Agricultural and Resource Economics Commons^™

The Relationship Between Education About Dress Practices And Change In Perception Of Self-Concept Related To Dress, Jennifer L. Nielson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The influence of an individual's dress practices on his/her sense of self has been studied for many years. Courses such as the Dress and Humanity course at Utah State University have been developed to educate students on the impact of dress on society. In this study, students in the Dress and Humanity course were given a pre-course and post-course survey to determine if self-perceptions related to dress practices underwent a change over the duration of the semester. Significant differences were found in the categories of body image, evaluating self-esteem, and communication of self to others. A relationship was found between …

Nitrogen And Phosphorus Dynamics As Applied To Water Quality Under Management Intensive Grazing, Vaughn J. Thacker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Contamination of freshwater systems by nutrients has been studied extensively in the eastern U.S. Little research on the fate of nutrients in grazing conditions has been done in the western U.S. Western agriculture is often irrigated and research addressing the potential for leaching under these conditions is warranted. This study used Management Intensive Grazing (MIG) and eight grass-legume mixtures to evaluate the management and forage choice in relation to nitrogen and phosphorus leaching to ground water. Soil water samples were taken weekly through the growing season from 2001 through 2003. Water samples were analyzed for nitrate, ammonia, and phosphate. Soils …

Feasibility Analysis Of Seed Production For Use In Re-Seeding Land Burned In Wildfires In The Great Basin Region Of The United States, Benjamin Jay Young

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Native and introduced grass and shrub species are grown for seed production in the Great Basin region of the United States. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the profitability and risk associated with the production of five different species of grasses and shrubs which are used in rehabilitation following wildfires. Enterprise budgets are constructed for both the establishment and production years. Returns above operating costs are compared to other crops produced in the same region. Production and market risks are discussed. Returns and risks are evaluated using an expected value model which compares risk and return between species, …

Knowledge Of Coumadin Use In Atrial Fibrillation Potients, Krista Skye Viau

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common observed arrhythmia in clinical practice. Over the next decades, the number ofpeople affected by AF is estimated to be anywhere from 5.6 to over 12 million. In patients with AF, thromboembolism is a central concern, as it can lead to stroke with significant morbidity and mortality. Coumadin anticoagulation has been shown to significantly reduce stroke risk, particularly in patients with other risks, such as hypertension, diabetes, prior stroke, or heart failure. Although Coumadin is effective in reducing stroke, its chronic use requires frequent international normalized ratio (INR)/protime monitoring. This is necessary because …

Application Of Electrified Fladry To Decrease Risk Of Livestock Depredation By Wolves (Canis Lupus), Nathan J. Lance

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Wolf (Canis lupus) predation on livestock can cause economic and emotional hardships for livestock producers, complicating the balance of wolf conservation with other human interests. New management tools that decrease risk of predation may offer additional flexibility or efficiency for both livestock producers and management agencies. I examined 1) the efficacy of electrified fladry compared to fladry at protecting a food source from wolves in captivity, 2) the efficacy of electrified fladry for reducing wolf use of pastures and preventing depredations, and 3) the applicability of electrified-fladry. In captivity I tested the reaction from 15 groups (46 wolves) …

Coping With Dr-Cafta: Assessing The Impact Of The Agreement And Designing Adjustment Programs For Sensitive Agriculture In Honduras, Alvaro Durand-Morat

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Honduras has for almost two decades embraced economic integration as a way to achieve sustained economic growth. The DR-CAFTA agreement signed in 2004 represents another step towards economic openness. The agreement generated a heated debate about the benefits and costs to the Honduran economy. Previous assessments suggest that Honduras will have a marginal aggregate benefit from DR-CAFTA. The findings from this study suggest that the agreement might actually yield a marginal loss vis-à-vis the counterfactual. Previous studies also stress the potential for large losses resulting from the agreement, particularly for some traditional and sensitive agricultural sectors. The findings from this …

Biological And Economic Effects Of Grazing Spring-Calving Cow-Calf Pairs On Improved Irrigated Pastures Using Creep Supplementation, Adam F. Summers

