Agribusiness Commons^™

Problems And Risks Within The Agriculture Of Stann Creek, Ethan Bailey

Supply Chain Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Agriculture is a significant part of the economy of Stann Creek, Belize and faces many challenges. This research presents data from farms in the areas surrounding Dangriga regarding the problems that they have been experiencing and potential risks they may face. The research covers family/individual farms, an agriculture cooperative, commercial farms, agritourism businesses, and Mennonite communities. This research was conducted as part of an internship with the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) of Belize alongside extension officers of the Stann Creek branch of the MOA.

The data from the internship found that agriculture in Stann Creek dealt with problems regarding availability …

Optimizing Inventory Management, William Hawkins

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

Inventory management is extremely important for businesses to maximize their profitability. Many factors go into the decision-making process for how much inventory to hold and when to restock this inventory. Through the process of an internship, I determined that some of the most important factors were the amount of a part that needed to be ordered at a time and what order quantities would allow for high levels of customer satisfaction. In this research, I compared these factors between the different models I studied, and the data I received from Riggs CAT to determine whether or not maximum efficiency and …

Western Australian Regional Development Trust Annual Report 2025-26, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Western Australian Regional Development Trust Annual Reports

The Trust is an independent statutory advisory body to the Minister for Regional Development, established under the Royalties for Regions Act 2009 (Act).

The functions of the Trust are to provide advice and make recommendations to the minister:

• for the purposes of sections 5(2) and 9(1) of the Act; and
• on any other matter relating to the operation of the Fund that is referred to it by the minister.

In addition to its monitoring and advisory role, the Trust also works to engage and enhance relationships with key regional stakeholders and influencers to promote greater collaboration and innovation in the …

“No Te Metas, Eso Es De Hombres”: How Gendered Barriers Shape Women’S Income And Success In Rural Mexico’S Livestock Sector, Sofia Gaeta Garcia

McNair Summer Research Program

Women play a significant role in Mexico’s livestock sector, contributing to production, breeding, animal care, and local market activity. However, their labor is often overlooked and undervalued. Women’s work is often treated as “help” rather than recognized as real labor. The calls for “No te metas, eso es de hombres” and “La mujer ayuda, el hombre decide” reflect the gendered ideas this project examines. This research argues that financial, structural, and cultural barriers limit women’s participation in rural Mexico’s livestock industry by restricting their access to income, resources, decision-making power, and financial independence. Using a qualitative research design, this project …

Economic Efficiency Of End-Guns On Center Pivot Irrigation Systems For Utah Alfalfa Production, Sophia Moss

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This study looks at whether using an end-gun on a center pivot irrigation system is financially worthwhile for Utah alfalfa producers. End-guns are used to water extra acreage beyond the end of a pivot, they can also apply water less evenly, which may reduce production on those outer acres. To examine this tradeoff, the study compares farm returns with and without an end-gun using historical Utah alfalfa price and yield data along with estimates of irrigation cost, added acreage, and possible yield loss. The results suggest that end-guns can improve profitability in many cases, mainly because they bring more acres …

The Economics And Viability Of Organic Forage And Grain Production In Utah, Mackenzie Lee

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Utah farmers face significant financial and agronomic challenges when transitioning into organic forage and grain production. The state’s high-desert climate, alkaline soils, and limited irrigation water make organic production more expensive and riskier than in many other regions.

This study evaluates a ten-year rotation built around alfalfa, which acts as a natural nitrogen engine for the system. Because alfalfa fixes large amounts of nitrogen, it reduces fertilizer costs for later crops such as organic corn. However, farmers must first survive the three-year transition period, during which they must follow organic rules but cannot sell their crops at organic prices.

Using …

Are Extension Agriculture Programs Hitting Their Target With Military Veterans?, Adam Ingrao, Craig W Carpenter, Michael Lotspeich-Yadao, Charles M. Tolbert

Journal of Extension

The desire to support military veterans has led to a variety of targeted Extension programs, but the types and availability of these programs vary substantially. After reviewing the size and diversity of the U.S. veteran population, we examine one of the main USDA programs targeting veterans: the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development program. We then use matrix analysis to categorize veteran support programs across other program areas. Finally, we compare these programs with veterans' needs, as described in recently conducted veteran focus groups, and conclude by highlighting gaps and opportunities for improving Extension programming for veterans, including substantially improving program …

How Does An Advanced Educator Utilize Digital Language Teaching And Learning By Integrating Linguistic, Cultural, And Business Life Perspectives?, Hely Westerholm, Pirjo Takanen-Körperich, Ph.D.

International Journal for Business Education

This paper explores advanced educators’ digital working capabilities in online language teaching, with a particular focus on sharing Finnish language and culture in a foreign context. Cultural and linguistic knowledge play a significant role in enhancing students’ motivation to study foreign languages. In today’s educational environment, digitalisation and globalisation exert an increasing influence on foreign language teaching and learning.

