Illinois study: Which weather characteristics affect agricultural and food trade the most?
URBANA, Ill. – Changing weather patterns have profound impacts on agricultural production around the world. Higher temperatures, severe drought, and other weather events may decrease output in some regions but effects are often volatile and unpredictable. Yet, many countries rely on agricultural and food trade to help alleviate the consequences of local, weather-induced production shifts, a new paper from the University of Illinois suggests.
Should maize farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa store or sell their grain?
URBANA, Ill. – Many maize farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa sell their crop at harvest, often because they need funds to pay expenses. Development agencies often support or sponsor harvest-time loans that encourage farmers to store some of their grain for later sale, on an assumption that its market value will increase in months to come. But that’s not a sure bet, as a new University of Illinois study reveals.
Best way to estimate costs for invasive plant removal? Get out and dig
URBANA, Ill. – Plants are designed to travel. They might not stand up and walk, but many plants produce seeds or other bits that can be carried long distances by wind or animals and start growing. While that might be great news for the plant, escapes like these can disrupt natural ecosystems and be costly to remove.
But just how costly?
Wine as scapegoat in trade disputes means consumers pay the price
URBANA, Ill. – When you sit down for a nice dinner and sip a glass of wine, is your bottle of choice from France, Australia, or South America? Chances are the fine beverage you’re enjoying is imported from a major global wine producer.
Wine is one of the most heavily traded products worldwide. It is also a prime target for import tariffs, even though wine rarely has anything to do with the conflicts that trigger these measures.
Green roofs are worth the cost for urban residents
URBANA, Ill. – Plant-covered roofs have become a regular sight in Portland, Oregon. The city is a leader in incorporating green infrastructure for stormwater management, including free street trees, rebates for small residential housing footprints, and green roofs.
Will Russian invasion of Ukraine spark a global food crisis?
The U.S. isn’t on the verge of a food crisis or food shortage due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is, however, experiencing food price inflation, which will continue to be a pocketbook issue for consumers, says Scott Irwin, the Laurence J. Norton Chair of Agricultural Marketing. He spoke with Illinois News Bureau's business and law editor Phil Ciciora about the potential for a global food crisis. Read more from the Illinois News Bureau.
Serra honored as Hieronymus Distinguished Chair in Futures Markets
URBANA, Ill. – The Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics (ACE) honored Maria Teresa Serra Devesa as Thomas A. Hieronymus Distinguished Chair in Futures Markets during an investiture ceremony at the University of Illinois on April 27.
Innovation flows across regions and sectors in complex ways, study shows
URBANA, Ill. – Knowledge creation – the generation of new ideas and patents – is an important driver of economic growth. Understanding how knowledge moves across industry sectors and regions can inform research and development (R&D) efforts, promote university-industry partnerships for innovation, and impact private businesses’ location decisions.
Do bikeshare systems complement or replace public transit?
URBANA, Ill. – Bikeshare systems have come a long way since they were first introduced in the Netherlands in the 1960s. They are popular in cities around the world, but how do bike systems affect existing public transportation? That’s the topic of a new paper from the University of Illinois, published in Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice.
Report: Extending child tax credit program offers many benefits for struggling families
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Extending the child tax credit program beyond 2021 could promote financial stability among vulnerable low- and moderate-income families and have many other long-term economic and noneconomic benefits, according to a new report by a team of researchers affiliated with the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.