Research Projects

Production Management

• Economic evaluation of irrigation systems and irrigation management (M. Popp)

• Adoption, use and profitability of precision agricultural technologies (Griffin)

• Development and distribution of COTMAN cotton production management software (Cochran, Danforth)

• Profitable rice systems and the economics of tillage systems (Watkins)

• Economic evaluation of alternative rotation crops (corn, wheat) in Arkansas rice production (Watkins)

• Improvement of Arkansas rice profitability through variety portfolios (Nalley)

• Optimal harvesting, drying and storage costs of rice and other grains (Wailes)

• Investment in on-farm reservoirs and other surface water irrigation (Wailes, Smartt, J. Popp)

• Soybean seed treatments and seeding rates (M. Popp)

• Cotton seeding rates, cotton N and K fertility rates (Griffin)

• Variable rate application of nematicide in cotton (Griffin)

• Profitability of poultry litter as a soil amendment on cotton and soybeans (Goodwin)

• Propose alternative business strategies that will enhance profitability and economic viability of farms and infrastructure (Coats)

• On-line production budgets for Arkansas rice (Watkins)

• Estimating probability of days suitable for field work in Arkansas (Griffin)

• Machinery economics (Griffin)

• Feasibility of biodiesel production and alternative energy crops (M. Popp)

• Consumer perception and production alternatives for renewable fuels in Europe and the U.S. (M. Popp)

• Best Management Practices for row crops and livestock (M. Popp)

• Economic decision aids for livestock grazing programs (M. Popp)

• Costs of establishing vineyards and wineries in the South and Midwest (Thomsen)

• Economics of vineyard mechanization (Thomsen)

• Development and distribution of interactive broiler income spreadsheet (Goodwin)

• Enterprise budget development for specialty crop growers (R. Rainey)

• Economic analysis of Arkansas Research Verification Programs in wheat , corn, grain sorghum and cotton (Stiles)

• Economic analysis of Arkansas Research Verification Program in rice (Watkins)

• Economic analysis of Arkansas Research Verification Program in soybeans (Stark)

• Profitability of organic production for heirloom tomatoes (Stark)

• Profitability of high tunnel berry production (J. Popp)

• Best management practices for Organic Apple production (J. Popp)

• Profitability of management practices for  cattle/poultry production systems (J. Popp)

Commodity Marketing & Risk Management

• Information content of USDA production reports and futures prices (McKenzie)

• Hedging effectiveness around USDA crop (McKenzie)

• Dynamic relationship between corn and oil markets (Thomsen and McKenzie)

• Biodiesel feedstock hedging (McKenzie and M. Popp)

• Development of basis trading tools for Agribusiness programs (McKenzie)

• Volatile markets and the changing face of the U.S. grain industry (McKenzie)

• Price forecasting in wholesale chicken markets (McKenzie and Goodwin)

• Arkansas soybean market price pattern (Stark)

• Arkansas soybean harvest period profitability patterns over local market prices (Stark)

• Rice Situation and Outlook (Coats)

Marketing

• Arkansas soybean market price pattern (Stark)

• Organic markets and consumer perceptions (R. Rainey)

• Business planning and marketing strategy assistance and resource development (R. Rainey)

• Farmers' markets and local food areas – includes assisting with Wal-Mart Sustainability Initiative-Heritage Agriculture (R. Rainey)

• Assessment of risk management strategies for direct marketing (J. Popp)

Trade and Farm Policies

• Impacts of trade and domestic policies on competitive trade and performance of southern agriculture (Wailes, Nalley)

• Impacts of the WTO trade proposals, EU CAP reforms, tariffs and regional trade agreements on U.S. and global rice markets (Wailes, Chavez)

• Effects of biotechnology on the competitiveness of U.S. agriculture in global markets (Wailes)

• Effects of farm policy proposals on Arkansas farms (Wailes, Watkins, Coats, Hignight, Griffin)

• Arkansas preferences for 2007 Farm Bill (Cochran, Wailes)

• Impacts of alternative biomass crops on Arkansas cropping decisions (M. Popp, Nalley)

• Global impacts of the Arkansas rice breeding program (Nalley, Watkins)

• Agricultural trade negotiations and sensitive products (Wailes, Durand)