The digital learning environment has brought about a paradigm shift in foreign language didactics. Digital language learning is both challenging and holistic in nature. Continued foreign language learning is simultaneously an individual and a social process, as digital learning cultures impose …

How Grades Changed Before, During And After Covid-19 In A Business College, Douglas R. Moodie, Alison Keefe, Robin Cheramie

International Journal for Business Education

Purpose: This study examines how undergraduate business student grades changed before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic using a large institutional dataset from a business college in a US university between 2015 and 2024.

Method: The analysis includes over 390,000 student-course observations and incorporates instructional modality, student demographics, course characteristics, and prior academic performance.

Results: Results show a substantial increase in mean course grades during the COVID-19 period, followed by a partial reversion post-pandemic to levels that remain above pre-pandemic trends. These patterns are consistent across modalities, demographics, and departments.

Implications: The findings raise important questions regarding the interpretation of …

The Effectiveness Of Banks’ Influence On Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions In Eu Agriculture, Jan Koleśnik

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics

This article analyses the effectiveness of the banking sector in limiting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in European Union agriculture and the impact of EU banking groups‘ policies on their Polish subsidiaries. The study is based on data from 2019–2025 sourced from the Eurostat database, the European Banking Authority (EBA), and capital adequacy disclosures (CQ5 and CR1-B reports). The research sample included 14 EU countries with an agricultural share in GDP of between 1% and 3.6% and 62 EU banking groups at the highest level of consolidation. A linear regression model was employed, using the change in gas emissions as the …

Financial Analysis Tool (Ct-Ft) For Western North Carolina Christmas Tree Growers, Sam Blumenfeld, Solomon Ghezehei, Justin G.A. Whitehill, Elizabeth G. Nichols

Journal of Extension

Western North Carolina is a major national Christmas tree (CT) production region, yet the CT industry faces numerous challenges that threaten its financial sustainability. Little economic research has been done, and limited decision-making tools exist to assist producers, Extension agents, and associated industry stakeholders. We developed an Excel-based financial analysis tool (CT-FT) to assist small and midsize wholesale CT producers in operational planning and financial assessment. The publicly available financial tools will enable CT growers to better understand their finances and operations, interact with financial stakeholders, assess alternative management scenarios, and track yearly costs to improve operational financial sustainability.

Agricultural Cooperatives And Crop Marketing In Tanzania, Benson Otiene Ndiege Dr

Jurnal Vokasi Indonesia

Agricultural cooperatives have become essential tools in rural areas, fostering agricultural development. This study examines the marketing of farmers' produce by cooperatives in Tanzania. It specifically investigates the collection processes of agricultural produce through cooperatives and the importance of cooperative marketing during the 2023/24 to 2024/25 seasons. The study used a descriptive mixed-methods design that mixed both qualitative secondary data analysis and qualitative documentary review. As such, the study utilised secondary data from the Tanzania Cooperative Development Commission (TCDC) statistical database and the report on the performance of non-financial cooperatives in Tanzania in 2025. The data included variables such as …

Rural Business Development Corporation Annual Report 2025-26, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Reports

Overview

In this report, the Rural Business Development Corporation is referred to as ‘the Corporation’ or ‘the RBDC’. The RBDC is an independent statutory authority of the Government of Western Australia (WA), established under the Rural Business Development Corporation Act 2000 (Act). The Act preserved and continued the body corporate established by the Rural Adjustment and Finance Corporation Act 1993.

What we do

The RBDC administers approved assistance schemes on behalf of the WA Government for the benefit of rural industry and regional communities. Approved schemes may provide financial assistance by way of loans, grants, or other financial incentives. The …

Analysis Of Venture Capital Investment For Financing The Development Of The Palm Oil Industry In Indonesia For Private Companies, Salvatore Yitro, Mustika Sari, Gunawan Saroji

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

Indonesia is the world's largest crude palm oil (CPO) producer, accounting for 58.04% of global output from 2018 to 2022 and generating between USD 18.2 billion and USD 28.95 billion in annual foreign exchange earnings from 2016 to 2021. The downstream sector, however, remains largely controlled by foreign markets, and private companies face restricted access to conventional bank financing due to negative campaigns against Indonesian palm oil in European markets. No prior study has examined the financial feasibility of venture capital as a financing mechanism for integrated downstream palm oil development by private companies in Indonesia. This study analysed that …

Nebraska And The Midwest Agtech Ecosystem: Benchmarking Innovation Investment And Translation Gaps, Ankit Chandra, Ishani Lal, Brennan Costello

