James R. Unterschultz

Estimating yield response to temperature and identifying critical temperatures for annual crops in the Canadian prairie region

Robertson, S. M., Jeffrey, S. R., Unterschultz, J. R. and Boxall, P. C. 2013. Estimating yield response to temperature and identifying critical temperatures for annual crops in the Canadian Prairie region. Can. J. Plant Sci. 93: 1237-1247. Historical yield and temperature data, by municipal district for the three prairie provinces, are used to estimate the marginal effect of exposure to specific temperatures in defined ranges during the growing season. Incorporating these non-linear temperature effects into the model improves yield forecasting for Canadian prairie annual crops over models that use average temperatures or growing degree days. Critical maximum temperatures at which yields decline, calculated for winter wheat, spring wheat, durum wheat, barley, spring rye, fall rye, oats, canola and flax, range between 28 and 34°C, depending on the crop. Additional critical minimum and maximum temperatures are estimated using the marginal effect of exposure to specific temperatures in defined ranges. Estimates of critical maximum temperatures and their marginal impact on yields are important for research and policy analysis on various issues and problems, including climate change, risk management instruments such as crop insurance, and development of heat tolerant crop varieties.

Non-timber forest products from the Canadian boreal forest: an exploration of aboriginal opportunities

Abstract Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) such as foods or environmental products are proposed as potential engines of economic development or income for Aboriginal Peoples in rural or remote communities in Canada. An assessment of the potential market for NTFPs is often overlooked when proposing the development of new NTFPs. Our study specifically evaluates the market potential for wild berry jams produced by aboriginal communities. Results from a choice experiment administered to shoppers in specialty urban food stores indicated that aboriginal jam products could supplant competing international brands in Canadian niche markets for cloudberry and lingonberry jam. These products could initially command price premiums as high as 100 % of the international product prices. Thus, markets for some aboriginal NTFPs appear to exist in Canada and may represent an economic opportunity for aboriginal businesses.

Evaluating Québec's preference for Alberta beef versus US beef

This study evaluates the preferences for beef quality and beef origin in the Quebec wholesaler|retailer trade and in those restaurants serving or specializing in higher quality beef cuts. Stated preference survey questions, questions that simulate the purchase decision, were asked of managers and owners of beef wholesalers|retailers and restaurateurs in the Montreal and Quebec city areas. If given a choice of Alberta beef or US beef, restaurateurs will choose Alberta beef. Wholesalers|retailers are less sensitive to price than are the restaurateurs. Beef from the United States is not preferred to Alberta beef but US beef is preferred to local Quebec beef supplies.

Looking beyond value‐based pricing of beef in North America

Purpose – Quality traits desired by consumers may not be adequately captured by beef industry standards associated with grid or value‐based pricing alone. Aims to demonstrate this shortcoming by examining strategies of selected companies in North America at the four supply chain levels of cow‐calf genetics, feedlot feeding, processing, and retailing that have been proactive in producing desirable beef attributes efficiently to better meet consumer beef demand.Design/methodology/approach – The vertical alliance between Ralphs retailing, Sunland Beef processing, and a handful of feedlots using narrowly defined beef genetics are examined to illustrate how consumer market research and coordination throughout the supply chain may address many shortcomings associated with current value‐based pricing of beef criteria.Findings – Better information sharing and coordination between seedstock and retail industries could help assure that consumer preferences of beef palatability and consistency are met while meeting ...

The impacts of agriculture support programs on wetland retention on grain farms in the Prairie Pothole Region.

The Prairie Pothole Region is a very important region for wetland wildlife habitat. A farm level simulation model based on a representative Saskatchewan grain farm was developed and used to estimate the incremental impact of Canadian government’s agricultural farm risk management support programs on future wetland loss. The model suggests that farm income support programs could lead to additional losses of wetlands over the next 20 years. Canadian policy makers need to evaluate negative environmental outcomes during farm income program development and implementation.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Potential Economic Impact on Cervid Farming in Alberta

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) was found in wild deer populations in the province of Alberta, Canada, in 2005, and there is concern that this finding could create significant costs related to the farmed elk and deer industry. These potential costs or “values at risk” can be used to assess the economic returns from CWD containment and eradication programs. Cost estimates of CWD to cervid farms range from

Economics of riparian beneficial management practices for improved water quality: A representative farm analysis in the Canadian Prairie region

12 million for additional farm fencing to hundreds of millions of dollars in payments by governments to discontinue cervid farming.

