bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Analysis in Support of Agricultural Research Funding
Authors: Jansma J. Dean
Published: May 2017

There is increasing evidence that research funding sources are requiring additional assurances that the expenditure of their resources is in the “highest and best use.” Legislative calls for sunset provisions and mandated evaluations plus administrative moves toward grant rather than formula funding emphasize the push for more direct accountability. The objective of this paper is to outline the work of a committee charged with assisting the directors of agricultural research and extension in the nation's land grant universities in their requests for funds for high priority research.
A Comparison of Marketing Strategies for Potatoes in Upstate New York
Authors: Young Ralph , Tomek William G.
Published: May 2017

A long-standing problem in agricultural marketing is the question of “optimal” marketing patterns for a seasonally produced crop. When futures markets exist, agricultural economists have often recommended their use to improve marketing decisions, but farmer use of futures as an aid to marketing is not common. This paper considers the potential benefits to upstate New York farmers of hedging using Maine potato futures contracts. Benefits are defined in terms of the mean and variance of returns from alternative marketing strategies for potatoes. A portfolio approach is implicit in the analysis which also relies, in part, on the formulation of a simple price-forecasting model.
Conflicting Rights to Rural Resources: A Research Strategy for Improved Public Choice
Authors: Libby Lawrence W.
Published: May 2017

There are two basic underlying premises for this paper. The first one is that economics is still a useful discipline. That is, an understanding of economic concepts can contribute to a diagnostic analysis of socio-economic change in the Northeast (among other things), identification of policy options, and even choice. Economic paradigms are versatile and mobile. They help people decide how to deal with all difficult social problems. This assertion is certainly not a foregone conclusion and has in fact been contested rather vigorously. In some circles, clearly those less informed, economics as a discipline has been labeled the villain, the cause for social ills from poor roads to dirty air and water. I would not suggest that all economic advice is good, but that is the fault of the practitioner, not the discipline. Economics, like any other social science, can generate apparent scientific objectivity to support just about any motive of the user. There are virtually no sterile concepts in the discipline. When used to guide choice, all economic principles acquire a normative flavor, inevitably benefiting some interests more than others. Scarcity, the beginning of economics, means interdependence and choice based normative judgments. The challenge for economists as social scientists and particularly as policy analysts is to employ the robustness for the discipline for useful purpose, to provide insights helpful to policy and avoid being intimidated by our own discipline. This leads me to my second premise, that judgments, prescriptions and analyses by economists are probably as good as or better than those offered by anyone else. We owe it to ourselves to be involved.
The Effects of the Rural Renaissance Movement on the Traditional Programs of the Colleges of Life Sciences and Agriculture
Authors: Howe Gerald W.
Published: May 2017

I was talking to a New Hampshire resident a short time ago about the state of agriculture here in New Hampshire. There was a feeling of despondency when he said, “My grandfather had a farm, my father had a garden and I have a can opener.” That might be an overstatement, but it does say something about what is happening to agriculture, especially as it relates to population growth in the Northeast.
Economies of Size and Operating Efficiency of Livestock Markets: A Frontier Function Approach
Authors: Lesser W. H. , Greene W. H.
Published: May 2017

A cost curve for livestock auction markets was estimated using a frontier function estimator. This estimator has the advantages of consistency and asymptotic efficiency (for certain disturbance specifications). The one-sided residuals satisfy theoretical requirements for cost curves and allow estimates of operational efficiency. Results indicate little size savings above 50,000 LMU, (12 percent of markets in 1976). Estimated operational inefficiencies ranged from 0 to 45 percent. Total technical efficiency (size diseconomies plus operational inefficiencies) are high for some markets and some size groups. Little consolidation is predicted for the industry because the estimated cost of technical inefficiency is small compared to distance related costs (e.g., transport and shrink).
A Study of the Economic Functions of the Maine Potato Futures Market
Authors: Sooy Jeff , Branch Ben
Published: May 2017

In an update and extension of prior work this study found that the potato futures markets continued to provide very unreliable forecasts of subsequent spot prices. On the other hand and contrary to some past studies an extensive study here failed to turn up any convincing evidence of a cobweb pricing relationship. Moreover the increasing volatility of potato futures prices in the more recent time period raises questions regarding their value as hedging vehicles. Finally it is argued that the market's efficiency might be improved by expanding the current Maine potato contract to permit delivery of round white potatoes grown outside Maine.
New Directions for the Eighties
Authors: DiBiaggio John
Published: May 2017

I am honored by the invitation to address this group, whose members and their institutions represent such a significant portion of the unique mission of land-grant institutions in the region.
Alternative Procedures for Estimating the Size Distribution of Farms
Authors: Stavins R. N. , Stanton B. F.
Published: May 2017

