Logistic Barriers to U.S.–Mexico Grain and Soybean Trade

Fourteen years after the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), border-crossing restrictions still remain with Mexico. Although studies have analyzed the impact of NAFTA trade liberalization, there has only been limited research on effects of informal trade barriers on U.S.–Mexico grain and soybean flows. This paper quantitatively measures the impact of logistic barriers impeding U.S.–Mexico grain and soybean trade. A conditional model testing for the presence of asymmetries in grain trade suggests that logistic barriers and transshipments are correlated. Econometric analysis rejects the null hypoInternational Relations/Trade,

GLOBAL AGRICULTURAL REFORM AND U.S. AGRICULTURAL ADJUSTMENT CAPACITY

This paper focuses on U.S. agriculture response to policy reform. A growing body of empirical literature describes the potential aggregate gains for the U.S. markets if global agricultural tariffs and subsidies can be further reduced (USDA, 2001; World Bank, GEP 2002; Tokarick, 2003). These gains are based on an aggregation of expected responses at the micro-level, by firms and households, to changing market conditions. Some of them will be "gainers" whose current economic activities and assets will benefit from the new opportunities presented by policy reform. Some will be "losers" who are adversely affected by the reduction or loss of subsidies or import protection.Agricultural and Food Policy,

THE POTENTIAL FOR REVENUE INSURANCE POLICIES IN THE SOUTH

The 1996 Farm Act and the 1994 Crop Insurance Reform Act are recent examples of policy changes that have increased risks for U.S. farmers. New products are emerging to help farmers manage risks. This article examines some of the policy changes, farmer responses, and new risk-sharing products. The focus turns to the new revenue insurance products and their potential in the South. While there are reasons to believe revenue insurance should be attractive in the South, any revenue products that use existing crop insurance rates will face difficulties since poor actuarial performance in the South has resulted in relatively high rates.Agricultural policy, Crop insurance, Revenue insurance, Risk, Southern agriculture, Risk and Uncertainty,

Managing Risk in Farming: Concepts, Research, and Analysis

The risks confronted by grain and cotton farmers are of particular interest, given the changing role of the Government after passage of the 1996 Farm Act. With the shift toward less government intervention in the post-1996 Farm Act environment, a more sophisticated understanding of risk and risk management is important to help producers make better decisions in risky situations and to assist policymakers in assessing the effectiveness of different types of risk protection tools. In response, this report provides a rigorous, yet accessible, description of risk and risk management tools and strategies at the farm level. It also provides never-before-published data on farmers' assessments of the risks they face, their use of alternative risk management strategies, and the changes they would make if faced with financial difficulty. It also compares price risk across crops and time periods, and provides detailed information on yield variability.crop insurance, diversification, futures contracts, leasing, leveraging, liquidity, livestock insurance, marketing contracts, options contracts, production contracts, revenue insurance, risk, vertical integration, Farm Management, Risk and Uncertainty,

Targeted gene expression study of Salmonella enterica during biofilm formation on rocket leaves

In the present study, the ability of Salmonella Typhimurium to form biofilm community on rocket leaves and rocket extract at 10 C and 20 C was investigated. This goal was achieved with the study of expression of genes associated with biofilm formation and other functional roles. The obtained results showed that Salmonella growth was inhibited when cultured in rocket extract (liquid and solid state) and when grew directly to rocket leaves. The observed inhibition might be attributed to nutrient starvation to the specific growth media because of plant leaves's variability, cell physiology and antimicrobial compounds of rocket. In addition, gene expression study using Real-Time PCR showed that biofilm was formatted on solid media, while the entrance and adhesion of the microorganism within the plant held more strongly through the stomata of the plant leaves. Furthermore, genes associated with managing stress situations were overexpressed at 20 C. From these results, it is indicated that further studies are needed to better determine the survival and/or growth of the pathogen as “real” biofilm cells on plants. In addition, the study on development and gene expression of biofilm cells is necessary in order to eliminate the specific pathogen and reduce the food-borne diseases it causes

Ability of Salmonella enterica and Staphylococcus aureus to develop biofilm community on stainless steel and colonize rocket tissue

In the present study, the ability of S. Typhimurium (CDC 6516-60) and S. aureus strain COL (MRSA) to both develop a biofilm community on stainless steel (SS) and colonize rocket tissue was investigated (incubation at 20°C for 144 h). In parallel, the planktonic growth of these pathogens in Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) broth, was followed

Metabolomic analysis of salmonella enterica cells in vitro and in situ

In the present study a comparison of metabolomics, on laboratory medium, on rocket extract, of S. Tymphimurium (ST) CDC 6516-60, as well as on the developed biofilm on rocket tissue was investigated

Population and resistance patterns of Salmonella Typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus biofilms to sublethal chemical disinfection under mono-and dual-species multi-strain conditions

To evaluate the possible influence of bacterial interactions encountered in mono- and dual-species multi-strain biofilms of Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) and Staphylococcus aureus (SA) on: (i) the ability of strains to develop biofilm, and (ii) their subsequent resistance to sublethal chemical disinfection

Ability of Salmonella enterica and Staphylococcus aureus to develop biofilm community on stainless steel and colonize rocket tissue

Salmonella enterica and Staphylococcus aureus are important human pathogens capable of causing a diverse array of diseases, while international organization (EFSA, FAO/WHO) report that these are among the most related microorganisms for foodborne diseases. The ability of both species to form biofilm, together with the increased number of antibiotic-resistant S. aureus strains, including ones resistant to methicillin (MRSA), are of special interest for researchers. In addition, the consumption of raw plant tissues, have been recently associated with foodborne diseases outbreaks due to cross contamination. Obviously, the ability of pathogenic strains of these species to survive on either abiotic or plant surfaces needs to be further studied