Rhonda Skaggs

Product‐country images and international food marketing: Relationships and research needs

Consumers worldwide have increasing access to a wide variety of food products from other countries. The significance of product-country images in influencing consumer behavior is likely to increase in the future. An understanding of the role of product-country images for food products would aid in the formulation of global marketing strategies. This article provides a review of country of origin literature dealing with food products and a research agenda for agribusiness researchers.

Predicting drip irrigation use and adoption in a desert region

Abstract The possibility that drip irrigation technology could increase yields, reduce the incidence of crop diseases, and improve fruit quality has been identified as a critical research issue for the New Mexico chile pepper industry. Numerous hypotheses have been expressed regarding the low incidence of drip irrigation usage among New Mexico farmers. A survey of farmers was conducted in 1999 to assess commercial chile pepper producers’ attitudes toward and knowledge of drip irrigation technology. The survey data were used in logistic regression models that predict current high-tech irrigation system usage, drip irrigation usage, and plans for future drip irrigation adoption by chile pepper producers. The results of this research provide information useful to extension personnel, other researchers, and chile industry members. Results also raise questions about the impact of widespread drip irrigation adoption on multi-user irrigation systems, such as those found in New Mexico.

Land fragmentation under rapid urbanization: A cross-site analysis of Southwestern cities

Explosive population growth and increasing demand for rural homes and lifestyles fueled exurbanization and urbanization in the western USA over the past decades. Using National Land Cover Data we analyzed land fragmentation trends from 1992 to 2001 in five southwestern cities associated with Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) sites. We observed two general fragmentation trends: expansion of the urbanized area leading to fragmentation in the exurban and peri-urban regions and decreased fragmentation associated with infill in the previously developed urban areas. We identified three fragmentation patterns, riparian, polycentric, and monocentric, that reflect the recent western experience with growth and urbanization. From the literature and local expert opinion, we identified five relevant drivers – water provisioning, population dynamics, transportation, topography, and institutions – that shape land use decision-making and fragmentation in the southwest. In order to assess the relative importance of each driver on urbanization, we linked historical site-specific driver information obtained through literature reviews and archival analyses to the observed fragmentation patterns. Our work highlights the importance of understanding land use decision-making drivers in concert and throughout time, as historic decisions leave legacies on landscapes that continue to affect land form and function, a process often forgotten in a region and era of blinding change.

Using ASTER satellite data to calculate riparian evapotranspiration in the Middle Rio Grande, New Mexico

Riparian evapotranspiration (ET) in the Rio Grande Basin in New Mexico, USA is a major component of the hydrological system. Over a period of several years, ET has been measured in selected locations of dense saltcedar and cottonwood vegetation. Riparian vegetation varies in density, species and soil moisture availability, and to obtain accurate measurements, multiple sampling points are needed, making the process costly and impractical. An alternative solution involves using remotely sensed data to estimate ET over large areas. In this study, daily ET values were measured using eddy covariance flux towers installed in areas of saltcedar and cottonwood vegetation. At these sites, remotely sensed satellite data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Terra Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) were used to calculate the albedo, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and surface temperature. A surface energy balance model was used to calculate ET values from the ASTER data, which were available for 7 days in the year. Comparison between the daily ET values of saltcedar and cottonwood measured from the flux towers and calculated from remote sensing resulted in a mean square error (MSE) of 0.16 and 0.37 mm day−1, respectively. The regional map of ET generated from the remote sensing data demonstrated considerable variation in ET, ranging from 0 to 9.8 mm day−1, with a mean of 5.5 mm day−1 and standard deviation of 1.85 mm day−1 (n = 427481 pixels) excluding open water. This was due to variations in plant variety and density, soil type and moisture availability, and the depth to water table.