Changes in the number and size distribution of dairy farms in the Northeast have come rapidly in the years since World War II. The objective of this study was to examine some of the newer methods of forecasting changes in this size distribution and ascertain the gains, if any, associated with these methods. Different formulations using Markov processes were compared with simple trend analyses and various functional forms in making projections. During the twenty-year period between 1958 and 1977 the number of farms delivering milk to plants in New York State decreased from slightly more than 45,800 to 16,500, a net decrease of approximately 64 percent. Over the same twenty-year period, annual milk production fluctuated between 9.8 and 11.0 billion pounds with a peak in 1965 and a low point in 1973. During the last five years, 1975–79, the number of farms delivering milk has continued to decline but milk production the the State has increased yearly and is expected to reach an all-time high in 1980. Such structural changes in the dairy industry have stimulated continued interest in problems of milk supply response and future variations in the size distribution of farms.
New Measures from Input-Output Studies: A Comparison of Traditional Multipliers and Growth-Equalized Multipliers
Authors: Brucker Sharon M.
Published: May 2017

The use of traditional multipliers in analyzing the impact of alternative development policies should only be undertaken with a full understanding of the theoretical constraints inherent in such an approach. Theoretical input-output models assume perfectly elastic supply of all inputs and demand for all outputs. Thus, traditional multipliers abstract from the relative size of changes in final demand, or production, since any change is theoretically possible. In actuality, supply and demand elasticities are not infinite. It may not be possible to increase sales to final demand by 300 percent; nor (due to land, labor or capital input scarcities) is it likely that a sector's production can increase by 100 percent. Therefore, in practice, some measure of the feasibility of a proposed change needs to be considered.
Application of an Economic Base Model for Community Planning: The Case of Killingly, Connecticut
Authors: Diamond Joseph E. , Lass Daniel A.
Published: May 2017

Economic base studies are an accepted economic tool for regional economic analysis. The economic base concept was first set forth as early as 1928 in a regional study of New York City. The economic base concept gained maturity through the work of Homer Hoyt in the 1930's. The first complete statement of the theory of economic base is contained in a text written by Weiner and Hoyt.
Response Bias in a Mail Survey: An Example from a Land Use Study
Authors: White Gregory K.
Published: May 2017

Researchers are well aware that each technique for administering surveys has its own advantages and disadvantages. Direct interviews, either by telephone or in person, have a relatively high cost per contact but usually result in a higher percentage of questionnaire completions and greater control of the response quality. Mail surveys can be conducted at a lower per unit cost but are often characterized by lower response rates and an overall poorer quality of completed questionnaires. Even with follow-up mailings, recent studies at the University of Maine suggest that response rates of 35 to 45 percent can be expected on general land use surveys or recreation studies.
On the Use of Hedonic Prices to Measure Sport Fishing Demand
Authors: Strand Ivar E. , Yang Edward G. , Norton Virgil J.
Published: May 2017

Information requirements of public policy makers have placed a heavy responsibility on economists involved in applied research in the area of sport fishing. Increased fishing pressure and, in some cases, decreasing stocks have generated considerable competition between sport and commercial fishermen over scarce fish. Regional Fisheries Management Councils have sought advice as to how they can “best” allocate the scarce stocks between these two competing interests. Federal and state agencies, too, have sought guidance on estimation of benefits from replenishment and other programs for increasing sport fish catch.
Trends in Local Government Revenue Composition in the Northeast: 1957–1977
Authors: Collins Judith N.
Published: May 2017

The composition of revenues in general purpose local governments in the Northeast in 1977 is examined and compared with the pattern found in 1957. The composition of local government revenues varies between types of local governments and between states. In general, local governments in the New England states are most dependent on property taxes. This pattern has not changed greatly since 1957 despite increases in the importance of intergovernmental aid. Revenue composition in many states in the Northeast diverges considerably from the nationwide pattern. Changing attitutes towards government and taxes could result in substantial changes in the years ahead.
Economics of Part-Time Farming
Authors: Wysong John W.
Published: May 2017

Part-time farming in Maryland and the Northeast with full-time off-farm employment of one or more of the farm operators is competitive income-wise with many types and sizes of commercial farms. Individuals, families, and society in general will benefit in the future from the encouragement of fuller utilization of underutilized or unemployed rural resources to produce marketable agricultural output and subsistence types of food for household and local charitable purposes. Labor extensive types of crop and animal production activities have increased relatively and absolutely during the past decade on Maryland and Northeastern part-time farms. Average characteristics of a sample of 80 part-time farmers showed 1) age of male operator – 44 years, 2) education of operator − 12 years, 3) number of children on the farm − 3 children, 4) years of experience in farming − 15 years, 5) days of off-farm employment − 225 days, 6) proximity of off-farm job to a major metropolitan center − 20 miles and 7) distance to off-farm job − 29 miles.
A Framework for Analyzing the Impacts on Agriculture of Government Policies Leading to Industrial Development in Non-Urban Areas
Authors: Skelding Patty J. , Libby Lawrence W.
Published: May 2017

