Business in Nebraska #292 - January 1969

Changing Patterns of Communities in the Midwest (Dorothy Switzer) The regional concept of economic planning and development discussed in the December issue of Business in Nebraska was the subject also of a workshop conference on Changing Patterns of People and Communities in the Midwest, held in Omaha last month. It is deemed appropriate to report here the most significant highlight of the conference because the panel presentations and subsequent discussions further developed several important apects of regional growth. Business Summary (R. L. Busboom) Both Physical Volume and Dollar Volume Indexes for Nebraska indicate that the October, 1968 level of business activity was above that of October, 1967. For the U.S. these indexes increased over the same period at a rate slightly more than Nebraska\u27s. From September, 1968, to October, 1968, Nebraska\u27s dollar and physical volumes fell, being down about 1.6 percent. The indexes for the U.S. show some increase, with physical volume up 2.1% and dollar volume up 3.4%. Review

Business in Nebraska #297 - June 1969

Nebraska\u27s Export of Agricultural Products (Dorothy Switzer) Nebraska moved up from fourth to third place among the seven states in the West North Central region in dollar volume of agricultural exports in fiscal 1968 and retained its position as ninth ranking state in the nation, according to recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sales amounting to $229.5 million of Nebraska farm products constituted 14.5$1,578.9 billion in volume of sales. Business Summary (R. L. Busboom) Generally, the State\u27s business activity in March was well above that of last year. A 13 percent rise in physical volume combined with the well - known rise in level of prices to effect an overall dollar volume increase of 30 percent. A large increase in construction activity was the major factor in the overall, year -to -year gain. Employment levels were notably higher in 1969 than in 1968. Manufacturing employment was nearly 5 percent higher and other employment showed a gain of 4 percent. Revised Population Estimates (E. S. Wallace) In making 1968 county and city population estimates it was necessary to change slightly the methodology used, since the head tax has been repealed and is no longer available as one of the indicators. In connection with publication of 1968 estimates in our April issue it was stated that some previous estimates would be recalculated using the new method and that if substantial differences were indicated previous estimates would be revised. Review

Business in Nebraska #294 - March 1969

Extent of Corporation Farming in Nebraska (Dorothy Switzer) Concern has been expressed in many quarters over the apparent increase in the number of nonfarm corporations that are buying land and initiating new farming enterprises in Nebraska. It has become important, therefore, to know the facts about the number of these corporations and the amount of farm land they are operating in the state. This information has recently been made available because Nebraska is one of 22 states included in a preliminary report summarizing a survey of corporate farming. Reprints State and Local Taxes in Nebraska (E. S. Wallace) According to figures recently released Nebrdska ranked 32nd among the 50 states in state and local taxes per resident in 1907. Of the 18 states below Nebraska, 11 were in the Southeast Region. In the Plains Region only Missouri and North Dakota were lower. Review Business Summary (R. L. Busboom) Both Physical Volume and Dollar Volume indexes indicate Nebraska\u27s general level of business activity in December, 1968, was that above that of the same month last year. Both indexes also indicate that the November, 1968, general level of business appears to have been maintained through December. Both the Nebraska indexes were, however, at levels approximately 4% lower than those of the U.S. On a month-to-month bases, however, Nebraska\u27s changes were nearly equal to those of the U.S

International agricultural research to reduce food risks: case studies on aflatoxins

Despite massive expansion of human and livestock populations, fuelled by agricultural innovations, nearly one billion people are hungry and 2 billion are sickened each year from the food they eat. Agricultural and food systems are intimately connected to health outcomes, but health policy and programs often stop at the clinic door. A consensus is growing that the disconnection between agriculture, health and nutrition is at least partly responsible for the disease burden associated with food and farming. Mycotoxins produced by fungi are one of the most serious food safety problems affecting staple crops (especially maize and groundnuts). Aflatoxins, the best studied of these mycotoxins, cause around 90,000 cases of liver cancer each year and are strongly associated with stunting and immune suppression in children. Mycotoxins also cause major economic disruptions through their impacts on trade and livestock production. In this paper we use the case of fungal toxins to explore how agricultural research can produce innovations, understand incentives and enable institutions to improve, simultaneously, food safety, food accessibility for poor consumers and access to markets for smallholder farmers, thus making the case for research investors to support research into agricultural approaches for enhancing food safety in value chains. We first discuss the evolution of food safety research within the CGIAR. Then we show how taking an epidemiological and economic perspective on aflatoxin research connects health and nutrition outcomes. Finally, we present three case studies illustrating the traditional strengths of CGIAR research: breeding better varieties and developing new technologies

