Agricultural Economics Commons^™

Factors Influencing Adoption Of Vsh Queens In The Honey Breeding Industry, Julie Leiby

LSU Master's Theses

There are many threats that contribute to the decline in honey bee colonies around the United States; among them is the Varroa mite, Varroa destructor. The Varroa mite is a significant threat to honey bees and, by extension, beekeepers across the United States. It is suspected to be one of the main contributors to the increase in colony collapse and the decline in bee numbers and the beekeeping industry (Danka, May 2013). Fifty-five percent of beekeepers exited beekeeping between 1987 and 2002 (USDA). Although honey production continued to decrease through 2007, the number of beekeepers entering beekeeping had increased (USDA). …

Direct Marketing Of Louisiana Shrimp: A Cost-Earnings Analysis, Jill Christoferson

LSU Master's Theses

Secondary data on cost and earnings from a 2012 survey of inshore Louisiana shrimpers was used as the foundation this partial budget analysis examining the feasibility of supplementing direct marketing (DM) strategies for Louisianan shrimp harvesters. Refinement of key variables for the analysis was conducted using supplemental surveys in 2014 of DM shrimp harvesters and DM consumers. The DM harvester survey (n= 72) produced information on actual price per pound for DM shrimp, as well as catch grade distribution, product marketing mix, and labor estimates. The DM consumer survey (n=255) yielded information on participants’ preferences for DM shrimp, including actual …

Analysis Of Media Coverage Of Selected Food Safety Events On The Demand For The Recalled Products, Abhishek Bhagwat Bharad

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The major focus of this study was to identify the linkage between information and consumer behavior and to examine the role that a new media index played in the identifying the tone of news stories. Past studies have relied on using the number of media stories but, this study tests a new approach, i.e., in order to analyze the effect of information by incorporating the sentiment indices. These indices were created based on the tone of the news story. The results from sentiment indices were compared to the results from the information index. Barten’s Synthetic model (BSM) was used to …

The Effect Of Direct Payments To Rice Farming Households In Korea, Jaehyung Kim

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

1) Background

Rice farming is a very important agricultural policy issue for the Korean government not only because rice is a staple food for the Korean population but because rice production is also an important source of income for those involved in rice farming. The importance of rice production to the agricultural sector of Korea is indicated by the fact that 49% of Korea’s agricultural land is devoted to rice production. Therefore, Korean agricultural policy has focused on rice production issues as well as the income of farmers involved in rice production.

To support rice farming income, the Korean government …

Technology Use By Businesses In Nebraska: Regional Comparisons, Rebecca J. Vogt, Charlotte Narjes, Roger Terry, Connie Hancock

Cornhusker Economics

In September 2013, the Nebraska Broadband Initiative partnered with the Strategic Networks Group (SNG) to conduct an email survey of Nebraska businesses on their use of broadband technologies. Responses from over 800 Nebraska businesses show that broadband is being widely used and is benefitting businesses across the state. This paper will take a closer look at the re-sponses by region of the state. For this report, the re-gion boundaries are defined by the Nebraska Economic Development Districts.

A Quantitative Analysis Of The Effect Of Cash-4-Grass Programs On Water Consumption, Cynthia Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Water supplies in California are stretched to critical levels as a result of population growth, periodic drought, and climate change. The California legislature recognized that the best way to increase supply is to decrease demand so the Water Use Efficiency Senate Bill 7 (SBx7-7) was signed into law in 2009. The law requires water purveyors to reduce per capita water usage by 20% by the year 2020. To comply, water purveyors are searching for innovative ways to increase water conservation. A review of the literature has shown that many factors influence water consumption. However, the majority of household water consumption …

Technology Use In Agriculture, Rebecca J. Vogt, Charlotte Narjes, Anne Byers, Connie Hancock

Cornhusker Economics

In September 2013, the Nebraska Broadband Initiative partnered with the Strategic Networks Group (SNG) to conduct an email survey of Nebraska businesses on their use of broadband technologies. Responses from over 800 Nebraska businesses show that broadband is being widely used and is benefitting businesses across the state. The complete report can be found online at http://broadband.nebraska.gov/. Seventy of those businesses self-reported being in the agriculture/forestry/fishing industry. This paper will take a closer look at the responses from this industry sector.

