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Full-Text Articles in Agricultural and Resource Economics

Crop Planting Decisions For 2008 – An Initial Analysis, Paige Bek, H. Douglas Jose Oct 2007

Crop Planting Decisions For 2008 – An Initial Analysis, Paige Bek, H. Douglas Jose

Cornhusker Economics

Prices tend to be the driving factor when considering which crops to plant and how many acres to plant. Deciding what to plant in 2008 could be even more complicated than this year, the decision being compounded by the fact that wheat is at record high price levels. To analyze breakeven prices for the three major commodities we can use crop budgets of expected costs.


The Economic Impact Of The Stanislaus County Food Processing Industry And The Food Processing By-Products Use Program, Jay E. Noel, Sean P. Hurley, Jessica Bylsma Oct 2007

The Economic Impact Of The Stanislaus County Food Processing Industry And The Food Processing By-Products Use Program, Jay E. Noel, Sean P. Hurley, Jessica Bylsma

Agribusiness

In the late 1970’s, Stanislaus County recognized that there existed a potential issue with the disposal of food processing by-products. The concern at the time was that the disposal of the by-products could be handled in a more efficient manner that could benefit all interested stakeholders. In 1978, the county took a proactive stance on the issue and brought together a group of producers, UC extension representatives, management from local food processors, and other interested stakeholders to discuss better ways of handling the by-products that came from processing agricultural products. As a result of these discussions, Stanislaus County developed the …


Intellectual Property Institutions For Plant Breeding, Richard K. Perrin, Lilyan Fulginiti Oct 2007

Intellectual Property Institutions For Plant Breeding, Richard K. Perrin, Lilyan Fulginiti

Lilyan E. Fulginiti Publications

Intellectual property rights for crop plant material should in principle increase social welfare by increasing private research investments to a level closer to the social optimum. In the US, plant patents were first introduced in 1930 by legislation that applied only to asexually reproduced plants. This was followed in 1970 by the weaker plant breeders' rights legislation (PBR) for sexually reproduced plants. Judicial decisions in 1980 and 1985, however, extended much stronger utility patent protection to plant materials. Here we examine theoretical welfare implications of weak PBR vs strong utility patents in a North-South context of technology transfer in agriculture …


Institutions And Agricultural Productivity In Mercosur, Preeti Bharati, Lilyan Fulginiti Oct 2007

Institutions And Agricultural Productivity In Mercosur, Preeti Bharati, Lilyan Fulginiti

Department of Agricultural Economics: Faculty Publications

We revisit earlier estimates of agricultural productivity in original Mercosur member countries and later associates: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, for 1972-2002. We estimate a translog frontier production function and revise our earlier estimates as well as those of others that indicated declining agricultural productivity. We find that the average rate for the region was a strong 2.25 percent. All the member countries experienced positive agricultural productivity growth for the sample period with Brazil being the fastest gainer. Institutions such as investments in public health and in public agricultural R&D, as well as an …


Intellectual Property Institutions For Plant Breeding, Richard K. Perrin, Lilyan Fulginiti Oct 2007

Intellectual Property Institutions For Plant Breeding, Richard K. Perrin, Lilyan Fulginiti

Department of Agricultural Economics: Faculty Publications

Intellectual property rights for crop plant material should in principle increase social welfare by increasing private research investments to a level closer to the social optimum. In the US, plant patents were first introduced in 1930 by legislation that applied only to asexually reproduced plants. This was followed in 1970 by the weaker plant breeders' rights legislation (PBR) for sexually reproduced plants. Judicial decisions in 1980 and 1985, however, extended much stronger utility patent protection to plant materials. Here we examine theoretical welfare implications of weak PBR vs strong utility patents in a North-South context of technology transfer in agriculture …


Institutions And Agricultural Productivity In Mercosur, Preeti Bharati, Lilyan Fulginiti Oct 2007

Institutions And Agricultural Productivity In Mercosur, Preeti Bharati, Lilyan Fulginiti

Lilyan E. Fulginiti Publications

We revisit earlier estimates of agricultural productivity in original Mercosur member countries and later associates: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, for 1972-2002. We estimate a translog frontier production function and revise our earlier estimates as well as those of others that indicated declining agricultural productivity. We find that the average rate for the region was a strong 2.25 percent. All the member countries experienced positive agricultural productivity growth for the sample period with Brazil being the fastest gainer. Institutions such as investments in public health and in public agricultural R&D, as well as an …


