Economic Impact of the Potential Spread of Vampire Bats into South Texas

Rabies transmitted by the common vampire bat is a major public health concern in subtropical and tropical areas of Latin America, and there is some concern that the species will eventually spread into south Texas. The objective of this study was to estimate the total economic impact of the potential spread of vampire bats into south Texas. Data on livestock populations and values in the relevant counties was combined with expected mortality rates to calculate livestock losses. An IMPLAN model of the regional economy was then used to estimate the secondary impacts experienced by other businesses in the region. These impacts were combined with estimates of increased expenditures on post-exposure prophylaxis and animal tests to derive the total economic impact. We estimated the total economic impact would be $7 million to$9.2 million annually if vampire bats spread to south Texas

Impact of COVID-19 on the US and Texas Economy: A General Equilibrium Approach

This paper examines the impact of COVID-19 on the US and Texas economy using a computable general equilibrium model, REMI PI+. We consider three scenarios based on economic forecasts from various sources, including the University of Michigan’s RSQE (Research Seminar in Quantitative Economics), IMF, and the Wi orld Bank. We report a GDP loss of $106 million (a 6$996 billion (a 5% decline) with 11.5 million jobs lost (5.5%) in the same year. By 2026, the aggregate total GDP loss in Texas ranges from $378 to$629 million. The estimated unemployment rate in Texas in 2021 ranges from 5% to 7.7%, depending on modeling assumptions. The granularity of the CGE results allow examination of the most and least impacted industries. Health Care and Social Assistance, Construction, and Accommodation and Food Services incur the most job loss while State and Local Government and Farm will likely see an increase in jobs for 2020. These insights separate our work from most current impact studies

Potential Economic Damage from Introduction of Brown Tree Snakes, Boiga irregularis (Reptilia: Colubridae), to the Islands of Hawai‘i.

v. ill. 23 cm.QuarterlyThe Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) has caused ecological and economic damage to Guam, and the snake has the potential to colonize other islands in the Pacific Ocean. This study quantifies the potential economic damage if the snake were translocated, established in the state of Hawai‘i, and causing damage at levels similar to those on Guam. Damages modeled included costs of medical treatments due to snakebites, snake-caused power outages, and decreased tourism resulting from effects of the snake. Damage caused by presence of the Brown Tree Snake on Guam was used as a guide to estimate potential economic damage to Hawai‘i from both medical- and power outage–related damage. To predict tourism impact, a survey was administered to Hawaiian tourists that identified tourist responses to potential effects of the Brown Tree Snake. These results were then used in an input-output model to predict damage to the state economy. Summing these damages resulted in an estimated total potential annual damage to Hawai‘i of between $593 million and$2.14 billion. This economic analysis provides a range of potential damages that policy makers can use in evaluation of future prevention and control programs

Cost–benefit analysis of controlling rabies: placing economics at the heart of rabies control to focus political will

Rabies is an economically important zoonosis. This paper describes the extent of the economic impacts of the disease and some of the types of economic analyses used to understand those impacts, as well as the trade-offs between efforts to manage rabies and efforts to eliminate it. In many cases, the elimination of rabies proves more cost-effective over time than the continual administration of postexposure prophylaxis, animal testing and animal vaccination. Economic analyses are used to inform and drive policy decisions and focus political will, placing economics at the heart of rabies control

Economics of Invasive Species Damage and Damage Management

Annually, the estimated damage caused by invasive species in the United States has exceeded $100 billion, becoming one of the leading causes of environmental change and global biodiversity loss (Wilcove et al. 1998; Mack et al. 2000; Sala et al. 2000; Pimentel et al. 2005). Invasions by nonnative species highlight the undeniable link and feedback loops between ecological and economic systems (Perrings et al. 2002; Julia et al. 2007). Ecological systems determine if the conditions are suitable for invasion by nonnative species; however, economic systems help fuel the introduction of nonnative species and are themselves affected by invasive species when the ecosystem’s ability to provide services is diminished or when livestock or crops are made unmarketable (Julia et al. 2007). Invasive species have played an important role in U.S. agriculture. While some of the goods cultivated by the U.S. agricultural sector are indigenous plant and animal species, many are introduced; a minimum of 4542 species currently existing in the United States originated from outside its borders (Office of Technology Assessment 1993). Introduced species, such as corn, wheat, rice, as well as cattle, poultry, and other livestock, are all important commodities produced by the U.S. agricultural sector. Some introduced species have potential conservation values as well, providing food and shelter for native species, acting as catalysts for restoration, serving as substitutes for extinct species, and augmenting ecosystem services (Schlaepfer et al. 2011). A distinction can be drawn, then, between introduced species and invasive species. Like introduced species, invasive species are nonnative to that ecosystem; however, invasive species have the potential to cause harm, whether measured economically, environmentally, or as a human health hazard (The White House 1999)

