Agricultural and Resource Economics Commons^™

Development And Evaluation Of Impact Statements For The Expanded Food And Nutrition Education Program (Efnep), Kylie Pybus, Ronald L. Gibbs Jr., Karen Franck, M. Catalina Aragón

Journal of Extension

Extension professionals often communicate program outcomes to external stakeholders using impact statements. We developed and evaluated four impact statements for the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). We drafted the statements after conducting literature reviews for core content areas of EFNEP that include diet quality, food resource management, physical activity, and food safety. Subsequently, we evaluated the statements by facilitating expert panels made up of subject matter experts and communication professionals (n=14) from 12 Land-grant Universities. These impact statements aim to support EFNEP and other Extension professionals when communicating program value with key external stakeholders.

Adoption Of Ict To Support Rural Small-Holder Farmers : A Systematic Review, Abdus Salaam Seat, Shaun Pather

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

Access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are slowly becoming more available to rural communities given a number of innovative approaches over recent years such as the implementation of Community Networks (CNs). Consequently, ICTs are able to become more meaningful in support of livelihoods of these communities, such as in agriculture production. Potential benefits to smallholder farmers include increase yields and reduced effort. However, there is very little evidence of smallholder farmers integrating ICTs into their livelihood activity. In this paper a Systematic Literature Review is used to explore the challenges faced in this sector. A total of 83 articles …

Perceptions Of Well-Being And The Economy In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska, Rebecca J. Vogt, Heather Akin, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Bradley D. Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, Timothy Meyer, Steven A. Schulz

Nebraska Rural Poll

This year, rural Nebraskans are more pessimistic about their current situation than they’ve been in the past ten years. The proportion believing they are worse off than they were five years ago was 27 percent, up from the 21 percent last year and 11 percent in 2021. This is the highest level since both 2003 and 2009, when 28 percent believed they were worse off. This increase in pessimism was matched with a decrease in optimism. This year, less than onehalf (45%) of rural Nebraskans believe they are better off compared to five years ago, down from 50 percent last …

Environmental Conditions And The Fertility Intentions Of Utahns, Mufti Nadimul Quamar Ahmed, Jennifer E. Givens

Utah People and Environment Poll (UPEP)

One of the most important decisions a person may make in their lifetime is whether to have children. Many factors shape fertility intentions and outcomes. A better understanding of individual reproductive intentions can shed light on current fertility patterns, enable more accurate population projections^1-2 and planning efforts, and improve our ability to address environmental drivers and implications.

Rural Business Development Corporation Annual Report 2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

All other publications

In accordance with section 63 of the Financial Management Act 2006, we hereby submit for your information and presentation to Parliament, the annual report of the Rural Business Development Corporation for the reporting period ended 30 June 2023.

The annual report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Financial Management Act 2006 and the Rural Business Development Corporation Act 2000.

Gardiner Rodeo 2023, Gardiner, Montana, Ava Worbets, Megan Schultz

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This study was conducted for the Gardiner Chamber of Commerce to provide insight into the characteristics of attendees of the 2023 Gardiner Annual National Rodeo Association (NRA) Rodeo. Paper surveys were completed by 50 attendees of the event. Results show that 66% of respondents were residents of Montana, and of those Montana residents, 42% were from Park County. Out-of-county respondents spent an average of 6.14 nights in Gardiner and more people spent money on gasoline and restaurants/bars while visiting the area than any other spending categories. Respondents to the survey reported a total spending of $14,045 in the Gardiner area. …

An Essay On Cover Crops, Crop Yield Risks And Crop Insurance, Rajan Dhakal

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

To reduce the rising negative environmental impacts of crop production (e.g., chemical runoff, soil erosion) using conservation practices in farming has become a very important policy and research focus. However, the interest of farmers in adopting conservation practices is highly dependent on the potential private benefits that these practices create. With the chances for increased weather variability and frequent extreme weather conditions, cover crops have been gaining more attention, as their on-farm benefits can provide an effective buffer against unfavorable weather events such as excess dry and wet conditions. Despite providing several benefits, cover crop adoption in the US remain …

