This paper described the incorporation of selected segments of the Apprentice Series into an Ag and Food Sales course. A description of the use of these segments and student evaluation of the experience are also included.

This study examines the impact of depreciating exchange rate on U.S. fresh produce trade. The short run analysis does not support J-curve hypothesis but the overall results are consistent with the modified version of the hypothesis that devaluation would initially deteriorate the trade balance...

Complexity of urban systems necessitates the consideration of interdependency among various factors for land use change modeling and prediction. The objective of this study is to explore the applicability of computational neural networks in modeling urban sprawl and land use change coupled with...

Invasive insect species cause billions of dollars of direct and indirect damage to U.S. crops each year. The market for insuring insect damage is, however, far from complete. The objective of this study is to design and value insect derivatives, or "bug options," which would offer growers a...

This paper analyzes the connection between informal insurance institutions in rural Africa and the adoption of new technologies. We model two linked games -- a community risk-sharing game and an old-age insurance game -- and analyze the multiple equilibria that arise. We provide a numerical...

Transferable rights (TRs) programs are being increasingly considered in fisheries to overcome current overfishing situation. This paper will focus on developing a conceptual foundation, investigating advantages of the TRs program in fishery management, and answering critical issues to implement...

The main objective of this paper is to estimate the relationship between telecommunication and the volume of trade. More specifically, we estimate the effect of improved telecommunication on bilateral trade of agricultural and non-agricultural goods among the OECD countries in each year from...

The paper analyzes the extent to which ignorance of heteroskedasticity or its inadequate modeling would result in misleading statistical inferences about crop yield distribution. We follow the "detrending mean yield approach" in which we model the conditional mean yield using a panel data model....

Low-input farming practices in many parts of the developing world have pushed cultivation onto marginal lands. Sustainability of already fragile ecosystems is threatened. Farmers place a high priority on satisfying subsistence food needs with on-farm production. Population pressure is high...

This paper examines the role of overconfidence in explaining farmer crop insurance purchasing decisions. The authors hypothesize that overconfidence could influence the participation decision and test this hypothesis. The preliminary results indicate that farmers are overconfident; however, the...