Ira J. Altman

Impact of sustainable viticulture programs on American Viticultural areas: Lodi AVA

Winegrape productivity and quality are important characteristics in the production of superior wines and efforts to maintain these features have potential environmental impacts. Agricultural adjustments and conservation initiatives that anticipate potential harmful impacts are essential for sustainability. Recent attempts to institute practical sustainable practices for the production of wine include the Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing. Our research examined the effects of this program over time. Did sustainable viticulture initiatives that focus on both social and environmental issues also translate into economic success? In order to investigate the economic impacts of the Lodi Sustainable Viticulture initiatives the relationship between weighted average price per ton and sustainable development variables, are investigated in are regression model. The model relies on a time series analysis using California Crush Reports from 1976 to 2012 (NASS 2012). We found the publication of the Lodi Rules Workbook exhibited the most substantial effect (−

Cross-Hedging Fishmeal: Exploring Corn and Soybean Meal Futures Contracts

232.87). This effect was negative; therefore our hypothesis that most positive economic effect was confirmed as the implementation of the Sustainable Winegrowing Program, produced an added benefit of

The choice of organizational form as a non-technical barrier to agro-bioenergy industry development

98.28 over time.

Willingness to supply biomass for bioenergy production: A random parameter truncated analysis

Soybean meal futures contracts have been shown to be effective cross-hedges for managing fishmeal price risk. Recent supply shocks and growth of aquaculture, poultry, and hog production, where nutrient requirements limit substitution of soybean meal for fishmeal more so than in cattle diets, may be undermining the historical price relationship. Advances in protein content of corn byproducts like corn gluten meal or distiller dried grains suggest corn futures contracts may offer an additional cross-hedging opportunity. We find a composite hedge using both corn futures contracts and soybean meal futures contracts offers superior hedging effectiveness.