In the wake of recent hurricanes, coastal managers in Louisiana have begun integrating infrastructure protection and habitat restoration. Concurrent with this change, emphasis has been placed on marsh creation (MC) techniques that rely on mechanical dredges and sediment conveyance pipelines to rapidly build new land. The costs and benefits of this approach are increasingly compared to more natural and slower methods using fresh water diversions (FWD), yet such comparisons are not typically inclusive of time and risk considerations. Data for more than 300 coastal wetland restoration projects were evaluated for the statistical development of generic acreage trajectories and restoration cost models. These models were incorporated into a benefit-cost construct and sensitivity analyses were conducted to examine the relative importance of specific project attributes related to time, distance, project scale, discount rate, and site-specific land loss rates. Benefit uncertainty was addressed through incorporation of climatological and political risk within an expected valuation framework. Case studies were examined for MC and FWD projects under hypothetical acreage targets and locations. As expected, project period and scale were found to be inversely correlated with unit cost ($/acre). Likewise, discount rate, distance from source material to project site, and specific sub-costs associated with dredge mobilization were positively related to unit cost. The degree of these effects, however, differed greatly between the two generic models. The most pronounced finding is that the relatively slow rate of restoration from FWD projects negatively affects project feasibility. Furthermore, the incorporation of project-specific types of risk (hurricane impacts and social constraints) was found to compound the problems associated with slower performing projects. Perhaps most importantly, simulations for both FWD and MC projects indicated that required break-even annual benefits were considerably larger than actual benefits reported as accounting from similar projects in the non-market ecosystem valuation literature. This finding suggests the need for a reevaluation of current spending to ensure the most cost-effective combination of attributes in project selection. The decision framework provided here allows restoration managers to increase efficiency in the allocation of limited funding for coastal restoration.

The goal of this dissertation is to address the role of government payments in the allocation of off-farm labor through three essays. Government payments have been a part of agriculture since 1933 and at no time has the government stated a policy objective of decreasing the agricultural labor force. Using time series data and new econometric techniques, the first essay finds agricultural policy may have an unintended impact on labor migration. Specifically, we find that government payments increased labor migration from the farm. From 1939 to 2007, increased direct government payments resulted in greater migration of labor from agriculture. The second essay assesses the degree of differentiation between family and hired labor. This addresses the ease at which decoupled government payments can subsidize off-farm labor. Intuitively, these forms of farm labor should have different impacts on production. We test this assumption by estimating the elasticity of substitution between hired and family labor using the ARMS dataset. The results provide little evidence to support the homogeneity assumption and further indicate that the elasticity of substitution is unitary under most scenarios. The final essay addresses the determinants of off-farm labor supply by incorporating both modern issues and techniques. The goal of this research is to determine the impact of health insurance coverage and government payments on the off-farm labor supply of the farm operator and spouse. We first test for dependence in the off-farm labor allocation of the operator and spouse using copulas. We then account for endogeneity in the health insurance variable and jointly estimate off-farm labor supply using a bivariate tobit model. The data used in this research is from 2006-2008 Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS). The results of this study show that the off-farm labor supply of the operator and spouse is positively correlated and that there is a highly significant, positive impact of off-farm insurance coverage on the hours worked off-farm. The results further demonstrate the importance of fringe benefits as a component of the total wage and find significant evidence that greater government payments decrease the number of hours that both the operator and spouse work off-farm.

Extensive research has been carried out on the relationships among foreign direct investment (FDI), exports, the exchange rate, and economic growth. However, these research findings are mixed and inconclusive. Therefore, further research and discussion are needed on this topic. This study focused on Mexico, since it is one of the major FDI recipient countries in Latin America and much of its trade is a result of its free trade agreements. This study examines the relationship between FDI, exports, and economic growth in the context of FDI from developed to developing countries (Mexico). The second chapter analyzes the relationship of FDI with the level of the exchange rate, exchange rate volatility, and exchange rate expectations during the period from 1994 to 2008. The analysis revealed a significant impact of level of exchange rates and exchange rate expectations on FDI flows. Regional trade agreements, such as the European Union (EU) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), were important factors to attract FDI. The third chapter examines the long-run relationship between U.S. FDI and U.S exports to Mexico from 1988Q1 to 2008Q4. This analysis found a complementary (positive) relationship between FDI and exports. However, the strength of the relationship differs with different types of FDI. The analysis further revealed a weak complementary relationship with exports of processed food and a strong positive relationship with manufacturing exports. The study also showed a significant impact of NAFTA on manufacturing and total FDI and an insignificant impact on processed food FDI. Chapter four examined Granger causality among GDP, exports, and FDI in Mexico for the period of 1970 to 2008. The causality was tested from the bivariate to the multivariate framework using Toda and Yamamoto (1995) and Doland and Lutkepohl (1996) (TYDL) methodologies. An important finding in this study is the Ganger causality from gross fixed capital formation and labor force to imports. The results suggest that the Granger causality between GDP and exports; FDI and GDP; exports and FDI observed in two, three or four variable frameworks are through a channel of imports.

