Agricultural and Resource Economics Commons^™

Montana International Choral Festival 2025, Missoula County, Montana, Matthew Matz, Ava Worbets, Kika Bradford, Megan Schultz

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This study was conducted for the Montana International Choral Festival to provide insight into the characteristics of attendees of the 2025 Montana International Choral Festival hosted in Missoula, Montana. Three hundred ninety-four attendees of the event completed the survey. Results show that the majority of respondents were relatively local, with 79% of respondents being residents of Montana and 83% of Montana respondents residing in Missoula County. Out-of-county respondents spent an average of 4.1 nights in Missoula, reporting a total spending of $100,274.00, mostly in rental home/cabin/condo, hotel/motel/bed and breakfasts, and restaurants/bars. Results provide event organizers with useful data for future …

Influence Of Disaster Experience On Farmers’ Livelihood Strategies Under Extreme Climate Events In Guizhou Province, China, Yumei Bai, Huiqing Han, Yuanju Jian

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

Extreme climate events have emerged as a critical challenge to global agricultural production and farmers’ livelihoods. Climate change not only directly impacts crop yields and quality but also compels farmers to adjust their livelihood strategies to address escalating climate risks. This study aimed to investigate how disaster experiences influence farmers’ choice of livelihood strategies, focusing on post-disaster adjustments to cope with climate risks. Using survey data from 1,066 farmers in Guizhou Province, China, ordinary least squares (OLS) and logit models were employed to explore the influence of disaster experience on livelihood strategies, analyzing the mediating role of risk attitudes and …

Clark Fork River Pedal & Farm Tour 2025, Trout Creek, Montana, Ava Worbets, Kika Bradford, Megan Schultz

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This study was conducted for Kaniksu Land Trust to provide insight into the characteristics of attendees of the 2025 Clark Fork River Pedal & Farm Tour hosted in Trout Creek, Montana. Forty-two attendees of the event completed the survey. Results show that the majority of respondents resided outside of Sanders County, with 71% from Montana (but only 7% from Sanders County itself) and 29% visiting from other US states, primarily Idaho. Out-of-county respondents spent an average of 2.3 nights in Sanders County, reporting a total spending of $8,732.00, mostly in hotel/motel/bed and breakfasts and restaurants/bars. Results provide event organizers with …

2025 Montana Tourism Outlook: Balancing Innovation And Tradition - Montana Economic Seminar Presentation, Melissa Weddell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

No abstract provided.

The Decline And Transformation Of Smallholders In Chinese Agriculture: National Trends, Qian Forrest Zhang, Meiling Wu

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Using data from official statistical sources and a nationally representative survey, we find that since 2001, China’s agricultural labor force has declined by over 50 percent—a loss of over 200 million smallholders, probably the largest in human history. This trend is the most pronounced in livestock sectors: from 2012 to 2021, 62.5 million smallholder units have disappeared. The 150 million remaining smallholders are mostly commodity producers, participating widely in commodity relations to access agrochemicals, machinery, rental land, and wage labor to produce for markets. The ageing smallholder population also face challenges in intergenerational reproduction, which will accelerate its decline.

More Prioritisation On Food Security – Exploring What Initiative Leaders Envision For A Food Secure Regional Australia, Isabelle Chiera, Jess Doe, Melissa Stoneham, Saranne Herrington, Amanda Devine, Emily Humphreys, Stephanie L. Godrich

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Food security is a particular challenge in rural, regional and remote locations due to complexities associated with food availability, access, utilisation, stability, agency and sustainability dimensions. Existing approaches, such as emergency food relief, have been found to inadequately address these challenges, suggesting that a comprehensive portfolio of solutions could be more effective. Understanding what food security initiative leaders operating in these areas consider important will help establish a shared goal to guide the development of a portfolio approach. This paper aimed to determine government and community-led food security initiative leaders' visions of a food secure regional Australia. This qualitative study …

Nursing Students’ Sociodemographic Characteristics And Consumer Preferences’ Prediction Level Of Perceived Food Literacy, Sinan Duru

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Food literacy, which is a critical competency for nursing students, plays a pivotal role in promoting evidence-based nutrition behaviors and contributes effectively to public health. This study aimed to determine the level of perceived food literacy among nursing students.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 488 nursing students from two universities in the south of Turkey. The research data were collected face to face via the Personal Information Form, the Consumer Preferences Form, and Self Perceived Food Literacy. The data was analyzed using the Independent Sample t Test, One Way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression.

