9 pages, via online journal, Grain marketing arrangements in modern Russia are far from what they were in the 1990s. Given that grain marketing is crucial for farm revenues and an adequate functioning of the agri-food system, this paper examines why different grain marketing contracts co-exist and how well they fit the local agri-food context. Semi-structured interviews with farmers, grain buyers and regional authorities were conducted in the region of Tyumen in 2013-2014. The analysis, grounded in new institutional economics, found that the traders’ contracts, compared to those offered by grain elevators, are often better suited to account for uncertainty as a salient property of marketing transactions, but discourage quality improvements and differentiation of grain. Furthermore, both contract types encourage strategic behaviour on the part of grain buyers. The paper also discusses the case in a broader theoretical and international context and offers a number of policy implications, such as those related to independent grain quality assessments and extension.
Grinnell, Gerald (author), Hamm, Larry G. (author), and Agricultural Economist, Economic Research Service, USDA; Policy Analyst, Office of Energy, USDA
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1983-12
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 64 Document Number: C02324
12 pages, via Online Journal, Current, prevalent models of the food system, including complex-adaptive systems theories and commodity-as-relation thinking, have usefully analyzed the food system in terms of its elements and relationships, confronting persistent questions about a system’s identity and leverage points for change. Here, inspired by Heldke’s (Monist 101:247–260, 2018) analysis, we argue for another approach to the “system-ness” of food that carries those key questions forward. Drawing on Niklas Luhmann’s systems theory, we propose a model of the food system defined by the relational process of feeding itself; that is, the food system is made of feeding and only feeding, and system structures are produced by the coupling of that process to its various contexts. We argue that this approach moves us away from understandings of the food system that take structures and relations as given, and sees them instead as contingent, thereby helping to identify leverage points for food system change. The new approach we describe also prompts us as critical agrifood scholars to be constantly reflexive about how our analyses are shaped by our own assumptions and subjectivities.
Gutiérrez-Castorena, Edgar Vladimir (author), Ortiz-Solorio, C.A (author), Gutiérrez-Castorena, M.C. (author), Cajuste-Bontemps, L. (author), and Rocha-Aguilar, M. (author)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2008-10
Published:
Mexico
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 158 Document Number: D07600
Gutkind, Efraim (author) and Zilberman, David (author)
Format:
Report
Publication Date:
1980
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 95 Document Number: C07435
Notes:
INTERPAKS, Berkeley, CA: Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics, University of California, 1980. (working paper no. 159.) 18 p., Empirical works found that the rate of diffusion of new technology is an S-shaped function of time. The prevailing theoretical explanation of these observations treats diffusion of a continuous process of imitation or communication among adopters. Introduces an alternative model for the adoption of new processes by industry based on microeconomic theory. Demonstrates that S-shaped diffusion curves can be explained by profit maximation, increasing returns to scale of the new technology, the dynamics of input prices, and the size distribution of forms within an industry. The analysis can be applied to the diffusion of new technology among agricultural firms.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 146 Document Number: D06623
Notes:
Presentation at a conference, "Concentration in agriculture: how much, how serious and why worry" at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, February 4, 2003. 18 pages.
Via online issue. 2 pages., Describes recent experience in which a packing house fire resulted in lower fed cattle prices and higher values of choice boxed beef cutout values - resulting in frustration and anger in cattle country.
Herrera, Beatriz (author), Gerster-Bentaya, Maria (author), Tzouramani, Irene (author), Knierim, Andrea (author), and University of Hohenheim
Agricultural Economics Research Institute
Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2019
Published:
Germany: Taylor & Francis
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 7 Document Number: D10258
22 pages., Via online journal., Purpose: This study explores the use of advisory services by farm managers and its linkages with the economic, environmental and social performance of farms.
Design/methodology/approach: Using cluster analysis we determined groups of farms according to their sustainability performance and explored the correlations between contacts with advisory services and a set of farm-level sustainability indicators.
Findings: There exist significant differences in the number of farmers’ contacts with advisory services across countries, type of farms, farmers’ degree of agricultural education, utilized agricultural area, legal type of farm ownership and economic size of the farms. We identified three groups of farms that have different sustainability performance, are different in farm characteristics and relate differently to advisory services. The number of contacts with advisory services is positively related to the adoption of innovations, the number of information sources utilized and the adoption of farm risk management measures. We find no clear linear relationship between advisory services and environmental sustainability.
Theoretical implications: This study derives hypotheses to analyze causalities between indicators of farm-level sustainability and advisory services.
Practical implications: Results suggest the importance of taking into account the heterogeneity of farming systems for the design, targeting and evaluation of advisory services. In addition, results confirm the importance of selection of indicators that can be used in multiple sites.
Originality/value: We used a harmonized indicator of advisory services and a harmonized set of farm-level sustainability indicators in nine different EU countries that could be used to evaluate the role of advisory services in the achievement of multiple objectives in different groups of farms in multiple sites.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08635
Notes:
Located in Review of Extension Studies, volumes for 1946-1956, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., Summary of research report. Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station, University Park. Bulletin 577. 30 pages.
Hess, Charles E. (author / Assistant Secretary for Science and Education, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.)
