Thesis (Ph. D.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Department of Sociology, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

The performance of futures contracts and commodity options as hedging instruments were compared in a cash margin hedging framework for a 150 sow farrow to finish hog operation in southeastern Virginia. The expected cash margin (ECM) using corn soybean meal and hog futures were calculated daily from 1975 through 1982. The performance of options and futures were compared in 530 strategies that ranged from strait routine fixed margin hedging to strategies based on forecasted variable margins. / Master of Science

Fresh pork loins were cut for three replications and randomly assigned to one of seven treatments: 1) polyvinylchloride (PVC) packaged, 2) vacuum packaged (Vac-pack), 3) 0.2 mL of Tris-Buffer, 4) 0.2 mL of high leghemoglobin high pH (HLbHpH), 5) 0.2 mL of high leghemoglobin low pH (HLbLpH), 6) 0.2 mL of low leghemoglobin high pH (LLbHpH), and 7) 0.2 mL of low leghemoglobin low pH (LLbLpH). Treatments 3 through 7 also were vacuum packaged. Leghemoglobin (Lb) protein treatments improved (P<0.05) the visual color of vacuum packaged pork at the point of purchase. CIE L* values were not affected by HLbHpH, LLbHpH or LLbLpH treatments. However, the HLbLpH treatment was lighter (P<0.05) than the vacuum packaged control treatments on days 3, 4, and 5. High Lb (HLb) treatments had a positive effect (P=0.0116) on the CIE a* values on the day of manufacture. HLbLpH treatment eIE b* values were higher (P<0.05) than Vac-pack and buffer controls from day 0 to day 5. On the day of processing, HLb treatments were higher (P=0.0637) in oxymyoglobin than low Lb treatments. Metmyoglobin of HLb treatments was higher (P<0.05) than the Vac-pack and the buffer treatments on the day of manufacture. pH did not affect (P>0.05) sensory or objective color, pigment state, purge or total psychrotrophic aerobic bacterial counts (TPC) throughout the study. Lb treatments TPC were lower (P<0.0l) than nontreated samples at all assessment times. / Master of Science

Master of Science

Univ., Diss.--Hohenheim, 2006.

Canada's commitment to the Kyoto Protocol provides agricultural producers with an opportunity to supply carbon offset credits to a domestic carbon market and receive revenue from the sale of these credits. This study employed the multiple bounded discrete choice method to estimate Quebec hog producers' willingness to accept compensation to adopt two management practices that reduce carbon emissions; i.e. reduced protein feeding and adopting a manure storage cover. The average willingness to accept compensation for reduced protein feeding was $46.71 per tonne of CO2 equivalent and for the manure storage cover was $40.40 per tonne of CO2 equivalent. In addition, hog producers were asked what cost they would be willing to bear if they received $20 per animal unit in carbon offset credit revenue. The average cost they were willing to bear was $11.88. Key factors that influenced producers' decisions were identified. Results can be used to improve the institutional rules and public policy associated with developing a domestic carbon emission trading mechanism. Starting-point and sequencing bias were tested for with the convolution approach. Starting-point bias was found in all the hypothetical situations; while sequencing bias was not found.

The focus of this thesis was on the economic feasibility of three food processing projects. They involved freezing of pork loin and fish using cryogenic freezing and stored at $-$18, $-$12 and $-$7$ sp circ$C, and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) of pork loin using a combination of nitrogen and carbon dioxide gases, chitosan dip and stored at 5, 10, and 15$ sp circ$C. A production plan with similar layout and capacity was adopted for the Montreal area. The benefit-cost analysis (BCA) of each project was carried out assuming that each plant operated approximately 2000 hours per annum at full capacity. Net present value (NPV) and benefit cost ratio (B/C ratio) at 8% discount rate, and internal rate of return (IRR) were determined for each project. The calculations show the NPV of $2.4 million, $1.8 million, and $3.4 million; B/C ratio of 1.09, 1.09, and 1.10; IRR of 15 %, 13 %, and 18 % for frozen pork loin, frozen fish and MAP pork respectively. All IRRs were higher compared to the 1995 return rates of TSE of 9.7 % and the average return of capital of 8.8 % for some food and beverage industries. These economic values are sensitive to changes in working hours, price of raw materials and finished products. It is also found that MAP products could be stored at temperatures up to 15$ sp circ$C. Frozen products could be stored at temperatures of $-$12$ sp circ$C and below only if the length of distribution chain can be reduced. This would decrease electricity costs up to 36% at each level of distribution. It can be concluded that the three projects are economically profitable.

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