Results: The …

Mapping Food Justice: Urban Farms And The Examination Of Equitable Food Access, Aaron Avila, Mark Ayiah, Jake Stavely, Marc T. Sager, Maximilian K. Sherard, Anthony J. Petrosino

SMU Journal of Undergraduate Research

In this project, we worked alongside members from an urban farm in South Dallas to learn about issues related to food justice, urban farming, and food deserts. Using participatory design research methods, we created data visualizations showing how society can reduce inequities relating to food access produced in historically underserved neighborhoods. The research goals guiding this study are: a) to identify food deserts and urban farms in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan region (DFW) and b) to determine which urban farms service the needs of these food deserts. To identify food deserts, we took two steps: First, we used open-access data …

Food Insecurity, Diet And Health Outcomes In Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Pilot Study, Nicole Zeky, Alysse Baudier, Colleen Leblanc, Elizabeth Mcdonough, Sarah A. Dumas, Dedrick Moulton

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives: Food insecurity (FI) is a well-defined factor in pediatric health outcomes and has been associated with lower diet quality. While poor diet quality has been linked to the rising prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), little is known about the impact of FI on pediatric IBD. This pilot study explores the feasibility and potential impact of FI on dietary intake and clinical outcomes in children with newly diagnosed IBD. Methods: This pilot study included newly diagnosed IBD patients aged 5 to 18. FI screening was completed using the USDA 6-item and AAP 2-item screeners at diagnosis and 6 months. …

Global Drivers And Local Management Of Groundwater Stress: A High-Resolution Economic Analysis Of Land, Water, And Food Systems, Iman Haqiqi, Thomas Hertel, Kavitha Srikanth

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Groundwater stress, a critical challenge for global water security and food production, has intensified due to the interaction of global change drivers and rapidly evolving local conditions. This paper investigates the individual and combined impacts of water availability, heat, population growth, income dynamics, and technological advancements on global groundwater stress over a historical period from 1997 to 2017. Utilizing the gridded Simplified International Model of agricultural Prices, Land use, and the Environment (SIMPLE-G), the study attributes local changes in water and land use patterns to these key global drivers. Furthermore, it evaluates an alternative, counterfactual scenario in which sustainable management …

Feedlot Willingness To Pay For Genomic Tested Feeder Cattle, Aisling G. Hagan, Karen L. Delong, Andrew P. Griffith, Christopher N. Boyer, Charley Martinez, Kimberly Jensen, Susan Schexnayder

Journal of Extension

Feeder cattle genomic tests assess the potential of economically important traits to feedlots such as residual feed intake and marbling. A survey was utilized to determine feedlot willingness to pay for genomic tested feeder cattle. Depending on test results, feedlots were willing to pay as much as 4.60% more for genomic tested cattle compared to untested cattle. Feedlots prioritize using genomic tests for marketing decisions and future purchases, despite reporting "poor" knowledge and perceived high costs associated with the tests. Findings can assist Extension personnel advising cattle producers about the potential uses and benefits of this technology.

Small Meat Processor Needs Are Similar Across Region, Jordan C. Wicks, Alexis Wivell, Thomas Archibald, David Gerrard

Journal of Extension

This needs-based assessment provides insight into the challenges of small meat processors in two regions of the US. On-line surveys were provided to processors and despite regional differences, data show approximately 70% of processors in each state find retention of skilled labor the greatest challenge in maintaining current levels of operation and impede future growth. These findings suggest educational and certification programing may help improve small processor viability and mitigate local food security concerns. Given the disparity in animal production and livestock availability between these diverse states but similarity in responses, we posit this information is translatable across the US.

Rooted In Resilience: Exploring Indigenous Economic Models And Sustainability On The Rocky Boy Indian Reservation., Dominique Nault

Capstone Collection

This study examines how traditional practices and cultural values of the Chippewa Cree shape the economic identity and sustainability of the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation. Using a mixed-methods approach that combined demographic surveys with culturally grounded interviews, the research reveals that economic development in the community is inseparable from traditional knowledge systems, collective well-being, and ecological stewardship. Rather than centering on financial accumulations, wealth is defined by family, community, and cultural continuity, placing traditional knowledge on par with land and monetary resources.

