Crop Choice, Non-Target Pest Levels, Yield Loss and Their Effect on Insecticide Use in South Dakota

Agriculturally, South Dakota is a unique state possessing the highest rate of adoption for genetically modified crop varieties. In 2009 ninety-six percent of corn acres planted in South Dakota were genetically modified compared with eighty-five percent nationally (Economic Research Service). Additionally, South Dakota has seen a dramatic increase in the number of acres treated with insecticide over the past 20 years. These two situations taken together seem to be counterintuitive. Some genetically modified varieties, such as Bt corn, are equipped with genetic defenses so that they can protect the plant from target pests. Intuitively, one would expect to see a decrease in insecticide use as adoption of genetically modified varieties increase. Recent studies have found that there is a reduction in herbicides applied to herbicide tolerant varieties. Here in South Dakota, though, producers have expressed the opinion that the increase in insecticide use is the result of the emergence and spread of the soybean aphid in the state. This research seeks to address the underlying causes of the increase in insecticide use.Bt corn,GM crops,insecticide

Crop Choice, Non-Target Pest Levels, Yield Loss and Their Effect on Insecticide Use in South Dakota

Agriculturally, South Dakota is a unique state possessing the highest rate of adoption for genetically modified crop varieties. In 2009 ninety-six percent of corn acres planted in South Dakota were genetically modified compared with eighty-five percent nationally (Economic Research Service). Additionally, South Dakota has seen a dramatic increase in the number of acres treated with insecticide over the past 20 years. These two situations taken together seem to be counterintuitive. Some genetically modified varieties, such as Bt corn, are equipped with genetic defenses so that they can protect the plant from target pests. Intuitively, one would expect to see a decrease in insecticide use as adoption of genetically modified varieties increase. Recent studies have found that there is a reduction in herbicides applied to herbicide tolerant varieties. Here in South Dakota, though, producers have expressed the opinion that the increase in insecticide use is the result of the emergence and spread of the soybean aphid in the state. This research seeks to address the underlying causes of the increase in insecticide use.Bt corn, GM crops, insecticide, Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries, Q1, Q2, Q5,

Insecticide Use and Crop Selection: A South Dakota Case Study

South Dakota has recently experienced a significant increase in the proportion of acres treated with insecticide. Unfortunately, data on insecticide usage by crop at the county level is not available. The following case study seeks to uncover the reasons for this increase by analyzing county-level data in South Dakota with a fixed effects panel regression. The study links the proportion of acres planted for a specific crop to the proportion of total acres treated with insecticide. This approach provides insight on how changing cropping patterns in South Dakota have influenced insecticide use.Variance Risk Premium, Variance Swap, Model-free Variance, Implied Variance, Realized Variance, Corn VIX

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Success and resilience: Three essays analyzing small business behavior using multivariate estimation techniques

The following dissertation is comprised of three essays that focus on different aspects of family-business organization and behavior. All three essay use variations of multivariate estimation to account for binary endogenous variables. Essay 1: Family Business Responses to Household and Business Cash-flow Problems. Family businesses can experience cash flow problems in the household and in the business. This essay examines the effect of cash flow problems on resource transfers from the business to the household and finds that the family business responds to business cash flow problems by transferring fewer resources to the household, but household cash flow problems do not affect the amount of resources transferred from the business to the household. Additionally, an analysis of the competition for resources between the business and the household shows that business and household cash flow problems significantly increase tension levels. The analysis uses a bivariate ordered probit to show that resource tension and resource allocation are not endogenous. Essay 2: An Analysis of the Endogenous Relationship between Family-Business Structure, Synergistic Relationships, and Profit. We implement a multivariate recursive probit to analyze the effect interpersonal interaction between spouses has on the profitability of family businesses. To support this endeavor, we develop a theoretical model that accounts for the couples\u27 marginal productivities as well as the joint product of their interaction. The empirical analysis focuses on derived hypotheses regarding converging productivities and the decision to work jointly with a spouse. The results suggest that spouses self-select into a copreneurial business structure depending on how much experience they have and the level of satisfaction they feel in their interpersonal relationships. Additionally, the results show that copreneurial businesses that have high satisfaction are more likely to have higher profit than if they were specialized. Essay 3: Informal and Formal Financial Resources and Small Business Resilience to Disasters. This essay examines the impact of Hurricane Katrina on small business success and adaptation. Businesses with revenue levels that are higher than pre- Katrina levels are considered successful, in accordance with the Small Business Disaster Resilience Framework (Marshall and Schrank, 2014). Adaptation is characterized as changes to business infrastructure. A multivariate probit with sample selection allows the empirical analysis to account for the simultaneity of changes in revenue and post Hurricane Katrina adaptation as well as sample selection bias introduced through business demise. The results suggest the importance of pre-disaster mitigation and adaptation activities as well as the effectiveness of formal financial resources in supporting adaptation. The results show informal financial resources are largely ineffective

Family Conflict and Farm Profitability: Not Always a Negative Relationship

This article analyzes the effects of conflict using a non-linear model and relies heavily on economic theory to define the relationship between conflict and profitability. This research builds on the model of Kretchmer and Puranam (2008), an effort-based model that captures the effects of employee collaboration. We expand upon this model and derive and test two main hypotheses. The first deals with the convexity of the relationship between conflict and profitability. The second analyzes the effect family business structure has on conflict and profitability

Informal and Formal Financial Resources and Small Business Resilience to Disasters

The following article examines the impact of Hurricane Katrina on small business success and adaptation. Small business success is characterized as increased revenues when compared to pre-disaster levels. Adaptation is characterized as post-Katrina changes to business infrastructure. A multivariate probit with sample selection allows the empirical analysis to account for the simultaneity of changes in revenue and adaptation and also sample selection bias introduced through business demise. The results suggest the importance of pre-disaster mitigation and adaptation activities as well as the effectiveness of formal financial resources in supporting adaptation. Informal financial resources are found to be largely ineffective

Crop Choice, Non-Target Pest Levels, Yield Loss and Their Effect on Insecticide Use in South Dakota

Agriculturally, South Dakota is a unique state possessing the highest rate of adoption for genetically modified crop varieties. In 2009 ninety-six percent of corn acres planted in South Dakota were genetically modified compared with eighty-five percent nationally (Economic Research Service). Additionally, South Dakota has seen a dramatic increase in the number of acres treated with insecticide over the past 20 years. These two situations taken together seem to be counterintuitive. Some genetically modified varieties, such as Bt corn, are equipped with genetic defenses so that they can protect the plant from target pests. Intuitively, one would expect to see a decrease in insecticide use as adoption of genetically modified varieties increase. Recent studies have found that there is a reduction in herbicides applied to herbicide tolerant varieties. Here in South Dakota, though, producers have expressed the opinion that the increase in insecticide use is the result of the emergence and spread of the soybean aphid in the state. This research seeks to address the underlying causes of the increase in insecticide use

Insecticide Use and Crop Selection: A South Dakota Case Study

South Dakota has recently experienced a significant increase in the proportion of acres treated with insecticide. Unfortunately, data on insecticide usage by crop at the county level is not available. The following case study seeks to uncover the reasons for this increase by analyzing county-level data in South Dakota with a fixed effects panel regression. The study links the proportion of acres planted for a specific crop to the proportion of total acres treated with insecticide. This approach provides insight on how changing cropping patterns in South Dakota have influenced insecticide use