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Recent trends to develop farmland into improved irrigated pastures raise questions regarding the profitability of creep supplementing terminal-sired calves on these production systems. This study was initiated to answer these questions. Two previously established adjacent sprinkler-irrigated plots were separated into 2 paddocks. One plot (3.4 ha) consisted of a monoculture of Seine tall fescue while the other plot (3.9 ha) consisted of a mixture of Seine tall fescue, AC Grazeland Alfalfa, and Norcen birdsfoot trefoil. The mixture of the second plot consisted of 50% tall fescue, 37.5% alfalfa, and 12.5% birdsfoot trefoil. Plots were designated as monoculture no-creep supplement (MONOC) …

Production Performance And Profiles Of Milk Fatty Acids Of Lactating Dairy Cows Fed Whole Safflower Seed Containing High Fat And Low Fiber, Christopher M. Dschaak

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Oil seeds are natural sources of fat and protein in diets for lactating cows, and are usually fed whole or crushed. A recently released variety of safflower seed, 'Nutrasaff,' contains high fat (47% crude fat) and low fiber (26% NDF), and has a potential to be effectively used as a fat supplement for lactating dairy cows. Therefore, a lactating dairy cow trial was conducted to assess production performance of dairy cows when fed graded levels of whole Nutrasaff safflower seed (NSS), to determine the optimum level of NSS supplementation in the diet and to identify its impact on milk fat …

Who Suffers Most When Disease Outbreaks And Food Recalls Happen? The Case Of Mad Cow Disease In The United States, Sunil P. Dhoubhadel, Matthew Stockton

Cornhusker Economics

It is generally observed that whenever there are cases of disease outbreaks and food recalls, such as the case of the 2003 Mad Cow Disease (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or BSE) outbreak, cattle and beef prices fall. Given these incidents, there is the question of which part of the marketing chain is the most affected. For those who produce live cattle, such as feedlot operators, the question is ‘what effect these events have on price and demand for beef and cattle?’ Similarly, how do the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) recalls and diseases such as Mad Cow Disease outbreaks affect the …

Nrd Plans For “Not-Quite” Fully-Appropriated Basins, J. David Aiken

Cornhusker Economics

On April 8, 2009, the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) determined that the Lower Platte River Basin was not yet fully-appropriated. On April 6, Nebraska Governor Heineman signed Legislative Bill (LB) 483, which established procedures to limit new irrigation development in areas like the Lower Platte Basin. Last week’s newsletter (April 15), discussed how LB483 requires the 14 affected natural resource districts (NRDs) to prepare plans to limit new high-capacity wells, in order to maintain the basin’s not fully-appropriated status. This week’s newsletter discusses how the LB483 NRDs might propose to limit new irrigation wells.

Economic Impact Of Agriculture On South Dakota, Gary Taylor

Economics Commentator (1972- 2016)

No abstract provided.

Has The Ethanol Industry Impacted Nebraska Land Values?, Ben Blomendahl, Bruce B. Johnson

Cornhusker Economics

The growth of the United States ethanol industry has been quite extensive, especially in Nebraska, where production has grown from 523 million gallons per year in 2005, to 1,115 million gallons per year in 2008 (Nebraska Energy Office, 2009). Rural areas are at an advantage for attracting ethanol plants, as prospective plants want to locate as close as possible to its chief resource - corn. In exchange for locating near its feedstock, ethanol plants offer higher prices in the competition for corn, which in turn has impacted farm income. Surprisingly, little research has been done with regards to an ethanol …

Grain Storage Costs And Rental Rates, Ross Miller, H. Douglas Jose

Cornhusker Economics

Trends in Grain Storage - Commercial grain storage eliminates the need to monitor grain conditions and, hence, offers the peace of mind that unsold grain will remain in condition. There may be a cost trade-off between this reduced storage risk and the cost of on-farm storage.