Community Vitality Connects Nebraska, Charlotte Narjes, Connie Hancock

Cornhusker Economics

Fostering the future of Nebraska is the underlying mission of the newly formed Community Vitality Initiative (CVI) launched by UNL Extension. The Community Vitality Initiative is focused on expanding partnerships to build communities where businesses thrive, entrepreneurs have access to the resources they need and young people want to return. Currently multi-disciplinary teams include faculty from the Departments such as Ag Economics and the Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies and will include faculty from all the University campuses and service providers from outside of the University.

Five Things You Probably Don’T Know About Handshake Farm Leases, J. David Aiken

Cornhusker Economics

Around half of Nebraska farmland is leased but there are some things you probably don’t know about leases that you probably should be aware of.

So, there some things that most folks probably don’t know about ag leases?

Yes. But I want to emphasize up front that smart tenants realize that if they push their legal rights to the limit, they probably will lose the lease in the end. That being said, landlords probably have narrower legal rights than they thought under handshake (i.e. unwritten) agricultural leases in Nebraska.

Strengthening Nebraska Businesses, Charlotte Narjes, Anne Byers

Cornhusker Economics

The Nebraska Broadband Initiative in 2013 launched a new effort to help Nebraska businesses increase their economic vitality by understanding how to more effectively use broadband technologies. Key points of this initiative include:

Benchmarking Data: Gather data through a business assessment to establish initial benchmarks and measure impact.

Providing Resources to Businesses: Help individual businesses understand how they can use broadband to increase their economic vitality, understand their Return on Investments (ROI) and assist them in identifying steps for implementation.

Building Capacity: Build capacity in Nebraska for business coaches (i.e., economic developers, extension educators and Department of Economic Development field …

United States Meat Goat Production Economic Performance Measures: A Stochastic Production Frontier Analysis, Berdikul Qushim

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The meat goat industry is relatively a newcomer to the U.S. agricultural production and one of the fastest growing livestock industries in the U.S. Despite the growth of the meat goat industry, little is known about meat goat production economics. Information is needed concerning the drivers of production efficiency, optimum size of operation, and scope economies in the industry. A nationwide mail survey of U.S. meat goat producers who advertise their meat goat production via the internet for this efficiency analysis was conducted. Costs and returns data for 2011 expenses from those meat goat producers were collected. This survey was …

Evaluating Alternative Techniques For Forecasting Industrial And Occupational Employment, Drew A. Varnado

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This paper offers three different regional output-by-industry forecasting techniques (time series, Social Accounting Matrix (SAM)-based, and Computable General Equilibrium (CGE)-based) and two different occupation-by-industry matrices (national and state geographies) for use in the creation of industry/occupation employment forecasts. Estimates are compared to actual data from eight years from 2001 to 2010. OLS regressions are run to determine how well modeled employment estimates fit actual employment for the state of Louisiana. A meta-analysis style regression of the R-sqaured values on model characteristics (accounted for using Boolean dummy-variables) determines that industrial output forecasting techniques do not provide statistically different R-squared values, but …

Implementing Green Roofs On Movie Theaters And Shopping Centers: Business Cases In Profitable Sustainability, Ryan J. Miller

Pomona Senior Theses

This thesis presents the business case for installing green roofs on movie theaters and shopping centers. These businesses can then derive increased profits from the environmental benefits of reduced energy use and increased stormwater retention. After presenting the basic design and benefits of a green roof, the thesis develops stand-alone business plans for a movie theater and shopping center. The author finds that green roofs are a profitable sustainability solution for the commercial enterprise.