Cow–Calf Producers Need to Blame Exchange Rates, Not Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, for Lost Wealth

This paper examines the economics of adopting agricultural beneficial management practices (BMPs) to protect riparian areas in the Canadian Prairies. Monte Carlo simulation methods and cost/benefit analysis (net present value) are used to evaluate BMP adoption for a set of representative cropping and mixed farm operations in Alberta and Saskatchewan. BMPs considered in the analysis involve restoration, maintenance and/or protection of riparian areas and associated wetlands. Implementation of these BMPs by the representative farms is generally costly, resulting in negative net benefits. This is primarily due to opportunity costs from forgone returns and BMP establishment costs. The farm level results are combined with estimates of public values for riparian ecosystem services using the Pannell land use policy framework. Results indicate that in many cases, positive incentives, such as subsidies or conservation auctions, are appropriate policy responses to encourage increased production of riparian/wetland ecosystem services. Given the uncertainty in public and private benefit estimates, it may also be the case that no intervention is the optimal policy response in some instances. There is significant scope for further research in order to obtain better estimates of benefits and costs associated with riparian area management. Ce travail étudie les gains économiques obtenus en adoptant de meilleures pratiques agricoles de management (MPAMs) pour protéger les zones riparienne des Rocheuses Canadiennes. Nous combinons les méthodes statistiques de Monte Carlo et une analyse coût/bénéfice (valeur présente nette) pour évaluer l’adoption de meilleure pratiques pour un échantillon représentatif de fermes céréalières dans l’Alberta et la Saskatchewan. Les MPAMs considérées dans notre analyse impliquent la restauration, le maintien et/ou la protection des zones riparienne et des marais qui leur sont associés. La mise en place d’une MPAM est en général couteuse et réduit les bénéfices nets. Cette réduction est en grande partie due aux coûts de mise en œuvre de la MPAM et à la perte nette d’exploitation qui résulte de la MPAM. En nous aidant du cadre règlementaire de l’utilisation des terres développé par Pannell, les résultats obtenus à l’échelle de la ferme sont combinés avec les estimations des valeurs publiques pour des services des écosystèmes riparien. Nos résultats montrent que dans de nombreux cas des incitations positives telles que des subventions ou des enchères de conservation sont nécessaires pour encourager la production de services obtenus grâce aux écosystèmes riparien. Dans certains cas, étant donnée l’incertitude, il est possible qu’il soit optimal de ne pas intervenir du tout. Notre étude montre aussi l’importance de continuer les travaux de recherche dans le management des zones ripariennes.

Economic Evaluation of Manure Management and Farm Gate Applications : A Literature Review of Environmental and Economic Aspects of Manure Management in Alberta's Livestock Sectors

Several studies examined the impacts of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) crisis on the Canadian agricultural sector. However, few investigations determined the on-farm financial repercussions arising from the crisis. This study examined impacts at farm level attributed to the BSE crisis. Cash flow and hedonic price models were used to examine changes in farm wealth for the years 2002 through 2007. While BSE received substantial media coverage, little attention was given to exchange rates and land values. Data demonstrated that exchange-rate fluctuations exerted a much greater impact on producer wealth than did the BSE crisis. Both farm equity and land values temporarily dipped following the BSE crisis but have since followed their previous trend. If the United States had not closed its borders to Canadian beef and cattle exports, producers would have an additional 0.65% growth in wealth. However, had exchange rates remained constant, farmers would have an additional 10.75% increase in equity. Consequently, the BSE crisis produced a smaller impact on farmer wealth than factors that received less media attention.

Ethnic Niche Markets for Fresh Canadian Pork in the United States Pacific Northwest

Livestock operations in Alberta have a significant impact on the economy. Manure is a by-product of livestock production. The review of the science on manure examined the environmental impacts of manure. These impacts include water pollution, air pollution, climatic change, and soil degradation. There are several technologies that may be used to manage manure on-farm and off-farm. These include nutrient recycling through soil application and composting. Composting reduces the volume of manure, but increases the nitrogen losses from the manure This review, using a very simplistic approach, estimated that more than 6.3 million tonnes of manure were generated in Alberta in 1996. Other studies have estimated significantly higher annual manure production. On a province-wide basis, there is adequate cropland area to make use of all the nutrients available in the manure produced. However, manure production tends to be concentrated on smaller land areas. Benefits of manure are constrained by both hauling costs and the costs of managing the manure itself. The on-farm economic costs or benefits are not well documented. Four general approaches have been used to analyze the on-farm economics of manure management. - Opportunity Cost: Value the nutrient content of manure using commercial fertilizer values and consider the manure or manure product as a commercial fertilizer substitute or supplement. - Crop Benefit: Value the direct crop benefit through a comparison of production in soil with manure applied versus a control with no manure applied. - Cost of Business: View the manure exclusively as a by-product of livestock production and evaluate methods for minimizing the cost of disposal. - Business Enterprise: View manure production as a value-added business and evaluate as a separate business enterprise using an appropriate approach. Any detailed economic analysis should incorporate the dynamic nature of manure production, and the management of manure through recycling through soil. Only one study was identified that was based on Alberta conditions and utilized a systems approach. At best, only one of the published studies explicitly incorporated the dynamic interactions of the livestock operation with a cropping enterprise, to analyze the on-farm economics of manure. This may be, in part, related to the complexities of modeling the key components in the system, while including the dynamic time-related interactions between soil, manure, and the environment. Those studies that attempted a systems approach or, at the very least, a more complete investment analysis, generally showed manure to be a net cost to the farm business. Little farm gate economic research applicable to Alberta on cost and benefits of manure systems for commercial farms for feedlots, dairy, pork or poultry was found. Future research could focus on a) economic case studies of selected farms to value manure management systems and b) working towards a systems analysis of manure management for Alberta livestock farms.