AN OPTIMAL CORN ROOTWORM SCOUTING PROGRAM FOR IMPROVED PROFITABILITY OF AREAWIDE PEST MANAGEMENT IN THE EASTERN CORN BELT

Economic analyses show that without cost reductions, Areawide Pest Management for corn rootworm control is not cost effective in Illinois/Indiana where a variant form of the western corn rootworm exists. This paper examines strategies for reducing scouting/costs and determining the minimal scouting effort necessary to maintain effective adult suppression.Crop Production/Industries,

Adoption of Transgenic Crops by Smallholder Farmers in Entre Rios, Argentina

This is a study of the adoption of transgenic crops by 120 smallholder farmers interviewed in July 2005 in the communities of San Jose de Feliciano and La Paz in the Entre Rios Province of Argentina. Logistic regression results indicate that access to a planter is essential for smallholders to adopt Bt corn, while adopters of Roundup Ready soybeans have larger farms, access to credit, availability of all essential machinery, more years of schooling, and are primarily located in the La Paz community.transgenic crops, technology adoption, Bt corn, Roundup Ready soybeans, biotechnology, Argentina, smallholders, Farm Management, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Limited Resource Families and Child Health Status: A Case Study in Montero, Bolivia

Child malnutrition is a problem that poses social and economic costs to individuals, households, communities, and nations, like Bolivia. Childhood malnutrition can be reduced through effective policy and health interventions such as those of the Consejo de Salud Rural Andino (CSRA) in Montero, Bolivia. The CSRA is a non-profit, private organization that operates three health care clinics in Montero, Bolivia. Low-income mothers and their children are provided with free or minimal-cost public health education and basic pre- and post natal medical services . Three separate clinic areas serve three different populations in terms of child nutritional status and demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Effectiveness and priority intervention points for reducing childhood malnutrition can be identified by a thorough understanding of socio-economic and demographic characteristics as they relate to child nutrition status. Survey data were collected from 180 women with children under the age of five living in the CSRA clinic coverage area. Data focused on child health, nutrition, anthropometric data, and household socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Multivariate regression analysis was used to explain child nutrition status as indicated by anthropometric indices. The regression models included child-specific, maternal, and household factors. Regression models were estimated for three anthropometric indices: weight-for-age, height-for-age, and weight-for-height. CSRA initiatives were found to have made a positive contribution to child and maternal health care. However, child malnutrition remains which is inversely associated with critical demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the various households such as maternal education and household income and wealth.Health Economics and Policy,

SOYBEAN PRODUCTION COSTS: AN ANALYSIS OF THE UNITED STATES, BRAZIL, AND ARGENTINA

U.S. farmers' share of world soybean exports has declined, while Brazil and Argentina are gaining. There is much debate concerning the competitive advantage of U.S. versus Latin American soybean producers. A detailed analysis of soybean production costs under different systems and technologies in the United States, Argentina, and Brazil was conducted.Crop Production/Industries,

MANAGING THE CORN ROOTWORM VARIANT: EMPIRICAL RESULTS FROM AN INDIANA FARMER SURVEY

The emergence of a corn rootworm "variant" has reduced the effectiveness of a corn-soybean rotation in some areas of Indiana. This research identifies potential control alternatives. Empirical results suggest that younger, more educated managers of larger farms would be the most likely to adopt transgenic corn for rootworm control.areawide pest management, corn rootworms, technology adoption, transgenic corn, Crop Production/Industries,

TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE AND LABOR'S RELATIVE SHARE: THE MECHANIZATION OF U.S. COTTON PRODUCTION

Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Discovery of a Spin-Down State Change in the LMC Pulsar B0540-69

We report the discovery of a large, sudden, and persistent increase in the spin-down rate of B0540-69, a young pulsar in the Large Magellanic Cloud, using observations from the Swift and RXTE satellites. The relative increase in the spin-down rate of 36% is unprecedented for B0540-69. No accompanying change in the spin rate is seen, and no change is seen in the pulsed X-ray emission from B0540-69 following the change in the spin-down rate. Such large relative changes in the spin-down rate are seen in the recently discovered class of 'intermittent pulsars', and we compare the properties of B0540-69 to such pulsars. We consider possible changes in the magnetosphere of the pulsar that could cause such a large change in the spin-down rate.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Letter

Assessing Input Brand Loyalty among U.S. Agricultural Producers

This study explores the prevalence and determinants of brand loyalty for agricultural input products. Results suggest that loyalty for both expendable and capital inputs is high among commercial agricultural producers in the United States. Producer attitudes, beliefs, and some demographic characteristics are useful identifiers of brand loyalty among commercial producers.brand loyalty, dealer loyalty, capital inputs, expendable inputs, farmer purchase decisions, Agricultural Finance, Consumer/Household Economics, Marketing, Q10, Q13, Q14,

Assessing Agricultural Input Brand Loyalty Among U.S. Mid-Size and Commercial Producers

This study explores the prevalence and determinants of brand loyalty for agricultural input products. Results suggest that loyalty for both expendable and capital inputs is high among commercial farmers. Farmer attitudes, beliefs, and some demographic characteristics are useful identifiers of brand loyal farmers.brand loyalty, capital inputs, expendable inputs, farmer purchase decisions, Farm Management,

Assessing consistency of fish survey data : uncertainties in the estimation of mackerel icefish (Champsocephalus gunnari) abundance at South Georgia

Acknowledgments The authors wish to thank the crews, fishermen and scientists who conducted the various surveys from which data were obtained, and Mark Belchier and Simeon Hill for their contributions. This work was supported by the Government of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands. Additional logistical support provided by The South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute with thanks to Paul Brickle. Thanks to Stephen Smith of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) for help in constructing bootstrap confidence limits. Paul Fernandes receives funding from the MASTS pooling initiative (The Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland), and their support is gratefully acknowledged. MASTS is funded by the Scottish Funding Council (grant reference HR09011) and contributing institutions. We also wish to thank two anonymous referees for their helpful suggestions on earlier versions of this manuscript.Peer reviewedPostprin