Three central themes emerged from the data: (1) the enduring role of traditional values and cultural knowledge in …

Four Nebraska Public Power District (Nppd) Irrigation Electricity Purchase Options, Matt Stockton

Cornhusker Economics

Farm managers are destined to face a myriad of choices while looking for and seeking the right balance between methods and outcomes that satisfy their individual farm’s needs. Successful farms require productivity, profitability, and continuity. This holds true for the many production choices made throughout the year. One of these opportunities is the purchase of electricity for irrigation. Nebraska is a unique state in that its electric power is generated and delivered by public power companies. The largest single entity in that system is NPPD, which serves all or part of 84 of the 93 counties within the state. NPPD …

Building Climate Resilience: Community Gardens And Environmental Education In Christchurch, New Zealand, Caleb T. Mccauley

Capstone Collection

The socio-political movements in post-earthquake Christchurch are studied to better understand the interplay of community gardens, climate, environmental, and land-based education, and to analyze their relevance to entrenching climate resilience in the region. Social networks and community responses to natural disasters like an earthquake are leveraged to understand their ability to influence the pillars of climate resilience, those being community, economic, and ecological resilience, respectively. The central hypothesis and research question of this paper will seek to answer: Can social cooperation in the wake of a natural disaster influence the ability of a community to respond to similar disruptions caused …

Shimmering Mirage Or A Promised Land? Climate Change, Agriculture, And Internal Migration In Sabha, Jordan, Tyler J. Rak

Capstone Collection

Given the rapidly shifting climate, high vulnerability, and low adaptability to climate related changes that rural areas face, this study highlights the complex relationship between climate change -- especially water scarcity -- agriculture, and internal migration in rural Jordan. I predict that if water scarcity is present and climate changes are occurring, they will undercut the rural agriculture sector which could contribute to rural out-migration. To study this relationship, I conducted a case study in Sabha, a small rural community in the Northern Badia of Jordan. Data was gathered by engaging in semi-structured interviews with current community members in Sabha …

From Larvae To Livelihoods: Examining The Realities Of Black Soldier Fly Farming In Malawi, Emily Herriott

Capstone Collection

Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae offer a cost-effective, nutrient-rich alternative to synthetic fertilizers and conventional feed inputs such as soy, fishmeal, and maize bran in sub-Saharan Africa. In Malawi, where smallholder farmers grapple with declining soil fertility, high input prices, chronic food insecurity, and livestock nutritional challenges, BSF farming is emerging as a promising circular agricultural innovation. Despite its technical promise, the social, economic, and ecological realities of BSF adoption remain underexplored.This study investigates the early implementation of BSF farming in Malawi through the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, focusing on farmer experiences, challenges, and the social and structural processes shaping uptake …

Digital Transformation In Jamaica's Education Sector, Grace Willis

Capstone Collection

Digital transformation in Jamaica’s education sector, significantly spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, represented a seismic shift on this small Caribbean island I call home. This transformation was central to national education reform and involved multiple projects aimed at modernizing educational delivery, infrastructure, and the supporting ecosystem. This study explored the multifaceted implications of these initiatives through qualitative research conducted with ten key stakeholders, complemented by a review of publicly available materials. Interviewees included school administrators, Information Technology (IT) teachers, funding sponsors, representatives from national education bodies, and international development agencies engaged in domestic strategic efforts. Participants were recruited through cold …

Farming With Data: Tracing Critical Tensions Using Data Science For Food Justice, Marc Sager, Maximilan Sherard, Anthony Petrosino

Publications

In this manuscript, we explore the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and equitable learning in higher education, focusing on data science as a subset of AI and social justice as the core theme of equity. Our investigation sheds light on the nuanced tensions inherent in employing data science for social justice. Rooted in situated perspectives of learning and consequential learning, our study employs an instrumental case-study methodology and analysis techniques from interaction and conversation analysis. Collaborating with three undergraduate students and an urban farm, the students used data science practices to highlight inequities surrounding food justice and access to food. …

Nacaa Am/Pic Conference 2025, Billings, Montana, Ava Worbets, Kika Bradford, Megan Schultz

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This study was conducted for Montana State University (Extension) to provide insight into the characteristics of attendees of the 2025 National Association County Agricultural Agent’s Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference hosted in Billings, Montana. Four hundred forty-seven attendees of the event completed the survey. Results show that the majority of respondents resided outside of Montana, 95% in other US states and 1% visiting from other US Territories, only 3% of respondents were residents of Montana. Out-of-county respondents spent an average of 6.4 nights in Montana, reporting a total spending of $748,676.05, mostly in hotel/motel/bed and breakfasts and event registration …