Policy-makers need analytical frameworks which aid in evaluating the distribution of impacts of their decisions. The first section of this paper describes an Environment – Behavior – Impact framework for analyzing the impacts on agriculture of government policy changes which favor development in non-urban areas. An illustration of the framework using a hypothetical example follows, and the final section is a discussion of the applicability of empirical methods to the framework.
Improving the Competitive Position of Northeast Agriculture –A Conceptual Framework–
Authors: Hallberg M. C. , Madden J. Patrick
Published: May 2017

The competitive position of agriculture in a region is determined by a mosaic of interacting forces. The physical, capital, and human resources available to the sector set technical limits to production possibilities. The pressures exerted on the use of these resources by the region's nonfarm sector help establish economic limits. The production characteristics of the agricultural sector of other regions also, of course, impact a region's competitive position.
Effects of the Accident at Three Mile Island on Residential Property Values and Sales
Authors: Gamble Hays B. , Downing Roger H.
Published: May 2017

An analysis of all valid single family house sales over a four-year period before the March, 1979, TMI accident and over the 9 months following the accident, and within a 25-mile radius of the plant and in two control areas, disclosed no evidence that the accident had measurable lasting effects on residential property values. Shortly following the accident there was a sharp decline in the volume of residential sales within 10 miles of the plant, but the real estate market returned to normal within a month, considering the financial market conditions at that time.
Economics and Environmental Effects of Manure Handling Systems for Northeastern Dairy Farms
Authors: Heimlich Ralph E.
Published: May 2017

Economic and environmental analyses of manure handling systems have implications for programs to regulate agricultural nonpoint sources of water pollution and programs to subsidize manure handling practices. Previous economic analyses in the literature are discussed. Manure systems are evaluated in a consistent framework to determine construction and operating costs. The effect of soil type on nutrient conservation is examined for two hypothetical farms. Dissolved phosphorous runoff is estimated for the farms varying storage capacity and soil type. Costs of phosphorus reduction by handling system, housing type and soil type are examined. Conclusions for cost-sharing policy are drawn.
Faculty Advisors and Advising Programs in Agricultural Economics Departments in the Northeast
Authors: Broder Josef M. , Ziemer Rod F. , Gunter Lewell F.
Published: May 2017

This paper summarizes selected findings of a study of faculty advisors and advising programs in departments of agricultural and resource economics. Undergraduate advising program characteristics in the Northeast are contrasted with those in other regions. Interdepartmental advising loads, advising budgets and allocation of advising resources are measured. Differences were found in advisor selection, training, support, coordination, rewards and evaluations. Advising programs were generally strong in advisor accessability and weak in career follow-ups. Advising faculty members in the Northeast generally earned lower salaries and taught more terms during the year than nonadvising faculty members. Continued program documentation, support and rewards are recommended.
Local Government Contracting with The Private Sector
Authors: Florestano Patricia S.
Published: May 2017

A contemporary exploration of the concept of “private sector delivery of public services” is necessitated by the fiscal “facts of life” prevalent in most local jurisdictions today. Documentation of the mounting costs of local government is readily available. All informed projections suggest that because of inflation and increased labor costs, this spiralina increase will not level off in the near future.
Alternate Local Revenue Sources: User Charges
Authors: Collins Judith N.
Published: May 2017

User charges were the second most important source of local government own source revenue in 1977. Local governments in 1977 collected $19 billion in user charges, such as admission fees. This represented 16 percent of total revenue from own sources. The biggest revenue producer at the local level, the property tax, accounted for half of all locally raised revenue.
Farm Numbers and Their Implications for Economic Analysis
Authors: Stanton B. F.
Published: May 2017

Data on farm numbers are widely discussed and frequently misinterpreted. These numbers comprise one of the nation's oldest and most basic statistical series. As such they are a fundamental part of our agricultural data system. This paper argues that American farms should be classified into three separate categories for both descriptive and analytical purposes. Such divisions will allow us to understand more fully the changes in farming which have occurred and the implications of changes now in progress. Rates of change in size distributions, productivity and net income may be examined in perspective. Public understanding of the policy issues involved will be enhanced.
The Economic and Environmental Impacts of an Ethanol Industry on Western New York
Authors: Gould Brian W.
Published: May 2017

This paper examines the economic, environmental and energy use impacts of a corn based ethanol industry on Western New York State. A regional linear programming model is used. Five representative farm groups are used to describe the agricultural sector of the study region. Comparisons are made between a benchmark solution and model formulations that include conservation tillage practices, ethanol induced feed price changes, and the feeding of the feed by-product, DDG.
Motor Carrier Deregulation: Implications of Florida's Experiences for Northeast Agriculture and Rural Communities
Authors: Beilock Richard , Freeman James
Published: May 2017

