Returns from establishing closed (defined membership) cooperatives owned by grain producers to produce hogs in Iowa are evaluated. Using a computer-simulated production model incorporating biological and price factors and statistical techniques, uncertainty of production and the market...

Cooperative approaches provide an alternative for small- and medium-sized producers to obtainthe efficiencies of larger farming operations and remain competitive in an increasinglyconcentrated agricultural industry. This article examines the motivation and effectiveness ofequipment and labor...

Rapid growth in fuel ethanol production in the U.S. will create pressure on infrastructure both in the near term and the longer term. Currently the vast majority of fuel ethanol produced is grain based with corn based feedstocks dwarfing the quantity of all other grain feedstocks. In the future...

We investigate major conjectures regarding the prevalence of cosmetic surgical procedures and their determinants, using a quantitative multidisciplinary approach and a recent international dataset from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. Cosmetic surgery predominantly...

Dominant paradigms of fertility choice either ignore or assume small, unchanging costof fertility limitation. Inspired by the historical English experience that is contrary to suchassumptions,we modify the Beckerian paradigm to incorporate costly, societal influence oncontraception. In the model...

We study production capacity utilization and emission permit utilization in a model where firms jointly produce a valued good and an environmental bad, pollution. Firms are ex ante identical but experience random productivity shocks after factor employment. A regulator imposes a cap-and-trade...