Economic Effects Of Gmos On Small Developing Countries, Alejandro Plastina, Konstantinos Giannakas Oct 2007

Economic Effects Of Gmos On Small Developing Countries, Alejandro Plastina, Konstantinos Giannakas

Cornhusker Economics

The advent of “Gene Revolution” has sparked a significant research effort aimed at identifying the market and welfare effects of the introduction of genetically modified (GM) crops into the food system. Due to the producer orientation of the first generation of GM products, particular emphasis has been placed on the agronomic benefits of the new technology and the potential for a productivity boost in developing countries.


The Potential Role Of Probiotics In Reducing Poverty-Associated Infections In Developing Countries, Kingsley Anukam Oct 2007

The Potential Role Of Probiotics In Reducing Poverty-Associated Infections In Developing Countries, Kingsley Anukam

Data and Test Instruments

Probiotics are defined by the Food and Agricultural Organization/ World Health Organization as “live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host” [1]. The potential benefits of their use have not been adequately investigated, especially in the developing world. Japan introduced Yakult, a probiotic fermented food drink in 1935, and in the Northern hemisphere, research and use of probiotics has gained an unprecedented momentum in the last decade [2]. Use of probiotics is not uncommon in Europe [3], but in many developing countries use of probiotics in its present definition is a foreign concept. …


How Much Ethanol, Ultimately?, Richard K. Perrin, Juan Pablo Sesmero Oct 2007

How Much Ethanol, Ultimately?, Richard K. Perrin, Juan Pablo Sesmero

Cornhusker Economics

Ethanol prices are low in the Midwest, prompting suggestions that the boom is over. It is perhaps slowing down for the next couple of years, but is likely to resume after that. Today’s gross processing margin (ethanol price minus net corn feedstock cost) is in the range of $.80/gal – high by historical standards – but low relative to 2006 (see Figure 1 on next page). Also, the low ethanol price appears to be partly due to transportation and distribution bottlenecks, and those are not permanent.


The Economic Contribution Of Marine Science And Education Institutions In The Monterey Bay Crescent, Judith T. Kildow Dr, Nathaniel Miller Oct 2007

The Economic Contribution Of Marine Science And Education Institutions In The Monterey Bay Crescent, Judith T. Kildow Dr, Nathaniel Miller

Publications

Ocean and coastal areas of the United States contribute significantly to our nation’s overall economy. The extent to which our economy benefits from the wide range of marine and coastal activities is not completely understood. The National Ocean Economics Program (NOEP) has attempted to track and value the ocean and coastal- related economic activities in the United States. To date six sectors are included in its information system (www.oceaneconomics.org). The economic contribution of marine research and education institutions is a sector of activity that lies outside of the normal federal government datasets, but one which seemed to have growing importance …


Priority, Preferences And Irrigator-Power Disputes On The Niobrara River, J. David Aiken Oct 2007

Priority, Preferences And Irrigator-Power Disputes On The Niobrara River, J. David Aiken

Cornhusker Economics

Irrigators, the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are involved in conflicts between irrigators and NPPD over Niobrara River water use. This newsletter will discuss the role of priority and preferences in Nebraska surface water law, DNR priority administration, loss of appropriations and how similar power-irrigation priority disputes have been resolved in the Loup River Basin.


Barriers To Farm/Ranch Business Succession, David J. Goeller Oct 2007

Barriers To Farm/Ranch Business Succession, David J. Goeller

Cornhusker Economics

Data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) suggests a trend of fewer people entering farming and ranching as their chosen occupation. This trend has been occurring for many years, as the average age of farm operators continues to increase. Many have asked “Why is this happening?” and “What are the factors that create barriers to a career in agricultural production?”


