SABIIA - Sistema Aberto e Integrado de Informação em Agricultura (Sabiia)

Bond, Craig A.; Farzin, Y. Hossein.

This paper develops a basic dynamic economic model that can be used for theoretical and numerical analysis of optimal soil management practices. A dynamic biophysical/economic optimal control model is developed in a multi-disciplinary framework, treating soil as a multi-pool portfolio of a particular limiting mobile nutrient (e.g. nitrogen). This specification allows for fertilizer to directly enter the active pool, while tillage initially affects the decadal pool, reflecting the realities of agricultural production. We examine the properties of the steady-state and the time paths of the optimal solutions. In addition, alternative sustainability criteria of farm-level agricultural practices are presented, and the optimal solution of the problem is...

An Application of Mixed Logit Estimation in the Analysis of Producers’ Stated Preferences

Palavras-chave: Farm Management.

Ano: 2004

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/20035

Kipperberg, Gorm; Bond, Craig A.; Hoag, Dana L..

This paper analyzes Colorado Corn producers’ preferences over both private- and environmental public-good production system attributes. Current production practices are characterized by intensive water and chemical use, resulting in non-point source pollution to water bodies as well as soil erosion problems. Data from a stated preference survey are employed to analyze key attributes of experimentally configured irrigation systems, proposed as alternatives to current practices. Panel mixed logit estimations find positive preferences for profit, risk reduction, and, importantly, systems with less environmental impact in terms of nitrate leaching and soil erosion. The results also find presence of significant preference heterogeneity and a complementary...

Are Agricultural PACs Monolithic? An Empirical Investigation

Palavras-chave: Agricultural production; Profit-maximization; Environment; Mixed logit; Stated preference; Attribute part-worth; Nitrate leaching; Soil erosion; Risk; Crop Production/Industries; C10; D62; Q12; Q15; Q51.

Ano: 2008

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/108719

Bond, Craig A.; Hoag, Dana L.; Freeborn, Jennifer; Van Doren, Terry.

This paper analyzes donation strategies of agricultural PACs by examining and testing a variety of variables theoretically related to contributions and formally testing for equivalence of donation strategies across PACs of varying levels of aggregation. Both chambers of the 108th Congress were modeled, with particular attention paid to the targeting of different power or influence sources within the legislature. Results showed significant heterogeneity across PAC subaggregates within a chamber, as well as between chambers, in terms of overall strategy and magnitude of marginal impacts. Evidence supporting the conditional party government hypothesis where PACs target top Party officials rather than influential legislative members was mixed and subindustry...

Consumer Preferences for Locally Made Specialty Food Products Across Northern New England

Palavras-chave: Monolithic Behavior; Political Action Committee; Political Donation Strategies; Tobit model; Agricultural and Food Policy.

Ano: 2008

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/108718

Giraud, Kelly L.; Bond, Craig A.; Bond, Jennifer Keeling.

Does willingness to pay a premium for local specialty food products differ between consumers in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont? Two food categories are investigated: low-end ($5) and high-end ($20) products. Premia estimates are compared across states and across base prices within states using dichotomous choice contingent valuation methods. Results suggest that the three states of northern New England have many similarities, including comparable price premia for the lower-priced good. However, there is some evidence that the premium for the higher-priced good is greater for the pooled Vermont and Maine treatment than for the New Hampshire treatment. Vermont and New Hampshire residents are willing to pay a higher premium for a $20 than for a $5 food...

Tipo: Journal Article

Palavras-chave: Local specialty foods; Willingness to pay; Contingent valuation; Demand and Price Analysis; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety.

Ano: 2005

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/10231

Direct Marketing of Fresh Produce: Understanding Consumer Interest in Product and Process-Based Attributes

Thilmany, Dawn D.; Bond, Jennifer Keeling; Bond, Craig A..

This study employs factor and cluster analysis techniques to explore a national-level dataset of fresh produce consumers. Specifically, we characterize the major sources of variation in the dataset using four internally-derived factors, and then use these factors to split the data into five consumer segments using cluster analysis. We then examine the major differences in preferences and willingness to pay across these groups with respect to various produce attributes, production processes, and production locality. We explore the traditional concerns such as taste, purity, and freshness, but also account for civic agricultural issues such as local production and production systems which tend to be associated with higher levels of environmental quality...