The U.S. Government's Global Food Security Strategy And The Effectiveness Of Agriculture-Led Growth Through The Perspectives Of Climate Change And Sustainability, Marcella Mcnerney

Capstone Collection

The United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Global Food Security Strategy Fiscal Year 2022-2026 addresses food security in developing countries. The U.S. Global Food Security Strategy set forth by USAID lays forth a strategy for increasing food security in twelve targeted low-income and developing nations. How well the USAID policy does this with consideration of climate change, sustainability, and socio-economic well-being is crucial to examine given the fact that climate change impacts and predictions are now affecting food systems at all stages, from growth through production. The following discussion combines elements of a policy brief and research paper to …

Regional Economic Impacts Of Enterococcus-Related Beach Closures In Mississippi, Jessica Lynn Browne

Theses and Dissertations

High levels of Enterococcus are the most frequent reason for beach closures on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and can be made worse by human activities. When beaches close, tourism can decrease, affecting sales. This study aims to 1) analyze the regional economic impact of beach closures at the county level, 2) show empirically how serious the impact of high levels of Enterococcus are compared to other causes of beach closures, and 3) discuss the policy implications for regional economies linked to beach closures. I use a response function approach with beach closure and county-level monthly gross taxable sales data. Results …

An Analysis Of Coastal Restoration Projects In Alabama And Mississippi, Barbara Nyarkoa Okai

Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to review thirteen coastal restoration projects considering the various ecosystem services provided by restoration and estimates the economic value of one of the ecosystem services of restoration. These ecosystem services include water quality improvement, fish and benthic species productivity, shoreline stabilization, oyster abundance, and marsh growth. The projects represent a set of large-scale projects within Alabama and Mississippi, with construction and monitoring costs ranging from $2.3 million to $50 million per project. To determine the economic value of one of the ecosystem services of coastal restoration projects, I used the meta-analysis method to estimate the willingness to …

Valuation Of Oyster Reef Restoration Along The Gulf Coast, Freedom Enyetornye

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study is to estimate the willingness to pay of U.S. Gulf Coast residents to support oyster reef restoration. The Gulf Coast is the leading commercial oyster- producing region in the United States, accounting for approximately 46% of the total commercial oyster harvest in 2021. My benefit estimates were based on data obtained from a contingent valuation survey of 6,475 Gulf Coast respondents. I estimated the willingness to pay (WTP) for oyster reef restoration using interval regression and Turnbull lower-bound methods. The estimated mean WTP value is in the range of $142 and $436 per household. The …

Utilizing Soil Quality Data For Premium Rate Making In The Federal Crop Insurance Program, Rylan Moore

Theses and Dissertations

The federal crop insurance program provides crop insurance for millions of acres and many commodities every year. The Risk Management Agency of the USDA is responsible for determining the premium rates for these covered commodities. Currently, the quality of soil is not considered when determining baseline yields and expected premium rates. This study utilizes the moment-based maximum entropy method to assess the effect of incorporating soil in the rate making methodology. Several moments of upland cotton yield in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas are conditioned on weather, irrigation, and soil control variables. Ultimately, I find evidence of mispriced premium rates for …

An Assessment Of Clemson Cooperative Extension Agents’ Perceptions Of Work-Related Factors Leading To Burnout, Erika Hwang

All Theses

Turnover and employee burnout are problems the Cooperative Extension System is facing nationwide, and the Clemson University Cooperative Extension System is no exception. There has been previous research done within the Extension system to identify the factors contributing to turnover and burnout, however, both remain an issue. Yet, there has been no research done to examine the Clemson University Cooperative Extension System individually. To further investigate factors contributing to burnout, this pilot study was conducted with Clemson University Clemson Extension agents using a burnout assessment that has not previously been used in Extension research. This study described Clemson University Cooperative …

Enhancing Production Efficiency And Farm Profitability Through Innovative Extension Programming, Nathan W. Conner, Matt Stockton, Daran Rudnick, Charles Burr, Tessa Burford