Science, Technology And Skills, Philip Pardey, Jennifer James, Julian Alston, Stanley Wood, Bonwoo Koo, Eran Binenbaum, Terrance Hurley, Paul Glewwe Oct 2007

Science, Technology And Skills, Philip Pardey, Jennifer James, Julian Alston, Stanley Wood, Bonwoo Koo, Eran Binenbaum, Terrance Hurley, Paul Glewwe

Agribusiness

The invention of agriculture that occurred around 10,000 years ago heralded a shift from nomadic hunting and gathering to more managed forms of food, feed and fibre production. The domestication of crops initially involved the saving of seed from one season for planting in subsequent years. Later, farmers purposefully selected crop varieties and so in practice began matching and, by repeated selection over many years, adapting crop genetics to the environment in which the crop was grown. From its inception, enhancing G x E (i.e., gene by environment) interactions was an intrinsic, if not defining, feature of agriculture.


Gains And Losses To Cattle Feeders From The Bse-Related Bans On Canadian Cattle Imports And Beef Exports, Dimitrios Panagiotou, Azzeddine Azzam Sep 2007

Gains And Losses To Cattle Feeders From The Bse-Related Bans On Canadian Cattle Imports And Beef Exports, Dimitrios Panagiotou, Azzeddine Azzam

Cornhusker Economics

The discovery in December 2003 of a Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) case in the state of Washington led to an import-ban on U.S. beef by more than forty countries, including Japan, South Korea, Mexico and Canada. These four countries are the most lucrative destinations for U.S. beef exports, accounting for more than 90 percent of the total value. In 2004, U.S. beef exports were at 17 percent of their level in 2003, with Japan and South Korea imposing a virtually total ban, while, except for a brief time, Canada and Mexico leaving their borders partially open. Three years and several …


Containing The Cost Of Infant Formula To The Wic Program, David Davis Sep 2007

Containing The Cost Of Infant Formula To The Wic Program, David Davis

Economics Commentator (1972- 2016)

No abstract provided.


Invited Review: Role Of Livestock In Human Nutrition And Health For Poverty Reduction In Developing Countries, T. F. Randolph, E. Schelling, D. Grace, Charles F. Nicholson, J. L. Leroy, D. C. Cole, M. W. Demment, A. Omore, J. Zinsstag, M. Ruel Sep 2007

Invited Review: Role Of Livestock In Human Nutrition And Health For Poverty Reduction In Developing Countries, T. F. Randolph, E. Schelling, D. Grace, Charles F. Nicholson, J. L. Leroy, D. C. Cole, M. W. Demment, A. Omore, J. Zinsstag, M. Ruel

Agribusiness

Livestock keeping is critical for many of the poor in the developing world, often contributing to multiple livelihood objectives and offering pathways out of poverty. Livestock keeping also affects an indispensable asset of the poor, their human capital, through its impact on their own nutrition and health. This paper outlines the linkages between livestock keeping and the physical well-being of the poor, and examines a number of commonly held beliefs that misrepresent livestock development issues related to these linkages. These beliefs limit the scope of intervention programs to promote livestock and limit their potential contribution to poverty reduction. Recognition of …


Republican River Challenges, J. David Aiken Sep 2007

Republican River Challenges, J. David Aiken

Cornhusker Economics

The amount of water that can be used for irrigation in the Republican River Basin is controlled by the Republican River Compact. On June 22, 2007 the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) presented to officials of the Republican River Basin Natural Resource District (NRD), DNR projections of future Republican River Basin water allocations to Nebraska. The DNR model (which is the official model established in the Republican River Basin Compact litigation settlement) indicates that streamflows will decrease over the next 40 years, due primarily to the impact of past and current ground water pumping. The DNR also calculated ground …


Cropland Leasing Decisions For 2008, Bruce Johnson, Ben Blomendahl Sep 2007

Cropland Leasing Decisions For 2008, Bruce Johnson, Ben Blomendahl

Cornhusker Economics

With more than 40 percent of Nebraska’s agricultural land being leased, thousands of landowners and tenants face important lease decisions each year. Currently, the economic magnitude of these decisions is even greater, given the circumstances for 2008 crop prospects.


Benefits Of The New Tax Law Changes For Farmers, Tina N. Barrett Sep 2007

Benefits Of The New Tax Law Changes For Farmers, Tina N. Barrett

Cornhusker Economics

The Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 was signed into law on May 28, 2003 and contains many reductions in taxes that farmers can take advantage of this year.


