Agricultural Economics Commons^™

Small Beef-Packer Resilience During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Evidence And Policy Implications, Azzeddine Azzam, Sunil P. Dhoubadel, Binod Khanal

Cornhusker Economics

As part of a larger research project on the economics of beef supply chain resilience to natural disasters, financed in part by a grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, we obtained information from 289 processing plants across the United States about their operations during the peak COVID-19 period of March to June 2020 via a telephone survey. We collected data on plant type (slaughter, processing, both), the dominant livestock processed by the plant (predominantly beef, pork, poultry, and sheep/goat), plant capacity (maximum and typical capacity in slaughter head/day), age of establishment, and, whether the plant ceased, …

The Recreational Value Of Birding And Crane Abundance, Richard T. Melstrom, Alex Nielsen, Carson Reeling

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

We estimate the economic value of birding, which is an important ecosystem service produced by bird populations in recreation areas. Our research identifies the link between values and species richness as well as the abundance of the sandhill crane (Grus canadensis), which migrates each year through our study area. Sandhill crane stopovers at state and federal wildlife areas can attract many birders. We estimate this nonmarket value using the zonal travel cost method and data from the eBird project on wildlife areas in Indiana. We compare crane counts based on eBird with those from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources …

Welcome To The New Frontier: Introducing Extension To The Next Generation Of Conservation Planning Tools, Emma E. Bravard, Emily K. Zimmerman, John C. Tyndall, David James

Journal of Extension

A new frontier of conservation planning capacity utilizing innovative decision support tools has emerged. Extension professionals play an important role in using these new data and tools to achieve conservation and water quality outcomes. Here, we detail the application of two conservation planning tools: Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF) and Financial and Nutrient Reduction Tool (FiNRT). Tools like these are increasingly being used to guide conservation efforts in agricultural landscapes; provide information regarding potential resource concern; and offer valuable data about outcomes from best management practice (BMP) placement. Extension professionals’ use of such tools could enhance conservation implementation and outcomes.

Financial Analysis, Tina N. Barrett

Cornhusker Economics

The investment in a financial analysis can seem like a painful task of gathering information but the information it provides gives you invaluable information about your operation, especially when you don’t want to see it. I was once told a producer didn’t want to do the analysis anymore because the information made it hard to sleep at night. While not knowing maybe helped him sleep then, the problems that were being highlighted by the analysis didn’t go away and eventually caught up to him.

A Markov Regime-Switching Event Response Model: Beef Price Spread Response To Processing Capacity Shocks, Eunchun Park, Christopher N. Boyer, Clinton L. Neill

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

This research introduces a new method for event studies in time-series analysis named the Markov regime-switching event response model (MS-ERM). The MS-ERM is a comprehensive approach that integrates two different event study approaches: 1) measuring the impact of an event through structural shift and 2) measuring the impact via additional distributional components. As an empirical application, the study measures the impact of beef-packing plant closures on the weekly live-to-cutout beef price spread. The results indicate that the MS-ERM is a promising tool for event studies, particularly when an empirical dataset has both groups of events that cause and do not …

#Porkandpigs: An Online Media Listening Analysis Of Public Perception Of The U.S. Swine Industry, Alexandra E. Fisk, Michael L. Smith, Brian T. Richert, Nicole Olynk Widmar

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

With the majority of the U.S. swine industry being generally bounded by social licensing, there is a growing need to understand social perspectives to better adapt to consumer demands. Online and social media data are rich datasets that researchers are leveraging to tackle economic and societal challenges. The information that can be gleaned from online media regarding public perceptions makes it an important tool for producers to understand driving topics of interest to the public. This study utilized a prominent online and social media listening and data analytics platform to identify and quantify online and social media mentions related to …

What Motivates The Choice To Custom Hire Pest Management Spraying Services?, Braeden Van Deye, Trey Malone

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND

This article presents a model of how farmers choose to custom hire for pest control. The decision-making process is illustrated through a discrete choice experiment conducted via a pilot survey of soybean growers in Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana. Farmers responded to a hypothetical pest infestation by choosing between custom operators, spraying on their own, or leaving the field to its fate.

RESULTS

Among farmers who choose to spray, the mean willingness to pay for marginal increases in timeliness (as defined as the chance of late spraying) ranges from 37 to 52 cents per acre. We also find that farmers …

Editorial: Sustainable Aquaculture Production For Improved Food Security, Kwasi Adu Obirikorang, Kwamena Quagrainie, Jemimah Etornam Kassah, Mathis Von Ahnen

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Costs Of Ecosystem Disturbances, E. Wesley F. Peterson

Cornhusker Economics

Presents an illustration of the interdependencies inherent in natural ecosystems. An ecosystem may be defined as: “… a single environment and every living (biotic) organism and non-living (abiotic) factor that is contained within it or characterizes it. An ecosystem embodies every aspect of a single habitat, including all interactions between its different elements” (Knapp 2020). In such interdependent systems, removal of one or more of the essential “elements” can severely disrupt the functioning of the system and such disruptions can give rise to negative impacts on the environment and human health and well-being.

