Strengthening climate resilience requires farmers to select climate adaptation strategies like weather index insurance. Acknowledging that decision-making is not isolated, this study explores simultaneous peer imitation in climate adaptation choices consisting of index insurance, savings, and their interaction. We present results from a lab-in-the-field experiment that introduces innovative index insurance. Findings indicate significant and strong imitation attitudes. While the bigger peer surrounding seems relevant in the static perspective, the closer surrounding gains importance in the dynamic perspective. Additionally, credit, trust, and practical understanding stimulate adoption. Community-based extension interventions and credit-bundled products may increase index insurance diffusion and improve climate resilience.

Cosmetic standards implemented by grocery stores are a substantial barrier to farmers who want to market visually imperfect (VI) produce. However, in recent years, efforts to market VI produce grocery stores have increased. In this study, we estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) for VI organic kale in the Southeastern U.S. using a payment card approach. The results indicate that WTP does not increase when additional information is provided, decreases when areas of imperfections are highlighted, and it is impacted by several consumer characteristics. A profitability case study for a large organic kale producer is also presented.

This study examines the economic performance of rainfed cropping systems endemic to the Southern Great Plains under weed competition. Cropping systems include tilled and no-till wheat-fallow, wheat-soybean, and wheat-sorghum rotations. Net returns from systems are compared under different levels of weed pressure. Producers operating over longer planning horizons would choose to double-crop regardless of the tillage method used and weed pressure level. Producers operating under shorter planning horizons would implement wheat-fallow systems when weed pressure is high and double crop when weed pressure is low.

We use contingent valuation to estimate hunter and trapper willingness to pay (WTP) for a hypothetical bobcat harvest permit being considered in Indiana. Harvest permits would be rationed, with limits on aggregate and individual harvests. A model of permit demand shows that WTP may be subject to “congestion effects” which attenuate welfare gains from relaxing harvest limits. Intuitively, relaxing limits may directly change an individual’s expected harvest and, hence, WTP. Participation may subsequently change, with congestion offsetting welfare increases. These effects may lead to apparent scope insensitivity that may be endemic in the context of rationed goods.

We conduct sensory analysis and assess consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for beef steaks from cattle fed hydroponically produced barley fodder (B-F) relative to those fed conventional mixed rations (CON). Results suggest consumers do not differentiate between B-F and CON when evaluating sensory attributes and possess similar WTP for both treatments. Preference toward the B-F treatment is demonstrated for sustainability-conscientious consumers informed about the potential sustainability benefits of the B-F treatment. Producers feeding hydroponically produced barley fodder should not expect premiums above beef-fed conventional feedstuff, yet establishing credence value around the sustainability of the B-F treatment may increase marketability.

This study presents an eye-tracking experiment to investigate consumer responses toward local Texas honey. Honey adulteration news was used as a treatment along with product attributes, such as a certified Texas honey seal, price, organic, and product reviews. The eye-tracking technology was applied to examine the effect of attribute-non-attendance to measure the treatment effects more robustly. The results show that honey adulteration information increases consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for some quality-related attributes. The results also show that negative product reviews have a much larger reduction in the magnitude of WTP than the increase produced by positive product reviews.

Tree care license requirements are expected to improve service quality and provider competencies. The study elicits the licensing fee Georgia firms would pay using survey data from 153 tree care firms. An empirical relationship identifies firm characteristics that influence the fee size using the inverse hyperbolic sine transformation function. Results show that respondents who propose higher annual licensing fees are on average younger, more educated, male, and likely to agree that mandatory licensing is necessary to establish professionalism in the tree care industry. Also, those often engaged in tree trimming services and firms with higher annual revenues contemplate paying higher licensing fees.

Much historical yield-monitor data is from fields where a uniform rate of nitrogen was applied. A new approach is proposed using this data to get site-specific nitrogen recommendations. Bayesian methods are used to estimate a linear plateau model where only the plateau is spatially varying. The model is then illustrated by using it to make site-specific nitrogen recommendations for corn production in Mississippi. The in-sample recommendations generated by this approach return an estimated $9/acre on the example field. The long-term goal is to combine this information with other information such as remote sensing measurements.

This paper examines child labor response to parental education. Prior studies present anecdotal evidence with a causal interpretation of this relationship rarely explored. Hence, conditional on a range of parental characteristics and multigenerational co-residence, I use as a set of instruments grandparents’ educational attainment to exploit plausibly exogenous variation in parents’ schooling. I generally find evidence of a negative parental education impact on child labor outcomes. The effect of maternal education on household farm work, however, is not significant. With respect to potential mechanisms, the results suggest that engagement in nonfarm employment pursuits among educated parents may mediate these effects.