A Benefit Transfer Approach To The Estimation Of Agro-Ecosystems Services Benefits: A Case Study Of Kern County, California, Eivis Quenani-Petrela, Jay E. Noel, Thomas Mastin Sep 2007

A Benefit Transfer Approach To The Estimation Of Agro-Ecosystems Services Benefits: A Case Study Of Kern County, California, Eivis Quenani-Petrela, Jay E. Noel, Thomas Mastin

Agribusiness

Agro-ecosystem functions support not only the production of food and fiber but a variety of non-market goods and services that are socially valuable. Examples of those non-market goods and services include aesthetic experiences, wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, and recreation to name a few. There is a growing awareness of the importance that provision of these non-market goods and services has to the long-run sustainability of agriculture in general and California agriculture in particular. This awareness has led to an increasing interest in the estimation of the economic value of agro-ecosystem functions non-market goods and services. This increased awareness can be …


Fruit And Vegetable Consumption Among College Students In Arkansas And Florida: Food And Culture Vs. Health Knowledge, Christiane Schroeter, Lisa House, Argelia Lorence Sep 2007

Fruit And Vegetable Consumption Among College Students In Arkansas And Florida: Food And Culture Vs. Health Knowledge, Christiane Schroeter, Lisa House, Argelia Lorence

Agribusiness

This study determines the impact of demographics, dietary and health knowledge, and food culture on fruit and vegetable consumption of college students in Arkansas and Florida. Our empirical analysis demonstrates that food culture significantly impacts consumption of fruits and vegetables; a finding which emphasizes the need to target cultural aspects when developing effective and efficient management of agribusiness firms. Understanding the antecedents to consumption for products like fruits and vegetables is important to agribusiness industry, policy makers and organizations interested in evaluating the effectiveness of health education in promoting college students’ health and decreasing the trends to obesity.


Nothing New: A Small Enterprise Development Project In West Africa, Aaron Barlow, Bronwyn Hughes Aug 2007

Nothing New: A Small Enterprise Development Project In West Africa, Aaron Barlow, Bronwyn Hughes

Publications and Research

"This article presents a specific strategy for the aid worker wishing to encourage income-generating enterprises followed by an analysis of the initiation of a construction-supplies business in the north of Togo, West Africa in the late 1980s. This article also stresses project assessment as insurance against failure for the aid organization. Together, these can lead to self-sustaining projects and the furthering of real development."


The Impact Of Weather Extremes On Agricultural Production Methods: Do Extreme Weather Events Increase Adoption Of Conservation Tillage Practices?, Karina Schoengold Aug 2007

The Impact Of Weather Extremes On Agricultural Production Methods: Do Extreme Weather Events Increase Adoption Of Conservation Tillage Practices?, Karina Schoengold

Cornhusker Economics

A better understanding of how farmers adjust their production practices to cope with extremely wet or dry conditions is essential for developing effective drought mitigation policies and reducing the impact of other natural disasters. Reducing the risk associated with drought and flood in the long-run may be more cost effective than smoothing short-term income losses through disaster relief money. Most existing assistance programs focus on diversifying and stabilizing income risks through crop insurance and direct payments, however there are fewer efforts designed to reduce the long-term agricultural risk. Climate change makes this particularly important, as expected impacts include more droughts …


Offsetting The Oil Addiction: Farmers Motivated To Sequester Carbon, Robert Sheeder, Gary D. Lynne Aug 2007

Offsetting The Oil Addiction: Farmers Motivated To Sequester Carbon, Robert Sheeder, Gary D. Lynne

Cornhusker Economics

President Bush has noted that the U.S. is “addicted” to oil and other fossil fuels. This observation is well-founded: In 2006, the traditional fossil fuels of coal, natural gas and petroleum accounted for nearly 86 percent of all energy usage in the country, with petroleum alone accounting for nearly half of the fossil fuel use (see: http://www.eia.doe.gov). Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear that this country’s thirst for fossil fuels will be quenched anytime soon, as projected total energy consumption in the U.S. is expected to increase 1.3 percent annually through the year 2030. This expected rise in consumption will lead to …


Shifting From A Price Safety Net To A Revenue Safety Net, Bradley Lubben, Troy J. Dumler, G. Art Barnaby Aug 2007

Shifting From A Price Safety Net To A Revenue Safety Net, Bradley Lubben, Troy J. Dumler, G. Art Barnaby

Department of Agricultural Economics: Presentations, Working Papers, and Gray Literature

In late July, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007, or the “2007 Farm Bill,” to reauthorize farm, food, and other agricultural programs for 2008 through 2012. This culminated more than two months of discussion in the House Agriculture Committee and subcommittees and reflected much of the policy direction championed by committee chair Collin Peterson of Minnesota.