Direct Marketing of Fresh Produce: Understanding Consumer Purchasing Decisions

Palavras-chave: Consumer/Household Economics.

Ano: 2006

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/21217

Keeling Bond, Jennifer J.; Thilmany, Dawn D.; Bond, Craig A..

Tipo: Journal Article

Palavras-chave: Consumer/Household Economics; Crop Production/Industries; Marketing; Q13.

Ano: 2006

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/94359

Eat Your Fruits and Veggies: Who Informs Consumers about Produce Choices and Nutrition?

Nurse-Schorre, Gretchen; Thilmany, Dawn D.; Keeling Bond, Jennifer J.; Bond, Craig A.; Bunning, Marisa.

Food consumption trends in the U.S. may be affected by and/or contributing to the growth in food- and nutrition-related information channels. Information channels are increasing in number, as are the sources (McCluskey & Swinnnen 2004) that provide information. This paper examines consumer perceptions of the relative desirability of various food and nutrition information sources and education methods as well as the relative credibility of various food and nutrition sources. Using data from a 2006 nationwide consumer survey, comparative summary statistics show significant differences between information delivery methods and sources that consumers use and trust. By understanding how consumers receive and value information we can better target consumer...

Tipo: Report

Palavras-chave: Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety.

Ano: 2008

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/55618

Economic and Environmental Impacts of Adoption of Genetically Modified Rice in California

Bond, Craig A.; Carter, Colin A.; Farzin, Y. Hossein.

Estimating Agricultural Pollution Abatement Costs at the Plot Level Using Experimental Data: A Maximum Entropy Approach

Palavras-chave: Crop Production/Industries; Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies.

Ano: 2005

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/11927

Bond, Craig A.; Farzin, Y. Hossein.

This paper uses a directional output distance function to estimate a multi-output production frontier for a sample of experimental plots grown for the Sustainable Agriculture Farming Systems project at the University of California, Davis. Cross-sectional technical efficiency indices are estimated that take into account two proxies for undesirable output: number of trips across a field as a proxy for air pollution and/or soil erosion, and pints of pesticides applied to account for potential leaching and/or health risks. Shadow price estimates based on marginal rates of transformation ranged from $8-$21 for trips, while shadow prices for pints of pesticides averaged $23-$27.

Tipo: Journal Article

Palavras-chave: Directional distance function; Environmental efficiency index; Shadow price; Environmental Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2007

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/8642

Multi-Sector Sustainability in Agroecosystem Environments: Using Value Function Iteration for Numerical Solutions

Bond, Craig A..

Using the numerical technique of value iteration, this paper imposes several sustainability constraints on a simple multi-sector agroecosystem model, and provides analysis of the costs tradeoffs within and between generations. Results show that internalization of a stock externality is insufficient for intergenerationally equitable welfare paths, while sustaining a physical resource over time in the interests of equitability can result in a less equitable distribution of welfare across generations. Furthermore, a value sustainability constraint imposed on the social welfare maximization problem acts as a welfare transfer mechanism from the productive sector to the sector affected by the externality, but implies growth in profits for the productive sector...

On the Potential Use of Adaptive Control Methods for Improving Adaptive Natural Resource Management

Palavras-chave: Environmental Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2006

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/21039

Bond, Craig A..

The paradigm of adaptive natural resource management (AM), in which experiments are used to learn about uncertain aspects of natural systems, is gaining prominence as the preferred technique for administration of large-scale environmental projects. To date, however, tools consistent with economic theory have yet to be used to either evaluate AM strategies or improve decision-making in this framework. Adaptive control (AC) techniques provide such an opportunity. This paper demonstrates the conceptual link between AC methods, the alternative treatment of realized information during a planning horizon, and AM practices; shows how the different assumptions about the treatment of observational information can be represented through alternative dynamic...

Proactive or Reactive? Optimal Management of an Invasive Forest Pest in a Spatial Framework

Palavras-chave: Adaptive control; Adaptive management; Dynamic programming; Value of experimentation; Value of information; Resource /Energy Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2008

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/108721

Bond, Craig A.; Champ, Patricia A.; Meldrum, James; Schoettle, Anna.