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
1991
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 91 Document Number: C06596
Notes:
James F. Evans Collection; Paper presented at the Third Annual National Agricultural Biotechnology Council Meeting, In: MacDonald, June Fessenden, ed. Agricultural biotechnology at the crossroads : biological social & institutional concerns. Ithaca, NY : National Agricultural Biotechnology Council, 1991. p. 138-143
Hirsch, Darya (author), Heuschkel, Zoe (author), and Terlau, Wiltrud (author)
Format:
Paper
Publication Date:
2018
Published:
Germany
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 106 Document Number: D10930
Notes:
2018 International European Forum (163rd EAAE Seminar), February 5-9, 2018, Innsbruck, Austria. International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks. 5 pages., Urban food systems consist of many stakeholders with different perspectives, different interests and different governance tools. This study aimed at developing potential future scenarios for the food system of Cologne by analysing the system with a Delphi approach. In our research-design, the suitability of the Delphi-method was evaluated not only as a tool for future modelling and scenario design, but also as a communication tool among the group of participants on a multistakeholder platform. As a case study, the Food Policy Council of Cologne, Germany was used. Cologne can be seen as a forerunner among German cities in the development of a new urban food policy. Some of the successful steps to re-envisioning food as an urban system include joining the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, the decision of the City Council to become an edible city and the establishment of a Food Policy Council. For the study it was important to capture participants’ visions of a common goal regarding the governance of the urban food system and also to identify mental ‘silos’. It was obvious that the municipality of Cologne together with the Food Policy Council made great efforts towards participatory processes to build a vision for a sustainable and regional food supply. However, many stakeholder-groups in the process still work exclusively among themselves and do not actively practice the confrontation with the viewpoints of other relevant groups. This supports the maintenance of ‘silos’ and leaves little room for face-to-face discussions. Therefore, the primary aim of this study is to explore key components of food provisioning in the future for Cologne while confronting all stakeholders (municipal administration and politicians, farmers and food activists) with the perspectives of all group members. We used a multi-stakeholder Delphi approach with 19 panellists to find out essential components of the municipal regional food provisioning system in Cologne. Unique in this Delphi study is the bringing together of municipal administration, regional urban farmers and food activists. The research is still on-going, but preliminary results show that more communication among all relevant actors, especially horizontally among different city departments, in the urban food system is needed.
Igbedioh, Sylvester O. (author), Obinne, Chukwudi P. (author), and Igbedioh: College of Food Technology, University of Agriculture, Makudi, Nigeria; Obinne: College of Agricultural Economics and Extension, University of Agriculture, Makudi, Nigeria.
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1991
Published:
USA: Trumbull, CT : Food and Nutrition Press
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 92 Document Number: C06847
AGRICOLA IND 92037158, Nigeria, like other countries faced with balance of payment difficulties and fall in commodity prices, started implementing a World Bank-sponsored structural adjustment program (SAP) as a strategy for economic recovery and growth. Available evidence has shown that the SAP has lowered real income value and increased malnutrition due to inaccessibility of the poor to nutritious food, with resultant nutritional consequences. Nutrition Education has been acknowledged as the most important method of combating malnutrition in developing countries, as it is possible to improve nutrient intake of individuals despite the absence of improvement in their status. This paper discusses the strategies of extending nutrition education to different groups in rural Nigeria taking into consideration local custom, food production pattern, post-harvest handling of agricultural produce, extent of malnutrition and the dietary needs of different age groups. The paper stresses the importance of the potential dietary changes to be within the economic resources of the rural families as this is critical to the effectiveness of the education program. (original)
Delmar Hatesohl Collection, Companion articles here. The first presents this poem inviting patience and wisdom in addressing the prices the farmer is receiving, as compared with prices of other things people buy. The follow-up letter to the editor suggested that whoever penned it was "preying" on ignorance and appealing to emotionalism.
Johnson, S.R. (author), Skold, Karl D. (author), and Skold: Postdoctoral research associate, Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University, Ames, IA; Johnson: Professor of economics and Director of the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development,
Format:
Report
Publication Date:
1990-02
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 80 Document Number: C04707
Notes:
CARD, Ames, IA : Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, 1990. 35 p. (Working paper 90-WP 51)
11 pages., Online via UI electronic subscription, Authors examined ethical issues arising from the collection, management and analysis of data, as well as those faced by researchers as they formulate, fund and disseminate their research. They paid special attention to ethical issues such as data dredging or p-hacking and potential ethical issues arising from interaction with media.
17pgs, In this article, we evaluate the rate of return to government efforts to promote broadband. Specifically, we estimate the impact of USDA's broadband loan and grant programs on the average payroll per worker using zip code level data from the Zip Code Business Patterns for the period from 1997 to 2007. Our results indicate that two of the smaller broadband programs (the Pilot loan program and the broadband grants program) likely had no effect on local payroll per workers. On the other hand, the largest program in terms of funding and coverage (the current broadband loan program) likely had a positive impact. Our estimate implies that a $1 per capita increase in a particular zip code's one-time receipt of the current program broadband loan results in a $0.92 increase in payroll per worker annually. Our calculated point estimates of the benefit: cost ratios for this broadband program range from 1.98 to 2.99, depending on assumptions about the time frame over which benefits accrue. However, the confidence intervals are wide enough to include the possibility that the costs outweigh the benefits.
Kaylen,Michael S. (author), Loehman, Edna T. (author), Preckel, Paul V. (author), and Preckel: Assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University, IN; Loehman: Associate professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University, IN; Kaylen: Assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Missouri, MO
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1987-12
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 83 Document Number: C05127
Kennedy, Tracey L. (author), Torgerson, Randall E. (author), and Torgerson: Agricultural Cooperative Service Administrator; Kennedy: Assistant to the Administration, Agricultural Cooperative Service
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1987
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 84 Document Number: C05187