Business in Nebraska #293 - February 1969

The University and State Development: Centennial Retrospect and Second Century Prospect (Dorothy Switzer) Business Summary (R. L. Busboom) Both Physical Volume and Dollar Volume indexes indicate that Nebraska\u27s November, 1968, level of business activity was notably above that of the same month last year. For both indicators, Nebraska\u27s changes were at nearly the same rates as those of the U. S. On a month-to-month basis, however, Nebraska as well as the U. S. experienced Dollar and Physical Volume declines, from October, 1968, to November, 1968, that were more than seasonally expectable. Also, Nebraska\u27s drop-off was more than that of the U.S

Business in Nebraska #290 - November 1968

Role of Homegrown Industries in the Nebraska Economy (Dorothy Switzer) Because the exodus from farm to city is continuing in Nebraska, it is necessary that industrial development to accelerated to provide employment for displaced agricultural workers who will have to migrate to other states unless suitable work can be provided for them here. From time to time Business in Nebraska has called attention to the state\u27s homegrown industries that provide employment opportunities for significant numbers of workers. These articles have invariably elicited much interest and evoked requests for other success stories about innovative Nebraska enterprises. Business Summary (R. L. Busboom) Nebraska\u27s retail sales are up 3.7% for the state as a whole for September, 1968, in relation to September, 1967. Hard goods increased 5.5%; soft goods, 1.7%. The September, 1968, state total is, however, down 4.2% from August, 1968. Although the September, 1968, state total is up from September, 1967, only ten of the twenty-two reporting cities showed increases over a year ago. Changes of retail sales reported for these twenty-two cities vary from a +12 .7% for Fairbury, to a -17.3% for South Sioux City. Revie

Business in Nebraska #296 - May 1969

Employment in Export-Related Jobs in Nebraska (Dorothy Switzer) How many Nebraskans are employed in export-related jobs? What percentage of the state\u27s total private employment is auributable to export business ? These questions are raised frequently, but until recently no answers could be based on more up- to - date data than 1960 figures. Estimates of employment related to exports of goods, by state, based on data from a 1965 survey of the origins of exports, have now been provided, however, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. Although unfortunately these estimates do not reflect the dramatic increases in Nebraska export business which have occurred in the past three years, they are of interest not only because they are the most recent available but also because they show Nebraska\u27s relative position with respect to other states in the West North Central Region and in the nation in each of the various categories of export - related employment. Even though the state\u27s export business has shown marked gains recently, it is doubtful that the increases have been sufficient to effect any sharp change in distribution of employment by categories, or in the state\u27s rank in the region and nation. Geographical Distribution of Federal Taxes (E. S. Wallace) Allocation of Federal taxes among the states has recently been calculated by the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, and the figures were published in the April issue of Nation\u27s Business. The methods of allocation used for the different taxes appear reasonable, and the tabulation seems to give a fairly realistic picture of the geographical distribution of the Federal tax burden. The Nebraska Water Resources Institute (Warren Viessman, Jr.) The Water Resources Research Institute is one of the 51 centers established in part by the Water Resources Research Act of 1964. These Institutes were conceived as cooperative ventures between the Federal and state governments and were assigned the primary mission of promoting a more adequate national program of water research. Business Summary (R. L. Busboom) Nebraska and U.S. physical and dollar volume indexes for February, 1969, reflect marked increases in the general level of business activity, both from February, 1968, and from January to February, 1969. Compared to their level, of the same month last year, the State\u27s February dollar volume index rose notably more than did that for the U.S. Likewise, both the Nation\u27s and the State\u27s physical volume indexes moved up over last year and over last month. Again, the State\u27s index rose more than that of the U.S. The well - known rising level of prices continued to effect a greater rise in the dollar volume indexes. The increase in the State over last year is in large part due to major increase in construction and electricity produced