Deregulation and reregulation of transportation is one of the most significant policy developments of recent years. It is important to understand the impacts of such changes on the availability of transportation services to agriculture, small communities, and rural areas. In this paper the experiences of shipper/receivers, carriers, private carriers, and agricultural truck brokers in Florida, the first state to deregulate nonpassenger motor carrier transport, are examined. Implications of these experiences for the Northeast are drawn. These findings are of particular interest to Maine, the second state to have deregulated nonpassenger transportation.
Economics of Producing Methane Gas from Cow Manure to Generate On-Farm Electricity
Authors: Stevens George A. , Brodie Herbert L.
Published: May 2017

This study examines the economic feasibility of substituting electricity generated on dairy farms by methane gas systems for electricity purchased from local utility companies. Electric power is an important input in the operation of a dairy farm. The central question was which source of this input was the cheaper? Herd sizes included in the study were 50, 100, 200 and 300 cows. The cost of methane generated electricity is compared with the cost of purchased electricity. Results are presented by size of dairy herd.
A Capital Budgeting Analysis of Electricity Generation on Egg Farms
Authors: Bravo-Ureta Boris E. , McMahon Glen
Published: May 2017

This paper analyzes the economic feasibility of an investment designed to digest anaerobically cage layer manure and convert biogas into electricity which is sold to a public utility. A simulation model is used to calculate the after-tax net present value (NPV) of a digestion system for eight egg farms differing in size under alternative scenarios. The results show that farm size and electricity price projections have a major impact on the magnitude and sign of the NPV estimates. Technical performance also has a marked effect on the investments’ feasibility, while tax credits and low interest rates have a relatively minor influence.
Modelling the Residential Demand for Electricity in New England
Authors: Young Trevor , Stevens Thomas H.
Published: May 2017

Accurate forecasts of energy demand are required for public policy formation, but estimation of the residential demand for electricity presents a number of conceptual and statistical problems. This paper focuses on two interrelated issues in electricity demand analysis: model specification with respect to the price variable and the level of data aggregation. From an empirical study of demand in New England, our principal conclusions are: (a) price elasticities, estimated using state level data, differ from those at the utility level; (b) at the state level of aggregation, alternative model specifications of demand give markedly different results; (c) there appears to be significant differences between the New England states in the demand for electricity; and (d) it was not possible to discern whether consumers respond to average price or marginal price.
The Introduction of Administration and Research Activities into Regional Input-Output Models
Authors: Brucker Sharon M. , Hastings Steven E.
Published: May 2017

Input-output analysis has been used extensively to identify the interrelationships in local, state, regional and national economies. One type of economic activity that is prevalent in several states in the Northeast has not typically been included in regional input-output models: that carried on at administrative offices and auxiliary establishments.

This paper appraises the need for a sector representing administration and auxiliary activities in regional I-O models in the Northeast and provides a method for estimating a direct requirements column for such a sector from secondary data. The method proposed is used to estimate the direct requirements column for this sector in an input-output model for Delaware. The importance of including administration and auxiliary activities in an input-output model used for impact analysis is demonstrated.
Opportunities and Concerns of Food Marketing, Transportation, and Distribution: A Look into the Twenty-First Century
Authors: Polopolus Leo
Published: May 2017

The economic sector beyond the farm gate – which provides marketing, transportation, and distribution services – has become increasingly important over time relative to farm production. In 1982, the cost of marketing farm foods reached an estimated 71 percent of total consumer expenditures. As we look to the 21st century, it is quite likely that the gamut of marketing services beyond the farm gate will account for over 80 percent of consumers’ expenditures for food.
Participation in a Central Anerobic Digester and Cogeneration Facility: Economic and Environmental Analysis for Farm Decision Making
Authors: Heimlich Ralph E.
Published: May 2017

Farmer participation in a proposed 5,600 cow central digester facility is a function of herd size, present manure handling system, income tax effects and expectations about future changes in contract terms. The present value of net benefits from participation ranges from $6,000 to $6,400 for large herds and $3,200 for medium herds with manure storage. No net benefits accrue to medium sized herds not currently storing manure. Environmental impacts of the proposal will likely be positive for air and water quality but could reduce soil quality unless organic matter is returned to cropland.
State Cooperative Statutes – Conflict of Cooperative Concept with Efficiency
Authors: Centner Terence J.
Published: May 2017

Cooperative statutory provisions that provide for democratic membership control provide limitations affecting the management of cooperatives. Management provisions concerning membership requirements for directors and officers, amendments to articles of incorporation, and removal of officers may unduly restrict the management of cooperatives and contribute to the poor economic performance of Northeastern cooperatives. Minor statutory changes, or changes of a cooperative's articles or by laws, may help improve the performance of these business operations.
Farm Planning Models Including the Use of Sewage Sludge on Pennsylvania Dairy Farms
Authors: Zimmerman Dona C.
Published: May 2017

A five year linear programming farm planning model was constructed to include the use of sewage sludge as a primary crop nutrient source. The five year planning period permitted the inclusion of nitrogen decay rates reflecting the residual amounts of nitrogen from sludge and manure which are mineralized over time. Net farm incomes were maximized and compared for a medium sized dairy farm representative of those found in Pennsylvania. Twenty-two scenarios depicting various operating conditions were examined. Some of the variations included the purchase of sludge at different prices, the use of free nine percent nitrogen or 4.2 percent nitrogen sludge, spring and fall application of sludge and manure, the use of free sludge when heifer corral manure was sold, and sludge use under various nitrogen application restrictions. Variables of interest in the optimal programs were than compared and discussed.

