University of Minnesota, Duluth
AgEcon Search: Research in Agricultural and Applied EconomicsNot a member yet
212667 research outputs found
Sort by
Impact of COVID-19 Response on Unemployment in Sri Lanka
No full textGoal number eight of the Sustainable Development Goals is set out as “Decent work and economic growth.” This goal recognizes that economic growth is not just an end, but also a means in itself of generating jobs – productive and meaningful work, an enduring measure of human development. Therefore, from a developmental perspective, it remains important to be vigilant not only about the impact on the economy but also about the creation of jobs and the extent of unemployment. In Sri Lanka, the government’s response to COVID-19 was akin to a “crush and contain” strategy, wherein the country was placed on the most stringent curfew-level lockdown for a period of 52 days after the first case of COVID-19 was detected on March 11th, 2020. Many Sri Lankan workers lost their jobs in the immediate aftermath of the lockdown. Statistics indicate that the total number of jobs in the economy contracted by 160,996 in the first quarter of 2020. Consequently, the COVID-19 response in Sri Lanka has already had a large impact on economic growth. Furthermore, measures taken by the government to preserve foreign reserves has resulted in further restrictions to importations and investments, which in turn have an impact on economic growth. This article translates estimates on economic impact to estimates of impact on unemployment, as it arises in this context of containing COVID-19 in Sri Lanka. The estimates indicate that following the curfew-level lockdown implemented in Sri Lanka between March and June 2020, overall unemployment increased to above 6% in the second quarter and will remain above 6% for the rest of the year. These estimates offer the government a means of evaluating some of the social and economic consequences that arise from curfew-level lockdowns, and point to the importance of developing more measured approaches of containing the spread of COVID-19, as the pandemic risks persist
How IEEPA Tariffs Shaped U.S. Biofuel Feedstock Imports in 2025
No full textThe February 2026 NDSU Agricultural Trade Monitor examines how tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEPPA) reshaped U.S. biofuel feedstock and finished biofuel imports during 2025, and it assesses what the trade data imply about diversion versus destruction in these markets. The analysis tracks import patterns for used cooking oil, tallow, canola oil, ethanol, and biodiesel through November 2025 under the layered IEEPA tariff regime, including China-specific duties, a broad baseline tariff, and later country-specific reciprocal rates. The data indicate that the dominant response in feedstock markets was trade diversion rather than a dramatic reduction in total volumes. Used cooking oil imports remained elevated relative to recent historical averages even as sourcing shifted away from China toward other suppliers facing lower tariff burdens. Tallow imports display a similar adjustment, with imports from Brazil declining sharply after the August 2025 country-specific tariff and shipments shifting toward suppliers such as Argentina, while cumulative import volumes remained strong. In aggregate across used cooking oil, tallow, and canola oil, imports from IEEPA countries tracked slightly above the prior year until October, suggesting the tariffs slowed the pace of imports but did not substantially reduce overall feedstock availability. Finished biofuel imports weakened alongside these changes, with ethanol imports declining after midyear and biodiesel imports falling sharply following the expiration of the blender’s tax credit and the shift to the production-only Section 45Z credit. The report also discusses how emerging policy changes may add additional headwinds for imported feedstocks beyond tariffs themselves
Towards digital farming: exploring technological integration in agricultural practices of a sample of italian livestock farms
No full textDespite the rapid rise of digital technologies in agriculture, their application remains more prominent in crop farming than in the livestock sector. Recognizing this gap, our study explores the current state and determinants of digital technology adoption across Italian livestock farms, examining key factors and broader trends in the industry. Using national agricultural census, and national statistical programme data, we applied a logistic regression model to assess the likelihood of adoption of technology. Findings reveal that large ruminant farms, particularly dairy cattle and buffalo, are more likely to integrate digital tools like decision support systems, cloud services, and monitoring devices. In contrast, meat cattle, small ruminants, and pig farms lag. Key determinants include broadband connectivity, ownership structure, education, and age, with additional factors influencing specific technology categories. Our results establish a foundation for future policy and investment, underscoring the need to build digital infrastructure and promote an inclusive model
S&SEA Rice Exports: Challenges in relation with the new EU MRL
No full textThis Country Update Note provides the views of rice exporters and government agencies in Sri Lanka on their perceptions of the issues they face in complying with EU MRL requirements. The MRL regulations effective at the time of the writing of this Note were brought into force in September 2008. The objective is to understand the challenges faced in exporting rice products in the face of these regulations, so that WTO negotiators may address these concerns
Fruit and Vegetable Planting Restrictions: Analyzing the Processing Cucumber Market