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

Agricultural innovation is central to the sustainable transformation of food systems, yet the capital that finances it is unevenly distributed relative to where food is produced. This paper develops a diagnostic framework for measuring this mismatch and applies it across the U.S. Midwest from 2021 to 2025, with particular emphasis on Nebraska's structural position within this landscape. Drawing on venture capital deal-flow data, 17 stakeholder interviews, and a novel strength-weakness-opportunity-gap (SWOG) ecosystem mapping methodology, we document $736 million in tracked Midwest AgTech funding across eight states (Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, North Dakota, and South Dakota). We introduce three …

The Regulatory Costs Of Wine Production In Napa County, Lynn Hamilton, Michael Mccullough

Agribusiness

Unlike other food products, commercial alcoholic beverage production has been subject to federal regulation and taxation since the founding of the United States, with specific wine taxes being levied during the wartime Emergency Revenue Act of 1914 (Cilluffo and Gravelle, 2024). Since then, taxation and regulations have expanded, with many new laws originating at the state level. Additional regulatory costs, combined with the current decline in consumer demand raise questions regarding the long-term viability of California wine production. Napa County Farm Bureau contacted Cal Poly to assess baseline conditions in the industry by conducting a case study of regulations accruing …

The Gravity Of The Ukraine War: Measuring Conflict Impacts On European Grain Trade, Stefan Bonchis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the heterogeneous structural disruptions caused by the war in Ukraine on the European Union’s agricultural trade architecture, focusing on three critical commodities: wheat, maize, and sunflower seeds. Employing a structural gravity model framework across all 27 EU Member States, the study evaluates two conflict episodes, the 2014 Crimea annexation and the 2022 full-scale invasion, to identify the net beneficiaries and heavily impacted nations within the EU agricultural trade network. The empirical strategy utilizes a dual-test design to capture the full scope of the disruption. Test A (Ukraine towards the EU trade) reveals a distinct geographic logic in …

The Role Of Speculators In The Agricultural Futures Market And Their Impact On Prices, Clement Asamoah

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The study evaluates the impact of speculative activity on agricultural commodity returns, specifically in the corn, soybeans, rice, and oats markets. The study also analyzed the influence commodity returns have on speculative positions. Weekly data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission were used as a proxy for speculative activity, and futures data were also retrieved from Barchart. Vector Autoregressive models and the Granger Causality tests were estimated to identify the relationships between returns and speculation. The paper found that speculative positions do not Granger-cause returns over the course of a week except for rice Tuesday results, which recorded a statistically …

Value-Chain Factors Influencing Production Volume And Gross Margin: Evidence From A Thai Dairy Processing Firm, Jiranij Jareonsawat, Aqeel Raza, Kittisak Ajariyakhajorn, Davids Makararpong, Henk Hogeveen, Chainarong Paoin, Nampueng Mesprasat, Chaidate Inchaisri

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The dairy industry is vital for food security and economic stability, particularly in developing markets such as Thailand. Understanding factors related to production volume and gross margin in dairy processing firms can help inform performance and profitability considerations. Based on Porter’s value chain framework and a perception-based survey approach, this study used document reviews, in-depth interviews with 14 key informants, and an employee perception survey (n = 21) covering 74 relevant factors. Results indicated significant differences across ten activity categories for both production volume (Χ2 = 53.59, df = 9, P < 0.001) and gross margin (Χ2 = 26.89, df = 9, P < 0.001). For production volume, research and development (3.96 ± 0.66), human resources management (3.93 ± 0.63), and external factors (3.82 ± 0.82) had the highest mean perceived importance scores. For gross margin, external factors recorded the highest mean score (3.96 ± 0.81). At the factor level, the Thai government-regulated raw milk price was classified as the most important factor associated with production volume, while fuel prices were the most important factor related to gross margin. Both factors had the highest proportion of “High” and “Very High” responses (90.5%). These findings highlight the importance of aligning internal activities with external conditions within an institutional and policy context. This study provides insights into how institutional and policy constraints shape the way firm-level activities and external conditions are perceived and prioritized, and how these perceptions relate to performance in dairy processing firms in Thailand.

The Statistical Distribution Of U.S. Corn And Soybean Futures Prices, Chiamaka D. Osigwe

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis investigates the best-fit empirical distribution for daily U.S. corn and soybean futures price changes and examines how distributional choices affect Value-at-Risk (VaR) and Expected Shortfall (ES) estimates. The dataset comprises daily nearby futures prices for corn (11/16/1994–04/23/2025) and soybeans (10/16/1979–02/15/2023), yielding 7,626 and 10,853 observations, respectively. An ARCH-LM test confirms the presence of Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (ARCH). Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (GARCH) models were estimated, and to account for potential asymmetric effects, an EGARCH model was used. EGARCH (1,1) estimation reveals an inverse leverage effect, where positive price shocks generate higher volatility. Six heavy-tailed distributions were evaluated, and …