In the Senate, the agricultural committee under Chairman Tom Harkin of Iowa has yet to begin formal consideration of the 2007 Farm Bill. However, given some comments from Senator Harkin, there are some elements of …


Livestock Insurance Website Launched, Josie Waterbury, Darrell R. Mark Aug 2007

Livestock Insurance Website Launched, Josie Waterbury, Darrell R. Mark

Cornhusker Economics

In the last several years, cattle feeders and swine finishers have experienced increased volatility in both their output selling price and their major commodity input costs. For cattle feeders, these main risks include changes in fed cattle, feeder cattle and corn prices. Figure 1 on the next page shows that the spreads between these three key markets have had significant changes during the last several years. The same also holds true for swine as lean hog, corn and soybean meal markets have been more variable in recent years, and the spread between these prices continuously changes. Because these spreads influence …


Shifting From A Price Safety Net To A Revenue Safety Net, Bradley Lubben Aug 2007

Shifting From A Price Safety Net To A Revenue Safety Net, Bradley Lubben

Cornhusker Economics

In late July, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007, or the “2007 Farm Bill,” to re-authorize farm, food and other agricultural programs for 2008 through 2012. This culminated more than two months of discussion in the House Agriculture Committee and subcommittees and reflected much of the policy direction championed by committee chair Collin Peterson of Minnesota.


Pennsylvanians' Knowledge Of Agriculture, Fern K. Willits, A. E. Luloff, Jennifer S. James Aug 2007

Pennsylvanians' Knowledge Of Agriculture, Fern K. Willits, A. E. Luloff, Jennifer S. James

Agribusiness

In 2005, researchers at Pennsylvania State University surveyed 1,521 Pennsylvanians in 65 counties to determine their knowledge of and perceptions about agriculture in the state. The study looked to: assess the level of agricultural knowledge of Pennsylvanians; ascertain how personal characteristics and frequency of rural visitation related to agricultural knowledge and to the perceptions of citizens about various agricultural issues; explore the relationship of agricultural knowledge to public perceptions of selected agricultural issues; and suggest how information on Pennsylvanians’ knowledge, experiences, and perceptions of agriculture are relevant to policy makers. The study results showed that, overall, most participants believed they …


Opportunities For Rural Development Through “Bird Friendly” Farms And Agricultural/Nature Tourism, Marcy Pummill, Ron J. Johnson, Jim Brandle Aug 2007

Opportunities For Rural Development Through “Bird Friendly” Farms And Agricultural/Nature Tourism, Marcy Pummill, Ron J. Johnson, Jim Brandle

Rural Initiative Program: Publications and Reports

This project contributes to our understanding of bird habitat management practices in cropland farming systems and to our knowledge of Nebraska farmers’ opinions regarding birds, their habitats, children’s roles on the farm, and a certification process that would tie all of these together. A “bird friendly” farm certification could involve a professional assessment of bird habitat and populations and include various farming practices and non-cropped areas. Certified farms would be publicly recognized by a label, which could help market Nebraska farm products, provide increased opportunities for tourism, and give desirable cropland birds a boost.

Approximately 85 birds are frequently found …


Republican Water Issues Difficult To Resolve, J. David Aiken Aug 2007

Republican Water Issues Difficult To Resolve, J. David Aiken

Cornhusker Economics

In 2002 Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado settled the 1998 lawsuit over alleged violations of the Republican River Compact by Nebraska and Colorado. Nebraska was over its water allocation under the settlement for 2005, and likely was also over for 2006. The July 25, 2007 Cornhusker Economics newsletter discussed how new legislation would help the state of Nebraska and Republican Basin Natural Resource Districts (NRDs) deal with Republican River Compact settlement compliance issues. However, there was one incorrect statement in last week’s newsletter that accidentally understated the difficulty of settlement compliance. This week’s newsletter will examine the incorrect statement, and explore …