Agricultural and Resource Economics Commons^™

Food Environment And Childhood Obesity, Yucong Jiao

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines whether children's food environment, especially food stores that have fresh produce, affects obesity prevalence among elementary school children in the state of Arkansas. Misclassified food outlet types in the Dun and Bradstreet commercial data set were first corrected and then food environment measures were computed and aggregated to geographic regions corresponding to school attendance areas. After applying classical panel estimation, it was found that the fixed effects model fit the data best. Results indicate that an additional supermarket within a one-mile radial of the census neighborhood block center will bring down childhood obesity prevalence by 0.58 percent, …

Three Essays On Contingent Valuation, Samuel Zapata Raudales

All Dissertations

Contingent valuation (CV), a survey-based method, is widely used by researchers and government agencies to assess the value of those goods or services whose market price is not well defined. This dissertation comprises three essays analyzing and extending the theoretical foundations, estimation methods and empirical applications of the CV method. The first and second essay focuses on producers' willingness to pay for novel inputs or technologies. The first essay analyzes the theoretical underpinnings of producer WTP for new inputs. In addition to conceptualizing the producer WTP function, I derived its comparative statics and show how these properties can be used …

The Evolution Of Natural Plant Communities Through Crop Migration And Crop-To-Weed Gene Flow, Meredith G. Schafer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the rising demand for food and biofuels, the efficiency of crop production has become vital to assuring food security. Genetically engineered (GE) crop varieties are broadly thought to be a solution for improving the efficiency of crop production, but concerns regarding their release have heightened as more discoveries have focused on the influence of genetically engineered crops on native and weedy plant species. Risk assessment of GE crop varieties focuses on two main areas: feralization of crop systems and crop-weed hybridization. Risks include naturalization, transgene introgression, and the formation of novel genotypes in natural systems. In this study, roadside …

Motivating Factors For Young Adults In The Brattleboro Area To Start In Organic Agriculture For Their Career, Tomokazu Utsugi

Capstone Collection

Despite a worldwide push for the conversion of conventional agriculture to organic agriculture, organic farming itself is not a very popular vocational choice for young people. Brattleboro, one of the towns in Vermont, is no exception. Although several local organizations are promoting local agriculture and food security, in reality, not many young people in Brattleboro want to choose organic agriculture as their career.

With a total of 17 in-depth qualitative interviews with young adults in the Brattleboro area, this inquiry sought to identify a range of factors that would motivate them to choose organic agriculture as their career. The results …

Effects Of Natural Resource Abundance On Institutions: Which, Where And When?, Luisa Blanco, Jeffrey Nugent, Graham Veenstra

School of Public Policy Working Papers

Much research has gone into the effects of oil and other natural resources on growth in which political institutions are often seen as the link between the two. Since institutions are difficult to measure and change very slowly over time, the analysis has largely been confined to cross-country comparisons, most frequently investigating the effects on levels of democracy. This paper builds on recent analyses of the effects of oil endowments, prices and exports on democracy to examine the effects on several different types of institutional change, making use of panel data on over 100 countries between 1975 and 2005 wherever …

Land Is Life: A Policy Advocacy Case Study Of The Northern Thailand Land Reform Movement, Jason Lubanski

Capstone Collection

This case study provides an in-depth examination of the work of the Thailand Northern Land Reform Movement using the framework of Jeff Unsicker's "Policy Advocacy Circles". Due to increasing population pressures, the liberalization of land markets, and agribusiness pressures, Thailand has experienced an increase in land ownership inequality and a growing number of landless and nearly landless small-scale farmers. In order to address this situation, agricultural communities have joined together at local and national levels to fight for the legislation of land reform policies, including Community Land Titles, progressive land taxes, and a National Land Bank to assist with land …

Risk And Marketing Behavior: Pricing Fed Cattle On A Grid, Scott Fausti, Zhiguang Wang, Beshir Qasmi, Matthew A. Diersen

Economics Staff Paper Series (1969 - 2017)

A seven year comparative study of grid pricing versus average pricing of slaughter cattle was conducted to evaluate carcass quality market signals. The primary objective of the study is to determine if market signals sent through the grid pricing system are encouraging producers to market on a grid and discouraging them to market by the pen. Two secondary objectives investigate: 1) if price risk associated with carcass quality uncertainty affects marketing decisions, and 2) if a change in price risk (volatility) affects producer marketing decisions. An EARCH-ln-Mean modeling procedure was adopted. Empirical results suggest that the grid premium and discount …

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Cornhusker Economics

4^th of July Holiday

Nebraska’S Sandhill Crane Migration: Opportunities For Additional Economic Activity, Randolph L. Cantrell

Cornhusker Economics

Each year in March and April, thousands of visitors come to Nebraska’s Central Platte River Valley to witness a true wonder of the natural world: The annual migration of Sandhill cranes.

Several hundred thousand cranes gather annually along the Platte River to feed, court and gather energy before traveling further north to breed. Their numbers and fame are estimated to attract over 70,000 visitors, who spend on average 1.3 days in the region (Edwards and Thompson, 2010).