No full textThis report highlights the anticipated consequences of the 2008 Farm Act’s Planting Transferability Pilot Program (PTPP) on processing (pickling) cucumber plantings. PTPP allows program crop growers in seven Upper Midwestern States to reduce base acres and plant select vegetables for processing on those acres without reducing Government payments on their remaining base acres. Stagnant market demand and the farmers’ ability to enter or expand processing cucumber production without the pilot program may explain why the acres planted to pickling cucumbers may increase only marginally. Our findings suggest that PTPP would increase production by 180 acres, or by less than 0.5 percent of acreage in the Upper Midwestern States. About half an average-sized cucumber farm (43 acres) would be created in the region due to PTPP and an additional 137 acres would be planted by existing processing cucumber growers. With these small changes in regional cucumber acreage, PTPP is not likely to affect the national market and price outlook. The availability of nonbase acres, prior planting history, and distance to a processor are significant variables in determining planted cucumber acres
El escalamiento de innovaciones es una cuestión social: estudio de casos en México
No full text[ES] Buscamos reconocer con enfoque de escalamiento vertical (arreglos de actores e instituciones) y profundo (pragmatismo y apropiación) los elementos detonadores de cambio sistémico como evidencia empírica de las relaciones entre actores mediante el Análisis de Redes Sociales. Mediante el estudio de casos con productores del centro de México encontramos que la gestión del capital relacional es clave en el escalamiento de innovaciones agrícolas, siendo las fuerzas del mercado y la presencia de actores articuladores dos elementos que dinamizan la red y orientan la innovación. El entorno comercial y de políticas públicas agrícolas y sociales moldean el potencial de escalamiento. [EN] We seek to recognize, from an up-deep scaling approach (arrangements of actors and institutions, pragmatism, and appropriation), the triggering elements of systemic change as empirical evidence of the relationships between actors through Social Network Analysis. Through case studies with farmers in the central region of Mexico, we found that the management of relational capital is key in the scaling of agricultural innovations; where market and the presence of articulating actors are two elements that energize the network and oriented the innovation. The commercial, agricultural and social public policy environment shape the potential for scaling up
Agrarian Change in Uttar Pradesh: A Review of Village Studies
No full textThis paper has two broad objectives. First, it provides a comprehensive list of all village studies undertaken in eastern and western Uttar Pradesh to date, and draws on those undertaken between 2000 and 2023 to describe features of production conditions, labour relations, and income and employment diversification in the early 21st century. Secondly, it describes agrarian conditions in two villages surveyed by the Project on Agrarian Relations in India (PARI), in 2006, one each in eastern and western Uttar Pradesh, and uses this to highlight aspects of the development of capitalism in agriculture in the two regions
Assessment of the economics of production of weaner and grower rabbit fed sunflower seed meal (SFSM) based diets with or without Ronoxyme® HiPhos enzyme
No full textThe cost-benefit analysis performance of weaner and grower rabbits fed processed sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seed meal (SFSM) and diets treated with enzymes in the research area was assessed. Nine diets (T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7, T8, and T9) were administered to 72 rabbits in a completely randomized manner employing a 3x3 factorial configuration. Treatments T1, T2, and T3 had 0% inclusion rate of SFS meal and 0, 150, and 250 ppm of the enzyme. These diets were designed to be isocaloric (2500 kcal/kg, ME) and isonitrogenous (15%). All management protocols were adhered to produce grower and weaner rabbits. During the weaner phase, there were significant differences (P0.05) different from each other. The sunflower seed meal (SFSM)-based diet enhanced with an enzyme affected rabbit production economics. Rabbits fed 20% sunflower seed meal showed much better weight growth, revenue, and net income than rabbits fed 0% and 10% sunflower seed meal. The feed conversion ratio, cost per kilogram of weight gain, and cost of production per kilogram of weight gain were significantly (P<0.05) lower in rabbits fed 20% compared to those fed other diets. The 10% and 20% sunflower seed meal treatments, respectively, had significantly higher total feed consumption than the control diet (P<0.05)
Towards a new policy narrative for agriculture: capturing social sustainability issues
No full textAwareness about issues related to inequality and well-being in agriculture is increasing, with some evidence of inequalities affecting e.g. women, youth, and migrant farmworkers, that hinder their access to income, land, health, education, and training. Despite the increasing policy interest around social sustainability, tackling social issues in agriculture is complex due to lack of consensus in definition, contextual specificities, data gaps and needs to apply non-sectoral policies. Two decades ago, environmental sustainability faced similar challenges but is now mainstreamed in agricultural policy making. Climate change measurement and analysis played a pivotal role in creating a new agri-environmental policy narrative. Expanding agricultural sustainability from the green transition towards a just transition will require a game changer that is measurable and highly correlated with main social issues. Could an investment in measuring income inequalities play this role and facilitate a new social sustainability perspective in agricultural policies