Roderick Rejesus

The proposed project will look to develop and analyze systems that would allow for earth observation data (i.e., remote sensing and satellite data sets) to strengthen US agriculture resilience against cliamte change.

The objectives of this project are to 1. train county agents on corn agronomy and corn pests 2. quantify the cost difference in growing non-Bt and Bt corn and 3. increase plantings of refuge (non-Bt) corn.

The long-term goal and main objective of this proposed project is to develop semi-nonparametric econometric methods that will improve empirical understanding of the relationship between planting density and corn production risk in the US. The specific objectives of the project are: (1) To develop semi-nonparametric estimation and inference procedures that would allow for empirical analysis of production risk based on agricultural data sets (i.e., cross-sectional and panel data sets with high-dimensionality); (2) To estimate the effect of planting density on mean yields and production risk (i.e., the higher moments of the yield distribution) using novel semi-nonparametric methods; (3) To determine how planting density choices influence the impact of climate change on mean corn yields and production risk, using novel semi-nonparametric methods; and, (4) To determine how the impact of genetically-modified (GM) traits on mean corn yields and production risk are affected by planting density, using novel semi-nonparametric methods.

The number of foreign mergers and acquisitions (M&A) of U.S. firms has increased dramatically. Policy-makers and regulators are increasingly more concerned, especially when acquisitions take place in sensitive sectors, such as the agrifood industry. There is little research evaluating the effects of foreign M&As on employment, output, price (volatility), imports, and exports. Our proposal seeks to fill this gap by collecting a comprehensive dataset on foreign acquisitions and domestic economic indicators and providing estimates of the impact of such M&As on domestic employment, output, price volatility, and exports in all sectors, and in the agrifood sector in particular. The ultimate long term goal of the project we propose is to help guide policy-makers in their discussions and potential regulation foreign acquisitions in the U.S. agrifood industry.

On-farm trials will be used to measure mitigation of nitrous oxide and ammonia emissions from nitrogen fertilization of corn with and without the use of a urease and nitrification inhibitor. Control plots receiving zero N will be used to examine inherent soil health in the system and supply power relative to corn yields.