T. Buccola

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The article determines the factors that drive academic bioscience to better understand the role of genetically engineered (GE) crops in the sustainability of U.S. agriculture. Some challenges brought about by GE crops in the U.S. farm sustainability include tracking and controlling water pollution, protecting against herbicide resistance and nitrogen fixation. Professional norms are also considered as a great factor driving the academic bioscience.

Agricultural Intersectoral Linkages And Their Contribution To Economic Development, Vijayaratnam Subramaniam

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The transition from communism to capitalism at the end of the last century was one of the most significant events in the world economy since industrialization. During the latter part of the 1980s, people the Central and Eastern European countries and former Soviet Republics opted for a change from highly distorted command economic system to a market driven economic system. Privatization and liberalization policies led to major changes in the commodity mix and volume of agricultural production, consumption and trade. However, the changes and the impacts varied among countries as they followed different transition strategies.

This study investigated the impact …

2010 Federal Estate Tax Issues, J. David Aiken

Cornhusker Economics

Estate planning is a very important topic for farm families. In 2001, President Bush signed legislation that reduced the Federal Estate Taxes until 2010, when it was reduced to zero. However, in 2011 the Federal Estate Tax will be reinstated, as indicated in the table on the next page. President Obama has proposed a permanent Federal Estate Tax exemption at the 2009 level, but that has not been acted upon by Congress. Other proposals range from a $2 million exemption with a 55 percent top estate tax rate, to a $5 million exemption with a 35 percent top rate.

A Thin Real Estate Market Becomes Even Leaner, Bruce B. Johnson

Cornhusker Economics

The market for agricultural real estate has historically been what observers call a “thin market,” in that very little is marketed and changes ownership at any given point in time. In fact, even when there is spirited buying interest and willingness to bid aggressively, the supply side of the market for agricultural land tends to be inelastic - in that the percentage change in quantity put on the market is much less that the percentage increase in bid prices.

Of course, this partially explains upward value trends to agricultural real estate over time. If potential buyers realize there is only …

If Irrigation Needs To Be Reduced, How Should We Do It?, Raymond J. Supalla

Cornhusker Economics

Nebraska’s obligations under the terms of the Republican Basin Compact and the Cooperative Agreement for the Platte River, as well as our continuing commitment to future generations, require reductions in the consumptive use of water in irrigation. Reducing irrigation in a cost effective and equitable way is perhaps the most important water policy challenge which Nebraska must address. Determining how to meet this challenge involves the following questions: how will irrigators be affected by irrigation reduction programs such as allocation or forced reductions in irrigated acres; how will the Nebraska economy and local communities be affected; what is the least …

Status Of U.S. Initiatives To Limit Ghg Emissions, Diego R. Alvarez, Federico Trindade

Cornhusker Economics

The status of the United States initiatives to limit green house gas (GHG) emissions is the topic of this article. Although there are uncertainties associated with the science of climate change, some aspects of the science are known with virtual certainty (they have a greater than 99% chance of being true). Scientists know with virtual certainty that levels of greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have been increasing since pre-industrial times; that the atmospheric buildup of CO2 and other greenhouse gases is largely the result of human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels; and that increasing …

The Demand For Citizen Leadership In Non-Metropolitan Nebraska, Randolph L. Cantrell

Cornhusker Economics

Those who work with rural communities know this issue well: Population losses have left many rural communities with a shortage of residents willing and able to take on the public and volunteer leadership roles required to keep their communities running smoothly. As a result, individuals are often asked not just to participate in local government and voluntary organizations, but also to accept positions of authority and responsibility in their operation. The outcome, according to conventional wisdom, is that capable and involved citizens can be “burned out” by the demands made on their time, with local leadership often being left in …

“The E-Harmony Of Farm Succession”, David J. Goeller

Cornhusker Economics

The age of Nebraska’s farm and ranch operators continues to trend older. Statistics from the National Census of Agriculture indicates that in 1982 there were 13,436 operators of Nebraska farms or ranches under the age of 35. In the most recent Census of Agriculture taken in 2007, those Nebraska operators under age 35 have declined to 3,353. The 1982 Census indicated the number of operators age 65 and over was 8,777, while in 2007 the Nebraska operators age 65 and over increased to 13,062. Nebraska currently has only 25 percent as many operators under 35 years of age as it …

The Consequences Of Increasing Ocean Acidification On Local And Global Fishing Industries, Alyson N. Stark

CMC Senior Theses

As human activities continue to generate accelerating levels of carbon dioxide emissions, the world’s oceanic resources are threatened by variability in seawater chemistry, known as ocean acidification. Recent increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide have resulted in decreased carbonate ion concentrations and ocean pH levels, leading to increasingly acidic waters. The exact consequences of these chemical changes on ecosystems and individual species are difficult to predict; however, research has shown that economically valuable calcifying species will experience reduced reproductive fitness and population declines. Ocean acidification, therefore, poses an immediate risk to both fish stocks and fishery industries. From a local perspective, …

The Status Of International Negotiations On Climate Change, Federico Trindade, Diego R. Alvarez

Cornhusker Economics

In the October 20, 2010 issue of this newsletter we talked about the status of United States initiatives in limiting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Although there are uncertainties associated with the science of climate change, some aspects of the science are known with virtual certainty (they have a greater than 99 percent chance of being true). Scientists know with virtual certainty that levels of greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, have been increasing since pre-industrial times; that the atmospheric buildup of CO2 and other greenhouse gases is largely the result of human activities such as the burning of …

Input Price Risk And The Adoption Of Conservation Technology, Karina Schoengold

Cornhusker Economics

Energy price trends have shown increases in both the mean and variance in recent years. In addition, innovation activity continues to develop new technologies that can benefit consumers by providing the same services as traditional technology, but with higher input use efficiency. For example, technologies such as hybrid vehicles or compact fluorescent light bulbs provide consumers with benefits, while simultaneously reducing the demand for limited energy inputs. Examining the impact of increasing price variability on the adoption of conservation technologies is important to innovators and policy-makers. This is especially important when multiple technologies exist, and producers have an option to …