The Efficiency of Labor Input in the Tree Nut Growers Industry: A Stochastic Frontier Production Approach Study in Butte County, California

The U.S. government recruits immigrant workers through the H-2A program as a short-term solution to the agricultural sectors’ labor shortage problem. Although the sector insists hiring immigrant workers is essential for their survival, history has proven the socio-economic cost for doing so is enormous. This paper aims to investigate the contribution of labor to agricultural production efficiency. A discussion of marginal rate of technical substitution, economies of scale, and economies of scope will also be included. The stochastic production frontier regression approach was applied to input/output data collected from a survey of tree nut growers in Butte County, California. Results indicate the labor input is not significant in deciding farm production efficiency. Instead of attempting to increase short-term labor, producers’ and policy makers’ efforts should be directed toward improving the logistics of farm management and the quality of labor, thus more efficiently utilizing available resources.Stochastic Frontier Production Model, Labor Input Efficiency, Labor Economics, Labor and Human Capital, Production Economics, Productivity Analysis, Q120, J240, D240,

Gender and innovation processes in wheat-based systems

This WHEAT report is based on 43 village case studies from eight countries set in diverse wheat-based farming regions of the Global South

Gender and innovation processes in maize-based systems

This MAIZE report offers a panorama of the gender dimensions of local agricultural innovation processes in the context of maize-based farming systems and livelihoods

Separate Ratio-type Estimators of Population Mean in Stratified Random Sampling

Separate ratio-type estimators for population mean with their properties are considered. Some separate ratio-type estimators for population mean using known parameters of auxiliary variate are proposed. The bias and mean squared error of the proposed estimators are obtained up to the first degree of approximation. It is shown that the proposed estimators are more efficient than unbiased estimators in stratified random sampling and usual separate ratio estimators under certain obtained conditions. To judge the merits of the proposed estimators, an empirical study was conducted

Operative technique at caesarean delivery and risk of complete uterine rupture in a subsequent trial of labour at term. A registry case-control study

To estimate the relation of single-layer closure at previous caesarean delivery, and other pre-labour and intra-partum risk factors for complete uterine rupture in trial of vaginal birth after a caesarean (TOLAC) at term.Population-based case-control study. We identified all women (n = 39 742) recorded in the Danish Medical Birth Registry (DMBR) during a 12-year period (1997-2008) with a singleton pregnancy at term and TOLAC. Among these, all women with a complete uterine rupture were identified (cases). Information from the registry was validated against medical records. Controls were selected in the DMBR as the following two births with TOLAC at term and no uterine rupture. Detailed information from cases and controls was collected from manual review of medical records. Main outcome measure was complete uterine rupture during TOLAC at term.Upon validation, 175 cases and 272 controls met the above criteria. After adjustment for possible confounding factors there was no association between single layer closure and uterine rupture (aOR 1.38, CI: 0.88-2.17). Significant risk factors were: Induction with an unfavourable cervix (aOR 2.10 CI: 1.19-3.71), epidural (aOR 2.17 CI 1.31-3.57), augmentation by oxytocin for more than one hour (aOR 2.03 CI: 1.20-3.44), and birth weight ≥ 4000g (aOR 2.65 CI 1.05-6.64). Previous vaginal delivery (aOR 0.41 CI: 0.25-0.68) and inter-delivery interval of more than 24 months (aOR 0.38 CI: 0.18-0.78) reduced the risk of uterine rupture.Single-layer uterine closure did not remain significantly associated to uterine rupture during TOLAC at term after adjustment for confounding factors. Induction of labour with an unfavourable cervix, birth weight ≥ 4000g and indicators of prolonged labour were all major risk factors for uterine rupture

Enterprise Budgets and Other Basic Data-Sets Electrical Rate Structure-Irrigation Study

This is the first in a series of five Economics Department reports on a research project. The Economic Impact of Alternative Electric Rate Structures on Ener~y and Water Use . sponsored by the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. Supplemental funding for the research was provided by the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA). Golden. Colorado. The purpose of this report is to present the irrigated and dryland crop and livestock budgets and other basic-data sets developed for use in the study. The sources of underlying information and procedures for developing the various data sets are indicated. Emphasis is placed on describing what the data-sets are and how they were developed. Only occasionally is the underlying rationale for adopted procedures indicated

Mixed Integer Linear programming Model Electric Rate Structure-Irrigation Study: Clay-Union, Union, Cherry-Todd, and Cam-Wal RECs

This is the second in a series of five Economics Department reports on a research project. The Economic Impact of Alternative Electric Rate Structures on Energy and Water Use . sponsored by the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. Supplemental funding for the research was provided by the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA). Golden. Colorado. The purpose of this report is to acquaint the reader with the overall model used in the study and the specific way that the electric rate structures were modeled. This model builds on. b~t goes beyond. the one developed and used by Robert A. Young and. associates in their study of electric rate structures for irrigation in Colorado. The primary way in which this model extends beyond Young\u27s model is that it permits simultaneous (rather than one-at-a-time) attention to all three basic features of electric rate structures for irrigation, namely. annual minimum charges. monthly demand charges. and block rate energy charges. The primary intended audiences for the report are graduate students and research-peers with an interest in analyzing electric rate structures for irrigation