Economic Damages of Wild Pigs in Non-Traditional Areas: From the Fairway to the After Life

Invasive wild pigs are widely known to cause damage to agricultural properties and commodities, but less has been reported about damages to other types of property. A survey was distributed to golf courses and cemeteries across Texas to explore the extent of damage these properties experience. While both property types reported significant damages, golf courses were found to experience more damage than cemeteries. Using average reported costs and predicted county-level damage, total costs for all golf courses and cemeteries across the state were estimated to exceed $1.6 million USD per year

The Economic Impact of Blackbird Damage to Crops

There are nearly 1,000 species of birds in North America, some of which provide obvious economic benefits like egg production, meat production, bird watching, or hunting (American Bird Association 2016). Some bird species, however, can cause a considerable amount of damage to U.S. agriculture, with estimates of annual damage caused by birds in the United States exceeding US$4.7 billion (Pimentel et al. 2005). Blackbirds (lcteridae) are one group of birds in North America that can cause significant economic damage to commercial grain crops, and to a lesser extent vine and tree crops (Wilson et al. 1989; Dolbeer 1990; Linz et al. 2011; Anderson et al. 2013). Four species of blackbirds-red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula), yellow-headed blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus), and brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater)-are primarily responsible for damage to sprouting and ripening grain crops (Lowther 1993; Twedt and Crawford 1995; Yasukawa and Searcy 1995; Peer and Bollinger 1997). During late winter, these species commonly can be found feeding on food present in concentrated animal feedlot operations (Dolbeer et al. 1978). For much of the year, however, these birds forage on insects, waste grain, and weed seeds, thus providing valuable ecological services

A benefit-cost analysis decision framework for mitigation of disease transmission at the wildlife–livestock interface

The economics of managing disease transmission at the wildlife–livestock interface have received heightened attention as agricultural and natural resource agencies struggle to tackle growing risks to animal health. In the fiscal landscape of increased scrutiny and shrinking budgets, resource managers seek to maximize the benefits and minimize the costs of disease mitigation efforts. To address this issue, a benefit-cost analysis decision framework was developed to help users make informed choices about whether and how to target disease management efforts in wildlife and livestock populations. Within the context of this framework, we examined the conclusions of a benefit-cost analysis conducted for vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) rabies control in Mexico. The benefit-cost analysis decision framework provides a method that can be used to identify, assemble, and measure the components vital to the biological and economic efficiency of animal disease mitigation efforts. The framework can be applied to commercially-raised and free-ranging species at various levels of management – from detailed intervention strategies to broad programmatic actions. The ability of benefit cost analysis to illustrate the benefits of disease management projects per dollar spent allows for the determination of economic efficiency of alternative management actions. We believe this framework will be useful to the broader natural resource management community to maximize returns on financial and other resources invested in wildlife and livestock disease management programs

Economic Impacts of Wild Pigs on Livestock Producers in 13 States

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are an invasive species in the mainland United States, where they are responsible for a wide range of negative impacts including damage to crops, livestock depredation as well as disease transmission, destruction of property and ecosystems, and depredation of wildlife. This manuscript summarizes a recent survey-based effort to estimate wild pig damage and control costs incurred by livestock producers by state and livestock type. The survey was distributed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistical Service in the summer of 2021 to a sample of livestock producers in the 13-state region. Findings indicated that predation and disease-related damage can be substantial in certain states and for certain types of livestock. In particular, damage to livestock operations, specifically cattle (Bos taurus) operations, in Texas, USA, was substantially higher than damage in other states and types of livestock operations. However, these amounts are dwarfed by the expenditure incurred by damage to property and the rooting of pasture. When aggregating across the entire 13-state region, we estimated that damage and control costs to livestock producers summed in 2020 to an annual amount of \u3e$650 million USD, driven by damage to property ($375.5 million USD) and the rooting of pasture ($192.9 million USD). The findings from this survey provide valuable information to estimate the full scope of the economic impact of wild pigs in the United States

Valuing the absence of feral swine in the United States: A partial equilibrium approach

Feral swine (also called wild pigs; Sus scrofa Linnaeus) are known to cause damage to crops among other types of property damage. This research addresses the lack of economic welfare estimates of wild pig imposed crop damages in the literature by estimating the value of wild pig removal with respect to five crops in nine southern U.S. states. An equilibrium displacement model was used to assess the changes in price and quantity that would result from eliminating damage to corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, and peanuts in these nine states. Changes in price and quantity were used to calculate the changes in producer and consumer welfare in both the short- and longrun. The total producer and consumer surplus gains were found to be $142 million in the short-run and$89 million in the long-run