Under the conditions assumed for the analyses, net revenues were higher when sludge was used than when it was not. However, only a small percentage difference between the highest and the lowest net revenues resulted over the five year period, given a variety of operating circumstances. The combination of nine percent nitrogen sludge, manure, and fertilizer yielded the highest net revenue when sludge was free and applied either annually in the spring or semiannually in the spring and fall. Further, when sludge was purchased at $10.00/dry ton and $20.00/dry ton for spring and fall application, the combination of nine percent nitrogen sludge and manure again resulted in the highest net revenue.

The nitrogen application restrictions were at their upper limits when sludge use was included in the optimal solution, but were not binding when sludge was not used. More sludge was applied when the nitrogen application restrictions were relaxed, resulting in higher net income. The reduced costs associated with the non-negativity constraint on sludge indicated that it would often be more costly to use more than the optimal amount of sludge, than less than the optimal amount, because less manure would be used and more fertilizer would have to be purchased to maintain nitrogen application limits and meet crop nutrient requirements.

The calculation of net present values for the two sludge contents considered provided value estimates which were in accord with the linear programming solutions. Although the programming results are situation-specific, the model's structure and coefficients may be modified to accommodate different farm activities and restrictions.
Application of the Least Absolute Value Technique as a Data Filter for Detecting Structural Change in the Demand for Meat
Authors: Yanagida John F. , Book Don N.
Published: May 2017

In agricultural commodity modeling, the time period since 1973 has presented estimation problems due to sudden large increases in product and input prices. Among factors contributing to these price increases are the 1973 oil embargo, grain trade with the Soviet Union and decreased yields for some crops due to severe weather conditions. The presence of such extreme values (i.e., large price increases) can obviously affect modeling results when deriving such relationships as supply equations or demand equations.
Impact of Tenancy on Land Management
Authors: van Vuuren Willem , Ysselstein Peter
Published: May 2017

Leasing of agricultural land is gaining in importance in North America. The impact of leasing on soil management practices is examined in an area in the Canadan province of Ontario. Prevailing land contracts are insecure and the rental land market appears to be imperfect in the area. Under these conditions leasing leads to undesirable soil management practices and consequently to a lower state of conservation and to lower crop productivity over time. A difference in soil management and crop productivity has been observed between owner-operated and rented land.
Optimum Farm Field Machinery Systems with Application to Farm Planning
Authors: Kizer Lennie G. , Daum Donald R.
Published: May 2017

Field machinery is an integral part of a farm that produces crops and has to be taken into consideration in farm planning. This machinery presents the farm manager or analyst with problems that differ from other working or fixed farm resources. The reason is that field machinery consists of a set of machines which is an interdependent system, particularly in terms of size, performance and cost factors related to capacity. Maintaining control over the problems of matching machines for size or power and properly timing each field operation by crop or rotation is a difficult and time consuming task with current methods.
Adjustments in the Optimum Number, Size and Location of Tablestock Potato Packing Plants in Maine
Authors: King F. Richard
Published: May 2017

The results of a study to determine the optimum number, size and location of potato packing plants in Maine were recently published. These results indicated that economic efficiency of the industry as a whole could be improved with a movement toward fewer and larger plants since aggregate costs of the three marketing functions—assembly, packing, and distribution to consumption centers—could be reduced. In addition to the economic efficiencies involved, the large plant is better able to respond to orders from buyers desiring a uniform and high quality pack in large volume. A small grower-packer, handling only his own potatoes, may not have the volume of potatoes necessary to offer a particular type of pack with any continuity.
An Evaluation System for the Natural Resource Sectors of the Prince Edward Island Development Plan
Authors: Millerd Frank W.
Published: May 2017

Prince Edward Island, one of the four Atlantic Provinces of Canada, has recently, in conjunction with the Federal government, undertaken a comprehensive development plan in an effort to break the “vicious circle” of poverty, low income and low productivity characteristic of a depressed region. Before the development plan was instituted, levels of unemployment on the island were consistently three to seven percent above the national average. The economy is characterized by a heavy dependence upon land based resource industry, particularly agriculture, and the resources of the sea. The small amount of manufacturing is related almost entirely to these resources and is organized in small production units. Accordingly, per capita income ranges between 60% and 70% of the national average. The P.E.I. development plan is broad-based, massive in relation to the economy of the island, and contained in a single geographical and political unit. Development projects are planned, not just for a few sectors of the economy, but for practically all sectors and at a scale of investment where significant changes should occur.
Regional Self-Sufficiency in Food Production – The New England States
Authors: Bahn Henry M. , Christensen Robert L.
Published: May 2017

New England's dependence upon other regions for much of its food supply has become a cause for concern for farmers, consumers, and public officials. As the debate on the region's need and ability to become more self-sufficient in food production continues, the need for an estimate of current levels of self-sufficiency becomes obvious.