There are many threats that contribute to the decline in honey bee colonies around the United States; among them is the Varroa mite, Varroa destructor. The Varroa mite is a significant threat to honey bees and, by extension, beekeepers across the United States. It is suspected to be one of the main contributors to the increase in colony collapse and the decline in bee numbers and the beekeeping industry (Danka, May 2013). Fifty-five percent of beekeepers exited beekeeping between 1987 and 2002 (USDA). Although honey production continued to decrease through 2007, the number of beekeepers entering beekeeping had increased (USDA). In 2006, the Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH) genetic line of bees was developed in response to the destruction associated with the Varroa mite. The hygienic behavior of this line of bees helps reduce susceptibility of colonies to Varroa mites and results in stronger colonies with increasing bee populations (Rinderer, 2010). Relatively little information exists on the adoption level of VSH technology in the beekeeping community and beekeepers perceptions of VSH technology. The objective of this study is to identify and discuss factors that significantly influence the decision of adopting VSH technology. Using data collected from a sample of 228 queen breeders across the United States that previously adopted other Varroa sensitive technologies, a probit model is used to analyze the factors involved in influencing the adoption of VSH queens by queen breeders. Factors analyzed include sources of information available, risk preference, sales attributes, demographic information, and income. Results indicate that education level, being risk averse and income all had a significant influence on the adoption decision.

The agro-fundamentalists consider agriculture as the engine of growth while agro-pessimists argue that economic growth causes agricultural productivity. It is the main engine of growth in agriculture-based countries; less important in transforming economies; and plays the same role as other tradable sectors in urbanized countries (World Bank, 2008). This work revisits agricultures role in the development process within the experience of Asia where the majority of the population heavily depends on agriculture. Chapter 2 presents the results of causality tests between agriculture and economic growth in bivariate systems using the TYDL methodology. For some of agriculture-based Asia (Bhutan, Lao, Cambodia and Pakistan), there is evidence to support the agro-fundamentalists view. Mongolias economic growth drives agricultural growth. There is no causality running from either direction for Nepal, Vietnam and Bangladesh. No causal relationship between agriculture and economic growth is evident in the transforming economies of Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand. Indian and Chinese agriculture contribute to economic growth while the Malaysian economy shows evidence of bidirectional causality. Chapter 3 investigates the impact of agriculture on economic development in the context of an open economy, as measured by the accession to WTO and Trade Freedom Index, by employing an OLS method. The theory predicts that the openness of economies negatively affects the gains in the economic growth from improvement in agricultural productivity. However, this effect is not strong enough to cause a long-run negative relationship between economic growth and agricultural productivity. Further, the effect does not bring large differences in the gains from agricultural productivity between the open and closed economies in most of Asia. Chapter 4 examines the role of agriculture in the Korean economy as it transitioned from a predominantly agricultural to an urbanized economy by employing a VARX method. The impact of agriculture is significantly different between the transforming and urbanized stage with the former producing a greater impact. The effect of agriculture is also dependent on the countrys stages of economic growth, i.e., Korean agriculture contributes to economic growth in transforming Korea, but not in an agriculture-based and urbanized economy.

The Louisiana broiler production region is located in North Central and Northwestern Louisiana. The region consists of twelve parishes in Northwestern and North Central Louisiana. The broiler production region is a significant contributor of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution to nearby waterways. This pollution is a consequence of sediment, nitrogen and phosphorus runoff caused by agricultural production. NPS pollution is difficult to mitigate due to uncertainties in its point of origin as well as a host of other factors ranging from rainfall to topographical parameters. Best Management Practices (BMPS) have been shown to be a reliable method for reducing nonpoint source pollution emanating from agricultural production. To reduce pollutants, several BMPs have been recommended, specific to crops and regions, by the Natural Resource Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, (NRCS/USDA) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Successful implementation of best management practices for water quality improvement requires careful study of both nonpoint pollution sources and their effectiveness in a given spatial situation. These assessments are being conducted for several watersheds throughout the United States; however, many watersheds in Louisiana remain unexamined. This study focuses on two watersheds in the broiler production region of Louisiana and utilizes a GIS based simulation program to determine the best least cost solution for the application of BMPs in the study region. Analyses were conducted under alternative climate change and BMP effectiveness scenarios. Results indicate that it is cost-effective to implement nutrient management to reduce phosphorus pollution.

This overall goal of this research is to examine and update U.S. at-home household demand estimates for seafood (including species and generic products) that can be used in policy formulation (by both the private and public sector). As such, this study estimated quantity-based household demand functions for seafood in aggregate, by generic product form (fresh, frozen, and prepared), and primary species. Given that the role of quality has been shown to significantly influence expenditures and seafood demand, this paper also seeks to incorporate the household quality choice into the demand model. In order to help to tailor the market strategy, this study also estimates household seafood demand in a complete demand system framework to track the substitution and complementation between seafood product forms and other protein sources. Emphasis is also given to the influence of socioeconomic factors on the demand for quantity. This study uses 2005-2006 NOAA Fisheries Seafood Consumption Survey data which consisted of 10798 completed interviews. In the complete demand system analyses, comparison of model results with a quality proxy, without a quality proxy, and with a quality adjusted price were examined to determine a preferable means for incorporating household quality choice. Results suggest that quality does play an important role in seafood demand. As for the quantity-based demand equations, a bivariate model was applied to simultaneously investigate the quality variation and consumer preference. As an outcome of this model, and based on the hypothesis that demand for quality is proportional to the level of aggregation, the study examines whether the demand for quality diminishes in relation to the level of disaggregation. The bivariate model utilized the maximum likelihood method to successfully deal with a truncation problem as well as difficulties of unobserved unit price values.