A Multidisciplinary Approach On Swiss Organic Food And Agriculture, Jae In Kim

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The organic food movement in Switzerland owes its success to the trust relationship among producers, retailers and consumers alike. The higher quality of organic food compared to those of neighboring countries, as well as the visible effort to maintain the quality with highly-recognized label certification scheme, allowed organic food to find a secure niche in supermarket shelves despite a higher price in an already expensive country. The market structure—Bio Suisse as an association of organic producers who set the criteria, and separate institutions for each research, inspection and distribution—maintains the careful balance in the market which explains the stability of …

Social Capital In Rural China: Its Impact On Economic Development, Grassroots Governance, And Democratic Participation, Min Xia

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Does social capital generate positive influences on economic development and democratic governance? This question has important theoretical and policy implications for the contemporary world, especially for the developing countries. The primary goals of this study are to investigate the stock of two types of social capital—bridging social capital and bonding social capital—in rural China, and furthermore to examine the impacts of these two types of social capital upon economic development, grassroots governance, and democratic participation in rural China.

In this study bridging social capital has been measured by the participation in inclusive social networks and general trust among villagers, and …

The Modernization Of Fiji ’S Food System And The Resulting Implications On Fijian Society: A Synthesis, Brian Schultz

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Beginning in the early 19th century, Fiji’s contact with several industrialized nations of Europe and the west contributed to rapid changes in its food system– changes that have had massive effects on Fiji’s economy and politics, on both local and global scales, as well as on the health and identity of the people who call Fiji home. Using a longitudinal model, the author traces the modernization of the Fiji food system from before European contact, through the period of colonial rule, the introduction of the cash economy, and the beginnings of urbanization to its status in the spring of 2009. …

Campesinos/As Cultivating Soil: Promoting And Adopting Sustainable Agriculture In Jinotega, Nicaragua, Emily Grady

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study seeks to answer the question: What pedagogies and theoretical and practical concepts and processes effectively facilitate a transition to sustainable agriculture among campesinos/as in rural Nicaragua? From the perspective of both the facilitators and the participants, what makes these methodologies effective and why is this change important? The Cuculmeca, an organization that promotes the sustainable use of the environment and the participation of communities in their own development, has been promoting sustainable agriculture in Jinotega since 1992. The organization has developed a series of pedagogical strategies that tend to facilitate an enduring transition to sustainable agriculture, and in …

Nebraska Farmland Markets Plateau, Bruce B. Johnson, Ryan Lukassen

Cornhusker Economics

After several years of successively rising land values and cash rents, Nebraska’s farmland markets throttled back during 2008. Preliminary results from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s 2009 Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey show a clear picture of the market mood turning very cautious in response to the U.S. and global economic downturns. As of February 1, 2009, the weighted average value of Nebraska farmland was $1,424 per acre, identical to the year-earlier level (Figure 1 and Table 1 at end of article). Likewise, estimated 2009 cash rents are stable to slightly down from 2008 levels throughout most of the state.

Modeling Feedback Between Economic And Biophysical Systems In Smallholder Agriculture In Kenya: The Crops, Livestock And Soils In Smallholder Economic Systems (Classes) Model, Emma C. Stephens, Christopher B. Barrett, Douglas R. Brown, Johannes Lehmann, David Mbugua, Solomon Ngoze, Charles F. Nicholson, David Parsons, Alice N. Pell, Susan J. Riha

Agribusiness

We investigate natural resource-based poverty traps using a simulation model of smallholder farms in highland Kenya. Simulation modeling allows for detailed examination of the complex interactions and feedback between farm-household economic decision-making and long-term soil dynamics, which may contribute to persistent poverty among smallholders in this region. We examine the effects of changing initial endowments of land, labour and stocks of on-farm soil organic matter on the long-term welfare of these households. We find that larger farms are better able to cope with both labour shocks and deteriorating natural capital than smaller farms, with smaller farms remaining poor and unable …

Economy Hard On Beef And Pork Demand, Darrell R. Mark

Cornhusker Economics

The inventory of all cattle and calves reached a 50-year low at the end of 2008. Pork producers reduced the size of the breeding herd late in 2008. Imports of feeder cattle, feeder pigs and slaughter cattle and hogs from Canada have dropped dramatically since the fourth quarter of 2008. And, never before seen drops in broiler production occurred in the last few months of 2008. With production of nearly all sectors of the meat industry lower than year-ago levels, why haven’t livestock prices rallied in response? The economic times we’re in have reduced demand. People haven’t been willing or …

Analyzing The Acre Program, Bradley D. Lubben

Cornhusker Economics

The new farm bill enacted by Congress in June 2008 includes a new revenue-based safety net, the Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) Program, that is available to producers beginning with the 2009 crop year. While final details and implementation of the program is yet to be announced by the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), an analysis of the mechanics of ACRE and the relevant yields and prices to include in ACRE can help producers assess whether ACRE will be a good choice for this crop year and beyond.