This paper estimates New England's level of self-sufficiency for 1975 using secondary data for population, retail expenditures and farm marketing receipts. The region was found to be about 38 percent self-sufficient in overall food production. It produces a high of 176 percent of its seafood requirements and a low of 3 percent of its red meat. Maine and Vermont are surplus food producers.
Least-Cost Milk Assembly and Manufacturing Plant Locations for the Northeastern Dairy Industry
Authors: Buccola Steven T. , Conner M. C.
Published: May 2017

There is some concern that geographic patterns of dairy cooperative membership, and customary relationships among milk assemblers and processors, may inhibit milk marketing efficiency in the Northeast. Raw milk assembly patterns and hard product manufacturing plant locations are here developed which minimize total regional costs of these functions. Solutions are highly sensitive to season, day-of-the-week, and capacity assumptions. Evidence strongly suggests that regional coordination of milk assembly and manufacturing would result in cost savings and in some re-alignment of present milk shipment patterns.
An Economic Comparison of Hay Crop Forage Systems For Milk Production in the Northeast
Authors: Knoblauch Wayne A.
Published: May 2017

Hay crop forage systems for milk production are compared using the budgeting technique for four feeding plans containing hay (90% dry matter) or hay crop silage (40% dry matter) only and in combination with corn silage as 50% of the forage dry matter. Investments, labor requirements, purchased feed, and cropping program differences are calculated for each hay crop forage system. Hay crop silage-corn silage systems are low cost systems for all herd sizes analyzed. Improved nutrient quality of the hay crop when harvested as hay crop silage is a major factor determining the annual cost ranking.
Validating Predicting Equations: The Supply of Feeder Calves in West Virginia
Authors: Kuehn John P.
Published: May 2017

The objectives of this article were first to develop a viable predicting model of the West Virginia feeder calf supply using calves marketed as the dependent variable. The second objective was to validate the predicting model using the “leave-out-one-year” procedure and to derive an alternative predicting equation using the jackknife technique. The purpose of the emphasis on the second objective was to provide a simple and direct demonstration, of a useful and necessary technique, for the large group of applied economists, who often use econometric methods, but who do not consider themselves to be econon etric specialists.
Deflating Price Series in Regression Models
Authors: Kuehn John P.
Published: May 2017

Inherent in the nature of the scientific method is that today's sophisticated and obscure technology becomes commonplace tomorrow. This maxim also holds true in the agricultural economics literature. Sophisticated techniques are developed and experimented with by econometricians. There is then, however, a large group of applied economists, who use a particular method after it becomes entrenched in the literature. The applied economist must interpret the technique for practical applications and this sometimes results in problems.
Some Political Arithmetic of Large and Small
Authors: Stanton B. F.
Published: May 2017

Most economists get caught up in one way or another with size and efficiency issues. We all play a numbers game. It may be to describe output and economic activity in any one of the sectors of the food industry. It may be to make comparisons about farm numbers or output among counties, among states or among countries. Most often it involves changes over time as well. But we are all asked to assemble statistics, to explain how these statistics are collected and to make generalizations about what these statistics mean. This is the very essence of the business of applied economists.
Research Issues in Natural Resource Economics
Authors: Willis Cleve E.
Published: May 2017

My task was to survey a field of staggering breadth and yet to avoid being superficial. It was complicated by the intent of providing something of professional interest to a group of economists without resorting to blackboards ro equations.
The Economic Impact of Improved Drainage on Northern New York Dairy Farms
Authors: Wackernagel Frederick W. , Milligan Robert A. , Knoblauch Wayne A.
Published: May 2017

Nearly level terrain, heavy soils, and impermeable subsoil horizons commonly cause poor drainage in Northern New York. Forty-five percent of the cropland in this region is classified as poorly drained (Lucey). The soils in this area dry slowly, consequently restricting the effective length of the growing season. Production of corn is marginal and the establishment of legume seedings is prevented by poor drainage. Poor drainage is only a single characteristic of a farm's soil resource, but it has multiple effects. Farm managers have adjusted to poor drainage by using grass hay crops as a forage base and by adopting other management practices which utilize land more extensively.
The Economics of Wetlands Preservation in Virginia
Authors: Shabman Leonard A. , Batie Sandra S. , Mabbs-Zeno Carl C.
Published: May 2017