PROCAMPO, the Mexican corn market, and Mexican food security

PROCAMPO (Program for Direct Assistance in Agriculture or Programa de Apoyos Directos al Campo) is an income transfer payment to Mexican farmers that compensates them for subsidies received by foreign competitors. Corn (Zea mays) has received the largest amount of PROCAMPO payments and is the primary component of Mexico’s food and feed supply. Results of a spatial and temporal model show that without PROCAMPO, Mexican annual average corn production would have been lower and corn imports would have been 40.5% higher in 2005–2007. Increased producer and consumer surplus and savings from reduced imports reveal that the benefits of PROCAMPO were higher than the program’s costs. Greater PROCAMPO support would decrease Mexican corn imports and increase domestic corn production. It is recommended that PROCAMPO payments to corn producers be continued and increased in the interest of Mexican national food security.

ASSESSING CHANGES IN SOIL EROSION RATES: A MARKOV CHAIN ANALYSIS

Markov chain analysis (one-step and long-run) is applied to the National Resources Inventory (NRI) database to evaluate changes in wind-based soil erosion rates over time. The research compares changes in soil erosion rates between NRI sample sites with and without applied conservation practices for a random sample of Great Plains counties. No significant differences between sites are found for half of the counties evaluated. The effectiveness and efficiency of conservation policies are thus questioned in light of these research results.

Incorporating Ecosystem Services Into Economic Assessments of Restoration Projects

On the Ground Rangeland restoration projects have defied quantitative economic assessment because of a lack of data and information that document benefits. From the literature, we assess the potential benefits of rangeland restoration efforts undertaken in New Mexico under the Restore New Mexico Project and conclude that the economic value of some of the goods and services generated are substantial, but little economic value exists for some of the ecosystem services used to justify the conservation effort. Given the complexity in measuring changes in ecosystem services following restoration efforts, we are pessimistic about the potential of placing a quantitative economic value on many rangeland ecosystem services. Identifying the expected direction of change and relative magnitude of change may be more useful and feasible.

Uncertainty, Impermanence Syndrome, and Public Land Ranching

On the Ground Impermanence syndrome involves farmer apprehension or uncertainty about the future and leads to disinvestment in an agricultural operation as well as erosion of producer confidence. We explored impermanence syndrome among New Mexico public rangeland cattle producers in order to assess perceptions of impermanence syndrome impact factors in the region. Urban fringe effects, proximity to the US-Mexico border, multiple-use of public rangelands, public perception of public land ranching, as well as economic and government agency issues were identified as causes of ranching impermanence syndrome. Mitigation of uncertainty and perceived impermanence threats to ranching would promote management and investments that promote long-haul planning for and enhancement of rangeland health.

Monitoring Water Use In The Rio Grande Valley Using Remotely Sensed Data

Crop evapotranspiration (ET) is a major component of the hydrologic system. Knowledge of ET is used in irrigation water management, water rights allocation, hydrologic and atmospheric modeling and water resource planning and management. Traditionally, ET has been estimated using crop coefficients and climatic parameters. Point measurements of ET can be made through soil moisture monitoring, vapor flux measurement using either the energy balance Bowen ratio method or the eddy‐covariance method. However, traditional methods will only provide point measurements of ET and they do not account for spatial variability of ET at larger scales. Recent advances in remote sensing have made it possible to monitor water use at large scales with good precision. Here we describe a methodology where data from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection (ASTER) radiometer on NASA’s Terra satellite were used to evaluate water use in an agricultural setting in the Rio Grande Valley of southern New Mexico.

Does Processing Level Affect Vegetable Region of Production Certification Preferences

ABSTRACT While a number of U.S. agricultural industries have implemented a region of production (ROP) certification, little research has focused on ROP valuation associated with both whole and processed forms of a food product. Understanding consumer preferences toward certified products sold in multiple forms is critical to the success of a new certification program in an industry that sells products at multiple levels of processing. This study examines preferences for a possible ROP-certified vegetable across two product forms: fresh and processed. Discrete choice analysis was conducted using data collected from an online panel survey of 553 U.S. food consumers. A chile pepper product’s ROP was deemed important by participants, although the ROP certifier appears to matter less than other potential certifications (e.g., safety, quality). Differences in the importance of ROP between product forms suggest a single certification can have disparate effects on consumer preferences for different forms of a ROP-certified vegetable.