Cultivating Dreams - Harvesting Profits, Women In Agriculture 2009, Megan Voss, Paige Bek, Maggie Holub

Cornhusker Economics

The University of Nebraska!Lincoln Department of Agricultural Economics hosted the 24th Women in Agriculture (WIA) Conference February 26-27, 2009. Over 350 women participated in the event. A majority came from across the great state of Nebraska, but there were a few individuals that made the trip from California, Colorado, North Carolina, Kansas, Iowa and South Dakota. For some women, this was their first time experiencing the conference and for others it was their 24th time. Average attendance among the women was approximately 6.5 times. The main goal of the conference was to heighten the womens’ skills and gain knowledge to …

Kandiyohi County: Local Food System Assessment, Donna Chollett, Prashanthan Naidu

Center for Small Towns

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Weather Extremes On Agricultural Production Methods: Does Drought Increase Adoption Of Conservation Tillage Practices?, Ya Ding, Karina Schoengold, Tsegaye Tadesse

Department of Agricultural Economics: Faculty Publications

One benefit of conservation tillage practices is an increase in soil moisture. The paper combines panel data techniques with spatial analysis to measure the impact of extreme weather events on the adoption of conservation tillage. Zellner’s SUR technique is extended to spatial panel data to correct for cross-sectional heterogeneity, spatial autocorrelation, and contemporaneous correlation. Panel data allows the identification of differences in adoption rates as a function of the severity of past drought or flood events. The adoption of no-till, alternative conservation tillage, and reduced till are estimated relative to conventional tillage. Extremely dry conditions in recent years are found …

“I Don’T Want To Be Selling My Soul”: Two Experiments In Environmental Economics, Natalia V. Ovchinnikova, Hans J. Czap, Gary D. Lynne, Christopher W. Larimer

Department of Agricultural Economics: Faculty Publications

We conducted two experiments in the context of environmental protection. We found that profit considerations and personality traits are among the essential determinants of individual contributions to the solution of environmental problems. The results show that environmental considerations are powerful motivators and subjects are willing to forgo pecuniary profits for the sake of “doing-the-right-thing”. The study shows that the environmental groups can purchase carbon offsets directly from the providers at a lower-than market price and still obtain a relatively large market share.

Insuring Corn, Soybeans, And Wheat; Yield Ratios And Income, Matthew Diersen, Tia Dodson

Economics Commentator (1972- 2016)

No abstract provided.

Economic Outlook, Scott Fausti, Bill Adamson

Economics Commentator (1972- 2016)

No abstract provided.

Is Corn Ethanol Economically Viable In The Long-Run?, Richard K. Perrin

Department of Agricultural Economics: Faculty Publications

The corn ethanol industry is in the pits, with plants being idled and firms declaring bankruptcy. Not only that, but each month seems to bring a new study assailing corn ethanol because it doesn’t help the environment, or it doesn’t reduce dependence on foreign oil, or it drives up food prices, or it is harmful to health.

These assertions each have some basis, and they have gone far to undermine public policies in support of corn ethanol. So what then is the future for the industry? Can it survive without mandates and subsidies? To answer, we must first look at …

Is Corn Ethanol Economically Viable In The Long Run?, Richard K. Perrin

Cornhusker Economics

The corn ethanol industry is in the pits, with plants being idled and firms declaring bankruptcy. Not only that, but each month seems to bring a new study assailing corn ethanol because it doesn’t help the environment, or it doesn’t reduce dependence on foreign oil, or it drives up food prices, or it is harmful to health.

Using Nebraska’S Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program, David J. Goeller

Cornhusker Economics

Many farm or ranch families that are attempting to bring a son or daughter back into their business experience a strain on the cash flow. After all, a business that has been providing enough income for one family to live on, must now not only generate adequate income for the parents living expenses, but also attempt to provide enough income for a second family, the successor. Recent changes to Nebraska’s Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program provide an attractive incentive that can be very beneficial for family farming/ranching operations that are trying to bring a family member back into their business. …