Virginia and other northeastern coastal states have adopted legislation in an effort to diminish the rate at which coastal wetlands are being “reclaimed” for development as residential, commercial, or industrial sites. In all these states, the arguments for public protection of natural wetlands were based upon a growing, but still incomplete, body of scientific evidence linking wetlands to any array of non-market ecological services such as waste assimilation and provision of fish and wildlife habitat.
Sussex County Input-Output Analysis: Implications for Policy Decisions
Authors: Brucker Sharon
Published: May 2017

Economic development in rural areas of the Northeast has received much recent attention. This paper presents an evaluation of the impact of possible development policies for one such rural area, Sussex County, Delaware. The evaluation is based on measures derived from a regional, primary data, input-output model. The paper is divided into three parts: (I) a description of the input-output model with special emphasis on the design of this model, a design which enables the in-depth study of several industries which are important to the Sussex County economy; (II) estimated measures for evaluating the relative significance of each sector to the region's economy; and (III) illustrations as to how the findings might be used to facilitate policy decisions currently facing or likely to face regional planners and representatives.
Price Equilibrium or Price Disequilibrium in the Corn Sector
Authors: Baumes Harry S. , Womack Abner W.
Published: May 2017

Agricultural policy makers are aided in the decision making process by analytical models. This implies that national agricultural policy is dependent on the correctness of the model's structure and specification. Traditionally, econometric models of the crop sector have been estimated in a price equilibrium framework. Heien (1977) summarizes this as a system where supply and demand interacts to determine price. This conceptualization places a heavy burden on the stock equation; ending commercial stock equations often perform very poorly, and therefore, reduced form estimates, particularly for price, tend to reflect this corresponding error.
Property Tax Reforms: Problems and Issues
Authors: Gamble Hays B. , Alter Theodore R. , Rolleston George , Bevins Malcolm I. , Colyer Dale , Downing Roger , Ishee Sydney
Published: May 2017

Alter, the first speaker, briefly reviewed the basic characteristics of the property tax, including some of its shortcomings which have provided support for those demanding reforms, He then discussed a number of suggested reforms and property tax alternatives. Concentrating on a flat rate income tax, he pointed out its implications in terms of burden, equity, and inefficiency.
Diversity of attitudes to English in non-professional public discourse: A focus on Lithuania
Authors: Ruzaitė Jūratė
Published: May 2017

This paper stems from the ongoing debate on the changing role and status of English in different parts of the world, with a special interest in the socio-historical background of a post-Soviet country. The international status of English has given rise to different reactions among speakers, ranging from attraction to resentment (cf. Onysko, 2009: 34). These reactions are expressed in public online discourse, which provides a rich resource of empirical evidence to study public attitudes and language ideologies. Digital media offers an especially important strategic site to disseminate ideologies and shape public opinions. This paper analyses the spectrum of discourses operating within Lithuanian digital media to perpetuate attitudes towards English and the values associated with it.
Powering and Shaping Planetary Nebulae: The Physics of Common Envelopes
Authors: Nordhaus Jason , Spiegel David S.
Published: May 2017

The diversity of collimated outflows in post-asymptotic-giant-branch stars and their planetary nebula progeny are often explained by a combination of close binary interactions and accretion. The viability of such scenarios can be tested by comparing kinematic outflow data to determine minimum accretion rates necessary to power observed outflows. While many binary channels have been ruled out with this technique, common envelope interactions can accommodate the current observational constraints, are potentially common, lead to a diverse array of planetary-nebula shapes, and naturally produce period gaps for companions to white dwarfs.
The benefits of the International Baccalaureate Diploma for Latin and Classics in the Sixth Form
Authors: Trafford Simon
Published: May 2017

In spite of its world-wide reach, the International Baccalaureate (IB) is still a relatively unknown quantity in many schools in the UK. Even if teachers know of the IB, very few teachers know how it works and even fewer have actually taught it. As a result, not enough Classicists realise how beneficial the IB can be for the teaching of Latin. This article aims at highlighting three main reasons why Classics teachers should be championing the International Baccalaureate in their sixth forms.
Context In OCR Greek And Latin Specifications
Authors: Moran Jerome
Published: May 2017

Examination questions (‘Give the context of the following …’) testing a knowledge of 1. above used to be much more common than they are now. Your answer showed how well you knew the text and how ‘significant’ the extract from the text was. The problem - if you knew the text well - was where to stop, going backwards, and how far to go, going forwards. It was not quite as easy as it sounds.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: LncRNA HOTAIR regulates HIF-1α/AXL signaling through inhibition of miR-217 in renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Hong Quan , Li Ou , Zheng Wei , Xiao Wen-zhen , Zhang Lu , Wu Di , Cai Guang-yan , He John Cijiang , Chen Xiang-mei
Published: May 2017

