Employment Growth in the Rural South: Do Sectors Matter?

The paper contributes to the understanding of the role of economic sectors in employment growth by examining the extent to which sectoral employment influence employment development in the rural southeast United States over the period 1970 through 2007. The analysis employs two specifications of OLS regression to understand the role of economic sectors in employment growth processes. The first specification (number of jobs) explained approximately 36 percent of the variability in employment growth while the second specification (number of enterprises) explained roughly 43 percent of the variability over the studied period. Overall, the results suggest that although the share and the social role of agriculture are shrinking in almost all rural areas, agriculture is still an important sector in rural employment growth.Community/Rural/Urban Development, Labor and Human Capital,

DYNAMICS OF LAND-USE CHANGE IN NORTH ALABAMA: IMPLICATIONS OF NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

The paper presents an analytical tool that could help in understanding the consequences of individual decisions associated with land use change by identifying their potential impacts to a community, county or region. The tool outlines the potential costs and benefits of land conversion activities to decision makers in Madison County, Alabama. The results show that the loss of agricultural lands erodes the county's ability to maintain revenue/cost equilibrium across the selected land use types, thus reducing the county's ability to provide current levels of service to residents.Land Economics/Use,

HOUSEHOLD PERCEPTIONS OF THE QUALITY OF DRINKING WATER IN UGANDA

This paper analyzed self-reported household water quality opinions and avoidance measures used by households in Kampala, Uganda to manage health risks. The paper is based on survey data collected from four Divisions in Kampala district and analyzed using a simultaneous probit equation system. Probit results confirm the existence of strong relationships between household characteristics, opinions on water quality and the use of avoidance measures.Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Financial Feasibility of Simultaneous Production of Pine Sawlogs, Forage, and Meat Goats on Small Farms in Alabama: A Preliminary Analysis

Small and limited resource farmers and landowners in the Alabama Black Belt region face many challenges as they seek to make their farms and forestlands profitable, productive and environmentally sustainable. A host of problems—farmland conversion, urbanization pressures, reductions in water quality and availability, soil erosion, irregular cash flows, and increased government regulation—make managing family farms or forestland a difficult task. In response to these challenges, many farmers and landowners are considering agroforestry as an opportunity to increase land productivity and to improve their cash flows by combining income from agriculture, forestry, and animal production on the same piece of land. The objective in this paper was to conduct economic evaluations of agroforestry practices so that landowners, extension personnel, and other decision makers can correctly assess the potential of agroforestry practices among the many land-use options. The data analyzed were collected from a four year silvopastoral study conducted in the Black Belt region, on the property of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives in Epes, Alabama.Silvopasture, Financial Analysis, Enterprise Budgets, Cash Flow Analysis, Agribusiness, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Livestock Production/Industries, Production Economics, Productivity Analysis, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,

EXAMINING INTERDEPENDENCE BETWEEN LOCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND COMMUTING PATTERNS IN ALABAMA

The paper examines the causal relationships and pattern of spatially distributed employment growth and commuter patterns in Alabama using a distance deterrence model. The findings suggest that as commuting distance increase the number of commuters from one region to another decrease.Labor and Human Capital,

The Impact of Agricultural Growth on Rural Non-Farm Incomes and Employment in Alabama

The rural nonfarm economy is the backbone of the economy of numerous small towns scattered throughout the Black Belt region, as well as the primary source of income and employment. Seen in this light, the rural nonfarm economy will play a key role in determining future prospects for employment growth and poverty alleviation in the Alabama Black Belt region. The objective in this paper therefore is to examine the importance of rural-urban growth linkages with a focus on the Black Belt region and estimate agricultural growth multipliers. The analysis uses cross-section data to estimate econometrically the indirect rural employment and income generated by agricultural growth. Two major sections address the study objective. The first examines the importance, composition and location of nonfarm activity, as well as general trends over the past decades. After reviewing previous growth linkage studies, the second section explores the relationship between agriculture and changes in nonfarm activities.Rural-Urban Linkages, Counties, Multipliers, Employment, Agribusiness, Labor and Human Capital, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,

THE INFLUENCE OF AMENITIES AND QUALITY OF LIFE ON REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN ALABAMA

Replaced with revised version of paper 02/13/04.Community/Rural/Urban Development,

PRODUCERS' WILLINGNESS TO ADOPT HACCP PRINCIPLES IN THE GOAT MEAT INDUSTRY

The major food safety issue now confronting federal policymakers is making sure that consumers can purchase foods acceptably free of microbial contaminants and of hazardous chemicals including pesticide residues, natural toxins, environmental contaminants, animal drugs, or harmful additives. While these concerns are not new, new dimensions to the problems continually challenge regulators. This paper estimates goat producers' willingness-to-adopt HACCP systems to reduce microbial pathogen. Data used are drawn from a food safety education project for small ruminant producers funded by the USDA Food Safety Inspection Services (FSIS). The data are collected using contingent valuation survey administered among small ruminant producers in Alabama and Tennessee. The probabilities of willingness to adopt HACCP practices are estimated using a probit model. The results reveal a diversified set of preferences among goat producers where by more than half of the survey sample indicated willingness to adopt HACCP practices.Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Livestock Production/Industries,

Socioeconomic Perspectives on Infant Mortality in Alabama

Socioeconomic and demographic variables are examined in a maximum likelihood spatial lag framework to determine conditions influencing infant survival in Alabama using county-level data. The analysis is motivated by the basic premise that economic development and unidimensional health interventions such as immunization programs are not enough to ensure constant mortality decline in low-income regions. The results suggest that differences in socioeconomic factors can explain a large portion of the variation in child mortality rates among counties and across races in Alabama. The results also concur with prior conclusions that maternal and infant health remains an important reflection of the social and economic well-being of any population and societal equity

DETERMINANTS OF CONSUMER ATTITUDES AND PURCHASE INTENTIONS WITH REGARD TO GM FOODS

Consumer acceptance of genetically modified (GM) products has become a vital factor in determining how prosperous the markets for GM products will be in the future. This phenomenon creates increased interest in understanding consumer attitudes and purchase intentions with regard to GM foods. Thus, this paper presents results based on a contingent valuation questionnaire designed to assess consumer knowledge, awareness and willingness to purchase GM-tomatoes in Huntsville metropolitan area, Alabama. The results suggest that attitudes and purchase decisions concerning GM foods are generally negative, highly complex and are based on several factors.Consumer/Household Economics,