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Cooperative Extension strives to provide agricultural producers with non-formal educational opportunities designed to positively impact agriculture (NIFA, 2021). Therefore, a team of Extension professionals at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln developed and facilitate an ongoing professional development program designed to enhance the engagement of agricultural producers in farm management, especially in the areas of input use efficiency and profitability. Andragogy was used as the framework to help ensure the Testing Agricultural Performance Solutions (TAPS) program provided agricultural producers with non-formal education that aligned with andragogical principles. Knowles (1980) refers to andragogy as the “art and science of helping adults …

Water Scarcity: Impact On Water Rights, Institutions, And An Irrigated Agriculture, Nataly Medina

All Theses

This thesis combines two papers to provide a better understanding of the effects and management of water scarcity during periods of water shortage. The first manuscript discusses the evolution of water rights across the southeastern United States in response to increasing demands and droughts, while the second manuscript studies the effects of water scarcity on agriculture production in the western US.

The southeastern United States has historically benefited from abundant water supplies, allowing them to apply the riparian doctrine with little regulation. However, in the past few decades, the region has undergone major shifts in water policy. In the first …

Assessing Determinants Of Participation In Conservation Programs In The U. S., Manita Ale

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has implemented conservation programs through Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA). Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) are some of them. These programs provide financial and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers to adopt land management practices that generate environmental benefits. In this study, we explore the determinants of participation in conservation programs (CRP, CSP, EQIP) in Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska. For this, we use a unique survey-based data set comprising observations from row crop farmers in these states. We are …

The Perceptions Of Psycap Growth Among College Student Leaders Who Mentor, James Lee

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to examine the perceptions of Psychological Capital (PsyCap) growth among college student leaders who mentor. Recent research documented a positive association between mentoring and the mentee’s PsyCap growth, yet little is known about how mentoring impacts the mentor’s PsyCap. Additionally, though PsyCap has been researched considerably in the last decade, little is known about both the antecedents of PsyCap and the social mechanisms that contribute to the growth of PsyCap. This study addresses these gaps and examines the influence of mentoring for leadership development on the mentors’ perceptions of PsyCap growth. There are …

The Economic Effects Of Covid-19 On Smallholder Farmers In Kenya, Sarah Hope Brasche

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Like many Sub-Saharan African countries, the Kenyan economy heavily relies on agriculture. Agriculture in Kenya accounted for 50% of the total workforce in 2019 and 70% of the rural workforce. Though reliant on agriculture for employment and subsistence, Kenya has been historically impoverished and malnourished. Kenya has been experiencing an economic recession since 2018, which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Relatively speaking to other African countries, Kenya managed to escape the worst health effects of the pandemic, but the economic effects were substantial. This study analyzes survey responses from 1,059 Kenyan smallholder agricultural producers on the economic impacts they …

Market Outlet Choices Of Small-Scale Fruits And Vegetables Producers In Arkansas, Grace Sivilondire Mahamba

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis comprises two studies investigating the market outlet choices of small-scale fruit and vegetable producers in Arkansas. By examining the marketing decisions of producers in the region, the objective was to profile producers based on their utilization of different available outlets and identify the factors influencing their decisions regarding where to sell their products. Data from a survey conducted in the Ozark Mountain Region (comprising Arkansas, Southern Missouri and Eastern Oklahoma) during Fall of 2022 were analyzed using k-means clustering to classify producers based on their characteristics, thus establishing distinct producer profiles. Multinomial logit regression was employed to determine …

On The Economics Of The Transition To A Circular Economy, Ahmed Chennak, Konstantinos Giannakas, Tala Awada

Department of Agricultural Economics: Faculty Publications

Humanity is facing complex challenges posed by population growth, climate change, and the need to increase food, feed, fiber, and bioenergy production while confronting the scarcity of natural resources. The transition to a circular economy, characterized by reduced resource use and waste, is being increasingly recognized in academic, business, and policy making circles as essential to meeting these challenges, with the emphasis being on the development of methods and processes that enable and facilitate the transition from a linear to a circular economy. This paper argues the need for an increased emphasis on the economics of the circular economy and …