Application Of Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis To Determine Consumers' Preferences And Willingness To Pay For Grass Fed Beef In The United States, Franklin Fernando Vaca Moran

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

U.S. consumption of beef has declined during the last three decades. Consumer preferences have shifted toward products that are considered healthy, environmentally friendly and obtained through sustainable production methods. Because of the characteristics of grass-fed beef production, consumers are becoming more interested in grass-fed beef products than conventional beef products. A choice-based experiment was used to assess consumer’s preferences for grass-fed beef. A national online survey was conducted in May 2012 and the information from 4000 respondents was collected from the entire U.S. The respondents were divided in two groups of similar size: grass-fed beef eaters, comprised by the respondents …

The Extent Of Heat On Health And Sustainable Farming In Ghana - Bawku East, Kwasi Frimpong, Jacques Oosthuizen, Eddie J. Van Etten

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Little is known about the health effects of heat in outdoor work and appropriate work and rest schedules for farmers working in developing countries. As temperatures continue to increase in tropical regions, such as Northern Ghana, it is necessary to evaluate how farmers experience and respond to high heat exposures. In this study, WBGT (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature) estimates and the ISO work / rest standards were applied to a cohort of farmers in the rural areas of Bawku East, Northern Ghana, to assess how farmers respond to high heat and how much they rest to protect their health, as …

Three Essays On U.S. Meat Goat Production: Goal Structure, Selection Of Breeding Stock, And Meat Goat Marketing, Narayan Prasad Nyaupane

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study investigates three major areas of U.S. meat goat production – goal structure, selection of breeding stock, and marketing, by using survey data received from U.S. meat goat producers. Of 1,600 producers surveyed, 584 usable responses were obtained with an adjusted response rate of 43%. The fuzzy pair-wise comparison method was used to determine producer goal structure. The results showed that profit maximization and leisure-related goals were highly considered goals and controlling weeds/vegetation and increasing farm size were the least considered goals by U.S. meat goat producers. A choice-based conjoint study was conducted to identify producer preferences for meat …

Exchange Rate Volatility Effects On Brics Countries Exports, David Isaias Maradiaga Pineda

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The leaders of the leading emerging economies Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) claim that increased currency exchange rate volatility (CERV) from USD, EUR, and JPY (G-3) negatively impacts their exports, and expressed their desire for less trade dependence on these currencies. The literature on the impact of CERV on trade is vast. However, no consensus on the impact’s direction and significance has been reached yet. The motivation of this study was: first, to contribute to the existing empirical literature by using an alternative methodology; and second, to provide empirical evidence to the claim’s validity or nullity by …

International Perspectives On Sustainable Agriculture In Cuba, B. Danielle Smith

University Honors Theses

Since the economic crisis following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba has restructured their agriculture with a greater focus on domestic production of domestically consumed produce, and a dramatic reduction of petroleum products in all aspects of food production. This overhaul has included the broad application of what is termed agroecology – agricultural practices which focus on principles of biodiversity and sustainability – and inter-farm cooperation facilitated by the National Association of Small Farmers (ANAP) and Campesino a Campesino. Academics and journalists from within and abroad have critically examined aspects of the novel reforms developed in the country …

U.S. Drought Monitor, December 31, 2013, Matthew Rosencrans

United States Agricultural Commodities in Drought Archive

Drought map of U.S. for December 31, 2013 (12/31/13) plus: U.S. crop areas experiencing drought (map), Approximate percentage of crop located in drought, by state (bar graph), Percent of crop area located in drought, past 52 weeks (line graph) for: Corn, Soybeans, Hay, Cattle, Winter wheat.

U.S. Drought Monitor, December 24, 2013, Matthew Rosencrans

United States Agricultural Commodities in Drought Archive

Drought map of U.S. for December 24, 2013 (12/24/13) plus: U.S. crop areas experiencing drought (map), Approximate percentage of crop located in drought, by state (bar graph), Percent of crop area located in drought, past 52 weeks (line graph) for: Hay, Cattle, Winter wheat.