This paper offers a preliminary investigation into the conditions under which it might be optimal to engage in proactive management of a non-timber forest resource in the presence of an invasive species whose spread is unaffected by management action. Proactive management is defined as treating an uninfected area in order to encourage healthy ecosystem function, given that the arrival of the invasive is inevitable. Inspired by the problem of white pine blister rust in the Rocky Mountain west, the model was solved under varying assumptions concerning the scale of management action, benefit and costs, the discount rate, and uncertainty of spread. Results showed that proactive strategies tended to be optimal when, ceteris paribus, a) more resources are...

TEMPORAL PAYMENT ISSUES IN CONTINGENT VALUATION ANALYSIS

Palavras-chave: Crop Production/Industries; Resource /Energy Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2010

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/61519

Bond, Craig A.; Giraud, Kelly L.; Larson, Douglas M..

We analyze agent response to disparate payment schedules for protection of critical habitat units for the Seller sea lion in Alaska. The model allows for identification of implicit and explicit discount rates using information from a system of maximum likelihood equations. Testing is done using data for one, five, and fifteen year payment treatments.

Using Numerical Dynamic Programming to Compare Passive and Active Learning in the Adaptive Management of Nutrients in Shallow Lakes

Palavras-chave: Research Methods/ Statistical Methods.

Ano: 2002

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/19753

Bond, Craig A.; Loomis, John B..

This paper illustrates the use of dual/adaptive control methods to compare passive and active adaptive management decisions in the context of an ecosystem with a threshold effect. Using discrete-time dynamic programming techniques, we model optimal phosphorus loadings under both uncertainty about natural loadings and uncertainty regarding the critical level of phosphorus concentrations beyond which nutrient recycling begins. Active management is modeled by including the anticipated value of information (or learning) in the structure of the problem, and thus the agent can perturb the system (experiment), update beliefs, and learn about the uncertain parameter. Using this formulation, we define and value optimal experimentation both ex ante and ex post. Our...

What Influences Consumer Choice of Fresh Produce Purchase Location?

Palavras-chave: Adaptive control; Adaptive management; Dynamic programming; Value of experimentation; Value of information; Nonpoint source pollution; Learning; Decisions under uncertainty; Resource /Energy Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2008

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/108720

Bond, Jennifer Keeling; Thilmany, Dawn D.; Bond, Craig A..

There is evidence that consumers are increasingly purchasing food directly from local producers, but little is understood about which market-specific, intrinsic, extrinsic, and demographic attributes influence the probability of preferring to purchase fresh produce through direct-market channels. A multinomial logit model is used to analyze a national dataset of fresh produce consumers with a focus on exploring differences among those that prefer to purchase direct always, occasionally (seasonally and as a secondary source), and never. Results suggest that to increase patronage and loyalty of current customers, producers may emphasize the availability of fresh, superior, vitamin-rich, and locally-grown produce at market locations through booth displays,...

Tipo: Journal Article

Palavras-chave: Agribusiness; Demand and Price Analysis; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; C35; C42; Q13.

Ano: 2009

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/48755

What to Choose? The Value of Label Claims to Fresh Produce Consumers

Bond, Craig A.; Thilmany, Dawn D.; Bond, Jennifer Keeling.

We examine consumer response to label information using a hypothetical choice experiment on red leaf lettuce attribute bundles. Using survey responses, several mixed logit models with random parameters and varying correlation assumptions are estimated that provide estimated of marginal utilities ( and marginal values) of various attributes related to general health claims, specific nutrition and health claims, certification logos, and certified organic claims (relative to the conventional reference group) for this fresh produce product. We find that consumers distinguish between labeling claims, and that attribute bundling effects are present, suggesting the results from main effects (linear) models may be misleading. Furthermore, the results imply that...

Tipo: Journal Article

Palavras-chave: Choice experiment; Conditional distribution; Preference heterogeneity; Produce labels; Random parameters; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety.

Ano: 2008

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/46559

What to Choose? The Value of Label Claims to Produce Consumers

Bond, Craig A.; Thilmany, Dawn D.; Bond, Jennifer Keeling.

This paper addresses three key empirical questions related to health, nutrient, and process claims on front-label packaging; namely, 1) How do consumers value alternative claims on product and process-based attributes for fresh produce; 2) Are these values additively separable; and 3) To what degree is there heterogeneity between consumers on these values? We use a hypothetical choice experiment on red leaf lettuce attribute bundles, and estimate several logit models (MNL and ML) that provide estimates of marginal utilities (and with the inclusion of varying prices, marginal values) of various attributes related to general health claims, specific nutrition and health claims, certification logos related to health and nutrition currently found in the...