Resolving Division Fence Disputes In Nebraska, J. David Aiken

Cornhusker Economics

Ideally, neighbors can agree between themselves on most fencing issues. If they cannot agree, Nebraska Division Fence Statutes provide a legal process for resolving fence disputes. A 2010 amendment establishes the requirements for splitting cost of a wire division fence equally (50-50) between neighbors. Mediation is probably the most cost-effective way to resolve fence disputes if the parties cannot settle the matter between themselves.

Rural Nebraskans’ Ties To Agriculture, Rebecca J. Vogt, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bradley D. Lubben

Cornhusker Economics

A recent report released by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Department of Agricultural Economics and the UNL Bureau of Business Research outlines the economic impact of agriculture to Nebraska. Using 2010 data, the report concludes that agriculture provides over 40 percent of the state’s total business receipts, 26.9 percent of the state’s gross state product and 24 percent of the state’s total workforce. In short, the report concludes that more than a fourth of Nebraska’s economy can be attributed to the agricultural production complex.

South Dakota Agricultural Land Market Factors, Burton Pflueger, Larry Janssen

Economics Commentator (1972- 2016)

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Relationship Between Obesity And The Prevalence Of Food Deserts In Arkansas, Hillarie Whitehorn

Student Theses and Dissertations

The nation -wide increase in obesity rates has led to growing interest among academics and policy makers to identify factors related to obesity rates. The methodology adopted is a combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques. The quantitative analysis entails a conducting OLS regression with obesity rates as the dependent variable and number of supercenters as the independent variable. The analysis is conducted at the county level covering all the 75 counties of the Arkansas. The qualitative part includes an ethnographic study of food selections among supercenters, supermarkets, and grocery stores for Jonesboro, one of the big towns in Arkansas. The …

South Dakota Agricultural Land Cash Rent Values: 2012, Burton Pflueger, Larry Janssen

Economics Commentator (1972- 2016)

No abstract provided.

Green Infrastructure Resource Directory, New England Environmental Finance Center

Sustainable Communities Capacity Building

Green infrastructure is an approach for managing stormwater that uses vegetation and soils to capture and treat rainwater where it falls. Unlike single-purpose gray infrastructure, green infrastructure realizes multiple benefits at once, including flood mitigation, improved water and air quality, community beautification, provision of recreational opportunities, and energy and cost savings. This resource directory is intended to help communities design, implement, fund, and monitor green infrastructure practices and programs. It was compiled by the Environmental Finance Center Network through the Capacity Building for Sustainable Communities program funded by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. …

A Survey Of Seafood Traceability And Sustainability In The United States— Processes, Regulations, And Current Initiatives, Nancy A. Olsen

Working Papers

The global seafood industry currently lacks a standardized, widespread method to easily trace the chain of custody of products that they purchase. With global overfishing leading to declining fish stocks around the world, it is vital for seafood providers to have the ability to identify and buy products from sustainable fisheries that are well managed, target abundant species, and fish in environmentally responsible ways. This paper analyzes public and private initiatives that seek to provide product traceability. In summarizing the current status of seafood traceability, stakeholders agree that are a number of challenges with trying to piece together so many …

Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Highlights 2011-2012, Bruce B. Johnson, Sara Van Newkirk

Nebraska Farm Real Estate Reports

Each year since 1978, the Department of Agricultural Economics, UNL, has conducted a state-wide survey and analysis of agricultural land markets. Considerable change has occurred during that time span, not only from decade to decade, but from year to year—reflecting a dynamic market pattern. The most recent year is certainly no exception. The February 2012 survey collected market information from a panel of some 130 reporters scattered across the state. Reporters are closely affiliated with the agricultural land markets in their areas, as agricultural real estate appraisers, professional farm managers, agricultural lenders, etc. In addition, the vast majority of panel …

2012 Nebraska Farm Custom Rates, Roger K. Wilson

Cornhusker Economics

The 2012 Nebraska Farm Custom Rates are now available. These publications are the result of surveys that have been repeated on even numbered years for some time. Those who are familiar with the past publications will find that the current ones are very similar. The following description is for those who may not be aware of these publications.

The surveys and publications are done in two parts. Part I contains the rates for the spring and summer custom operations. These include tillage, planting, haying, fertilizer application and spraying operations, as well as small grain harvest. Part II contains rates that …

National Agri-Marketing Association Membership Provides Professional Growth Opportunities For Nebraska Students, Alissa Doerr, Rosalee A. Swartz

Cornhusker Economics

The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) is comprised of over 25 chapters in six regions nationwide, and has more than 3,500 professional and student members. Nebraska’s Midlands Chapter of about 70 professionals works closely with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) student chapter to foster professional growth for student members.

A Primer On Federal Grazing Fees, Larry W. Van Tassell

Cornhusker Economics

The federal government owns nearly 30 percent of the land area in the United States. The vast majority of this land lies in the western U.S. For example, 81 percent of Nevada’s, 63 percent of Utah’s, 61 percent of Idaho’s and 48 percent of Wyoming’s land mass is owned by the federal government. In contrast, 1.10 percent of Nebraska’s land mass is under federal ownership.

Most of the public lands in the western U.S. are under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) or Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and many are utilized for livestock grazing. Fees for grazing …