Guide To Supplementary Feeding And Budgeting, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

Supplementary feeding of sheep, with grain, hay or silage is necessary when pastures or stubbles are deficient in energy and protein.

A good supplementary feeding program will ensure sheep utilise as much dry paddock feed as possible as well as provide sufficient supplementary feed for maintenance or growth.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development recommends supplementary or confined paddock feeding to maintain livestock productivity and avoid animal welfare and soil erosion problems.

Lupin Root Diseases - Diagnosis And Management, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Root, hypocotyl and stem base diseases can be significant problems in lupin crops, reducing stand density, plant vigour and yield. Root disease is present in nearly all narrow leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) paddocks but in the majority of paddocks has only a small impact on crop development. However, in paddocks where high levels of root rot occurs, plant establishment, seedling vigour and crop yield can be significantly affected.

When a root disease is present in a crop very little can be done to manage it in that cropping season. It is therefore vital that the cause is correctly identified to …

Time Of Lambing, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

Choosing the best time of lambing, and matching paddock feed availability to ewe and weaner needs is important for both productivity and profitability. The ewes' natural breeding season will also affect reproductive rates. The ewe flock is the key flock on the farm, so it is important to set up a system that matches their needs with the feedbase. A ewe’s condition will vary over the season depending on the feed available and her needs. A ewe’s energy needs will double in late pregnancy and triple in lactation. Having enough feed to meet her changing needs is important for production …

Sustaining The Legacies Of Black Farmers, John Myers, James Burch, Demetrius Hooks

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

The experience of Black farmers in the Southern United States is shaped by a legacy of racial inequity and unfavorable public policies that have all but ensured unequal access to fundamental resources such as land, labor, and capital. Rural poverty and land loss through heir property have encumbered access to these resources. Within this context of disenfranchised generations of history, this article contributes to examining and understanding the experiences of Black farmers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It seeks to amplify the voices of Black farmers as a step toward providing context for a more inclusive and meaningful …

Preface

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

No abstract provided.

Strategies For Land-Grant Universities To Foster Public Trust, John D. Anderson, Trey Malone, Jay Akridge

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

This review article explores the role of land-grant Extension amidst an escalating epistemic crisis, where misinformation and the contestation of knowledge severely impact public trust and policymaking. We delve into the historical mission of land-grant institutions to democratize education and extend knowledge through Cooperative Extension Services, highlighting their unique position to address contemporary challenges of information disorder and declining public confidence in higher education. Land-grant universities can reaffirm their relevance and leadership in disseminating reliable information by reasserting their foundational principles of unbiased, objective scholarship and deep engagement with diverse stakeholders. This reaffirmation comes at a critical time when societal …

Table Of Contents

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

No abstract provided.

Guest Editors’ Comments

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

No abstract provided.

Fringe Farming: A Family’S Transition Into Fiber Through Seasons Of Change, Keisha Cameron

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

The intersection of fiber production and Black agrarian arts has deep historical roots. Small-scale and peri-urban farmers find themselves against the borders of urban and industrial agriculture. Also, the COVID-19 global pandemic was a tipping point for many small farmers. It brought the importance of sustainable agriculture into a clearer view. Today, a growing movement of small producers is working to bring local fiber and textile production back into the agricultural lexicon. This article tracks the evolution of High Hog Farm and returning-generation Black family farmers and their transition into natural fiber and dye production. This focus is associated with …

Black Women Farming Sustainably: Carrying Their Legacy In The Deep South Through Crisis And Beyond, Natilee M. Kyle, Yawah Awolowo, Felicia Bell, Sheila Martin, Ruth Bacayana

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

An African proverb underscores the role of women in communities: If you teach a man, you educate an individual, but if you teach a woman, you educate a nation. Women play a crucial role in maintaining family farms and community ecosystems in the Deep South. This case study explores the history and roles of two Southern Black women farmers. The study seeks to amplify women’s voices by examining the cultural context from which they operated, the families and generations they influenced, and the obstacles they navigated while operating in a male-dominated industry. Their collective experiences highlight the need for shared …

Meeting Farmer-Member Challenges During The Covid-19 Pandemic Through Direct-Resourcing And Agroecological Work Brigades, Noah R. Mcdonald

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

The Southeastern African American Farmers Organic Network (SAAFON) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Black farming and rural lifeways in the Southeast and U.S. Virgin Islands. The COVID-19 pandemic created unique challenges for SAAFON’s members, exacerbating the existing structural conditions that make farming challenging for Black farmers. These conditions include climate-related disasters, economic disparities, lack of political investment, racism, and related discrimination. In this paper, the author presents the activities that SAAFON has undertaken to address the impact of the pandemic on its members. It provided funding for its members and launched a series of farmer brigades to build …