• Events studies involving financial and commodity markets (McKenzie & Thomsen)

• Analysis of Arkansas corn basis and price seasonality (Stiles)

• Impacts of Trade Adjustment Act changes on producer payments (Goodwin)

• Radio/Podcast: Segments on today's economic setting and outlook, commodity price outlook, farm government programs and the policy issues affecting production agriculture and rural America (Coats)

• Identify economic and public policy issues limiting economic viability of farm firm systems and infrastructure (Coats)

• Consequences of the new global economy and technology on farm firm production systems and infrastructure (Coats)

Public Policy

• Impact of changes in Arkansas’ sales tax rate for food on household and state revenue (D. Rainey)

• Efficiency of K-12 public educational system (D. Rainey)

• Factors enhancing educational attainment in K-12 educational system (D. Rainey)

• Public issues educational programs (Miller)

• Economic impacts of poultry regulation on rural areas (Goodwin) Agricultural and food public policy education (Coats)

• Agricultural and food public policy education (Coats)

Public and Agricultural Finance

• Financial situation and outlook of Arkansas farmers (Ahrendsen, Dixon)

• USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) Direct Farm Loan Program success in serving target groups (Ahrendsen, Dixon)

• FSA direct farm loan program subsidy rates and factors related to loan loss (Ahrendsen, Dixon)

• FSA direct farm loan program success rates and borrower time in program (Dixon, Ahrendsen)

• Commercial lender participation in FSA guaranteed loan program (Dixon, Ahrendsen)

• Costs of income tax compliance as a function of filing method and use of a paid preparer (Dixon)

• Farmland leasing and terminating verbal farmland leasing in Arkansas (Griffin)

• Effect of declining rural economies on the ability of county governments to provide needed services (Miller)

Natural Resource Economics

• Feasibility of establishing a poultry litter bank to collect, process, package and transport poultry litter from excess nutrient watersheds to crop production areas (Goodwin)

• Costs and returns for implementing water conservation practices under declining groundwater conditions in East Arkansas (Wailes, J. Popp, Smartt)

• Sustainability initiative (J. Popp, R. Rainey)

• Effects of declining water tables on Arkansas cropping decisions (Nalley, M. Popp)

• Beliefs, attitudes and behavior towards the environment (Wailes)

Natural Resource Management

• Integrated pest management for tree fruit production (J. Popp)

• Watershed Ecosystem Integrity, A Perceptions Study (J. Popp)

• Water Quantity management options for NW Arkansas, A Perceptions Study (J. Popp)

• Risk/returns of water quality management in livestock agriculture (J. Popp)

• Managing Water Quality at the Watershed level (J. Popp)

• Assessment of a statewide Conservation Easement Program for  Arkansas (J. Popp)

• Life Cycle Analyses for Dairy (J. Popp)

• Use and Effectiveness of state/federal conservation programs in NW Arkansas (J. Popp)

Food Safety and Value-Added Processing

• Estimation of consumer responses to food safety events (Thomsen)

• Economics of regulating food recalls (Thomsen)

• Consumer willingness to pay for food freshness indicators (Goodwin)

• Food safety, animal health and biosecurity (Goodwin, Section leader)

• Impact of GM contamination in rice (Wailes, McKenzie and Thomsen)

• Economics of micronutrient fortification of rice (Wailes)

Community Resource Development

• State and local initiatives for economic development (D. Rainey)

• Feasibility of agri-tourism as a rural development strategy (D. Rainey)

• Public policy approaches to integrating agriculture and tourism (Wailes)

• Local economic impact from growth of retiree population (D. Rainey, Miller)

• Financial, legal and environmental risk-management workshops for Hispanic farmers and ranchers (J. Popp)

• Impacts of rural versus urban school districts on teacher retention and effectiveness (Dixon)

• Appropriate economic development strategies for rural Arkansas (Miller)

• Impacts of rural & urban hospitals on local economies (Miller)

• Business planning for Arkansas women in agriculture (J. Popp)

• National assessment of women in agriculture research (J. Popp)

• Quality of life indices for Arkansas counties (J. Popp, Miller)

• Impact of agriculture on the Arkansas economy (J. Popp, Miller)

• Factors affecting salary and career choices of Agricultural Economics professionals (J. Popp)