This article formulates an empirical model that measures the short- and long-run effects of political stability, corruption control and economic growth on CO₂ emissions from deforestation. Political stability and corruption have significant effects on forest cover in the short run and have lingering long-run effects. We derive a U-shaped forest–income curve where forest cover initially declines as per capita income increases, but starts to rise after an income turning point. Political stability and corruption control do not significantly affect the income turning point but both variables shift the forest–income curve up or down. The resulting CO₂ emission–income curve is downward sloping and is based on changes in the levels of variables affecting forest cover. Increased political stability flattens the CO₂ emissions–income curve, leading to smaller changes of CO₂ emissions per unit change in income.

We conducted a blind tasting sensory evaluation experiment and a chemical analysis of four craft hard apple ciders from the Pacific Northwest of the USA. Using the sensory and demographic data collected during the experiment, we estimated the consumer willingness-to-pay (WTP), using a contingent valuation model. Overall liking, taste, and aroma, from the sensory evaluation, as well as age of the sampler and if the sampler was a cider drinker, contributed positively to the WTP. In contrast, if the subject was a beer drinker this reduced their WTP. From the chemical analysis we found that tannin level had a positive effect on WTP, but an increased level of sweetness, as part of a ratio of specific gravity to acid, decreased consumer WTP. (JEL Classifications: C91, D12, L66, Q13)

The use of polyethylene mulch in vegetable production is considered unsustainable because of its contribution to soil plastic pollution. Plastic biodegradable mulches (BDMs) are a more sustainable option because they are tilled into the soil or composted at the end of the cropping season, and designed to decompose into water, carbon dioxide, and microbial biomass, reducing soil plastic pollution. Regardless of the potential environmental benefits associated with the use of BDMs, farmers will have to evaluate the changes in profits when transitioning from polyethylene (PE) mulch to BDM before deciding to adopt BDMs. This study evaluates the factors associated with the economic feasibility of adopting BDM in pumpkin production using a partial budget and sensitivity analyses. Results suggest that the cost of BDM, labor costs, and sale price discounts, due to mulch adhesion in pumpkin fruit have the greatest impact on profits when transitioning from PE mulch to BDM. When assuming current market prices for PE mulch and BDM, the 2019 Tennessee Adverse Effect wage rate, and no price discounts, transitioning from PE mulch to BDM results in a positive impact on profits. When assuming a 5% price discount, this transition results in a negative impact on profits.

Lettuce ( Lactuca sativa ) and tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) are popular fresh market vegetable crops. In western Washington, there is interest in growing them in high tunnel production systems because of the region’s mild, coastal climate. The objectives of this study were to contrast the economic potential of growing lettuce and tomato under high tunnel and open-field production systems, and identify the main factors affecting profitability within each production system. Economic data for this study were collected by interviewing experienced lettuce and tomato growers in western Washington during focus group sessions. Costs of production varied by crop and production system, and findings indicated that it was five times more costly to grow lettuce and eight times more costly to grow tomato in a high tunnel than in the open field in western Washington. For lettuce, the labor cost per square foot of growing area was found to be 6 times greater in a high tunnel than in the open field; and for tomato, labor costs were 10 times greater in a high tunnel than in the open field. Total labor cost comprised more than 50% of the total production costs of lettuce and tomato in both the high tunnel and open-field systems. The percentage of total labor cost was similar in both the high tunnel and open-field production for lettuce, but was higher in high tunnel tomato production than in the open field. Tunnel-grown lettuce and tomato had three and four times greater marketable yield compared with field-grown, respectively. Given the base crop yield and average price, it was 43% more profitable to grow lettuce in the open field than in the high tunnel, while in contrast, high tunnel-grown tomato was three times more profitable than open-field tomato production.

Little cherry disease (LCD) threatens the long-term economic sustainability of the Pacific Northwest sweet cherry (Prunus avium) industry. Results from a series of partial budget analyses indicate that additional investments in monitoring, testing, spraying to control for insect vectors, and removing infected trees are lower than the reduced profit losses compared with the do-nothing scenario. Also, management can prevent or lessen the negative impacts of higher little cherry virus (Velarivirus little cherry virus 1, Ampelovirus little cherry virus 2) spread rates. Our findings illustrate the importance of prevention, correct identification, and controlling for insect vectors in preventing the dissemination of LCD, for which the only known treatment is tree removal.

Growers need reliable information on costs and returns they can expect for a cider apple ( Malus × domestica ) orchard suitable for mechanization because specialty cider apples can only be used for making cider, and returns are expected to be lower than for fresh table apples. This study estimates the costs, returns, and net profit that growers may realize by planting cider apples in either a freestanding or tall spindle system that use a mechanical harvester (both systems) and mechanical hedger (tall spindle system only). Results show that both production systems have positive net returns during full production, and their respective break-even returns are lower than the current market price, demonstrating that both systems are potentially profitable investments. Results also show that the tall spindle system is potentially more profitable due to the advantages of earlier start of fruiting and higher crop yield. The estimated net returns of the tall spindle system during full production are nearly 4 times higher than that of a freestanding system. At a discount rate of 10%, the net present value (NPV) of the tall spindle system is positive and payback period is 13 years, whereas the NPV of the freestanding system is negative. The discount rate represents the time value of money and reflects the perception of risk for the investment. The break-even discount rates (i.e., NPV = 0) are ≈6.88% for the freestanding system and 10.78% for the tall spindle system. Sensitivity scenarios found that when all else was constant, profitability increased as market price, crop yield, and production area increase and also when the cost of the harvester decreased. Because mechanical harvesters are expensive, profitability tends to be more favorable for larger farms due to economies of scale. Also, a high picking efficiency is important because fruit that falls on the ground is considered crop yield loss and reduces the gross income from cider apples.