Long non-coding RNA HOTAIR was regarded as an oncogene in multiple cancers. Previous studies have shown that HOTAIR is involved in the proliferation and tumorigenesis of renal carcinoma cells, while microRNA (miR)-217 functions as a tumor suppressor in renal cell carcinoma (Rcc). However, the underlying molecular mechanism of HOTAIR in Rcc, especially in association with miR-217, has not been studied. In this study, we first demonstrated that HOTAIR expression was upregulated, which was correlated with tumor progression, and miR-217 downregulated in Rcc tissues and cells. Importantly, HOTAIR expression was negatively correlated with miR-217 expression in Rcc tissues. Gain- and loss-of-function of HOTAIR revealed that HOTAIR functioned as a ceRNA for miR-217 to facilitate HIF-1α expression and then upregulated AXL level promoting Rcc proliferation, migration, and EMT process, and inhibiting apoptosis. Furthermore, HOTAIR knockdown suppressed tumor growth and reduced the expression of proliferation antigen ki-67, HIF-1α, and AXL, but upregulated the expression of miR-217 in vivo. Finally, with AXL inhibitor BGB324, we confirmed that HOTAIR promoted Rcc activity through AXL signaling both in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, these results suggest that HOTAIR promotes Rcc tumorigenesis via miR-217/HIF-1α/AXL signaling, which may provide a new target for the diagnosis and therapy of Rcc disease.
Enhanced neuroprotective efficacy of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells co-overexpressing BDNF and VEGF in a rat model of cardiac arrest-induced global cerebral ischemia
Authors: Zhou Lili , Lin Qingming , Wang Peng , Yao Lan , Leong Kahong , Tan Zhiqun , Huang Zitong
Published: May 2017

Cardiac arrest-induced global cerebral ischemia injury (CA-GCII) usually leads to a poor neurological outcome without an effective treatment. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) may provide a potential cell-based therapy against neurologic disorders through induction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). To optimize the neuroprotective efficacy of BMMSCs further, in this study we have derived BMMSCs, which co-overexpress both BDNF and VEGF, and tested them for the treatment of CA-GCII in a rat model. Lentiviruses that express rat BDNF exon IV or VEGF-A were created using the bicistronic shuttle vectors of pLVX-IRES-ZsGreen1 and pLVX-IRES-tdTomato, respectively. BMMSCs that were co-transduced with the engineered lentiviruses with co-overexpression of both BDNF and VEGF along with corresponding fluorescent protein reporters were injected via jugular vein of rats that just recovered from a cardiac arrest. Animals were then scored for neurofunctional deficits and examined for brain pathology and gene expression relevant to the engraftment seven days after the treatments. We demonstrate that anchorage of lentiviral vector-transduced BMMSCs, which co-overexpressed both BDNF and VEGF in the hippocampus and temporal cortex along with significantly ameliorated brain pathology and improved neurofunctional performance in CA-GCII rats after transplantation. These findings provide a proof of concept for the further validation of engineered BMMSCs for the treatment of CA-GCII patients in clinical practice in the future.
NMI inhibits cancer stem cell traits by downregulating hTERT in breast cancer
Authors: Feng Xu , Xu Xiangdong , Xiao Xiangsheng , Zou Kun , Yu Wendan , Wu Jiali , Tang Ranran , Gao Yue , Hao Jiaojiao , Zhao Xinrui , Liao Yina , Chen Yiming , Huang Wenlin , Guo Wei , Kang Lan , Deng Wuguo
Published: May 2017

N-myc and STAT interactor (NMI) has been proved to bind to different transcription factors to regulate a variety of signaling mechanisms including DNA damage, cell cycle and epithelial–mesenchymal transition. However, the role of NMI in the regulation of cancer stem cells (CSCs) remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the regulation of NMI on CSCs traits in breast cancer and uncovered the underlying molecular mechanisms. We found that NMI was lowly expressed in breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs)-enriched populations. Knockdown of NMI promoted CSCs traits while its overexpression inhibited CSCs traits, including the expression of CSC-related markers, the number of CD44+CD24− cell populations and the ability of mammospheres formation. We also found that NMI-mediated regulation of BCSCs traits was at least partially realized through the modulation of hTERT signaling. NMI knockdown upregulated hTERT expression while its overexpression downregulated hTERT in breast cancer cells, and the changes in CSCs traits and cell invasion ability mediated by NMI were rescued by hTERT. The in vivo study also validated that NMI knockdown promoted breast cancer growth by upregulating hTERT signaling in a mouse model. Moreover, further analyses for the clinical samples demonstrated that NMI expression was negatively correlated with hTERT expression and the low NMI/high hTERT expression was associated with the worse status of clinical TNM stages in breast cancer patients. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the interaction of YY1 protein with NMI and its involvement in NMI-mediated transcriptional regulation of hTERT in breast cancer cells. Collectively, our results provide new insights into understanding the regulatory mechanism of CSCs and suggest that the NMI-YY1-hTERT signaling axis may be a potential therapeutic target for breast cancers.