A Dynamic Analysis of University Agricultural Biotechnology Patent Production

This article examines the factors that account for agricultural biotechnology patenting success among universities using a dynamic count data model. It builds a theoretical and econometric model to capture the inherently dynamic and nonlinear process of technological innovation, wherein a feedback mechanism from previous success partially determines current patent counts. The econometric estimates reveal the importance to agricultural biotechnology patent production of land grant infrastructure, quality faculty, patent-oriented technology transfer offices, as well as dynamic feedback effects.     

Bundling and Licensing of Genes in Agricultural Biotechnology

We examine the strategic incentive for gene holders to vertically integrate with seed companies and chemical input companies. With homogeneous conventional seeds, we find that a pure bundling strategy (produce the genetically modified seed only) is dominant. When the gene holder and breeder are, respectively, the monopolistic producers of genetically modified and conventional seeds, they may commit to mixed bundling (supply both genetically modified and conventional seed) to deter potential entry to the conventional seed market. A vertical merger may solve the credibility issue of the mixed bundling commitment through third party licensing agreements in the conventional seed market.     

Strategic Behavior and Consolidation in the Agricultural Biotechnology Industry

We develop a model explaining the consolidation patterns in the agricultural biotechnology industry. Among different consolidation and cooperation mechanisms, we consider collaborative and licensing agreements, joint ventures, acquisitions, and exchanges of ownership and spin-offs. The key results derive from the benefits of coordinated actions, distinction between transferable and nontransferable payoffs, the substitutability, complementarity, and the importance of the managers' noncontractible investments, and access and expansion of markets. Results from the model are used to examine the cooperation and consolidation activities for four major players in the agricultural biotechnology industry, DuPont , Dow Chemical , Monsanto , and Novartis .     

农业科技创新对农业绿色全要素生产率的空间效应分析

文章通过数据包络模型测算2013-2018年我国31个省的农业绿色全要素生产率,剖析其时空分布演进特征,在测算结果基础上构建空间杜宾模型,探讨农业科技创新对农业绿色全要素生产率的空间溢出效应。研究发现:2013-2018年全国农业绿色全要素生产率空间分异与集聚特征明显;本省农业科技创新显著促进了农业绿色全要素生产率的提升,而其辐射作用阻碍了周边省的农业绿色全要素生产率的提高。研究结果对于深化完善农业科技创新机制、提升农业科技教育水平、创新农业科技推广模式具有现实意义。     

The Dynamics of Agricultural Biotechnology Adoption: Lessons from series rBST Use in Wisconsin, 1994–2001

This article exploits panel data from Wisconsin dairy farmers to examine the dynamics of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) adoption and to identify the characteristics that distinguish among nonadopters, disadopters, and early and late adopters. Panel methods are used to control for omitted variables and endogenous regressors that call into question coefficient estimates derived from cross-section adoption models. The results, however, confirm previous findings that larger farms with complementary feeding technologies are more likely to adopt rBST, nonadopters appear quite unlikely to become adopters, and rBST adoption will remain at rather moderate levels in Wisconsin.     

Land Distribution and International Agricultural Productivity

The unequal distribution of agricultural land is often cited as a source of inefficiency in agriculture. Previous cross-country studies of agricultural productivity differences, though, have not considered land inequality. This article addresses this issue by using cross-country data on inequality in operational holdings of agricultural land from Deininger and Squire (1998) . In an estimation of an agricultural production function, the Gini coefficient for land holdings is found to have a significant negative relationship with productivity. This is consistent with the existence of heterogeneity in productivity by farm size within countries. A one standard deviation drop in the Gini coefficient implies an increase in productivity of 8.5%.     

Do Formula or Competitive Grant Funds Have Greater Impacts on State Agricultural Productivity?

This article examines the impact of public agricultural research and extension on agricultural total factor productivity at the state level. The objective is to establish whether federal formula or competitive grant funding of agricultural research has a greater impact on state agricultural productivity. A pooled cross-section time-series model of agricultural productivity is fitted to annual data for forty-eight contiguous states over 1970–1999. Our results show that public agricultural research and agricultural extension have statistically significant positive impacts on state agricultural productivity. In addition, Hatch formula funding has a larger impact on agricultural productivity than federal competitive grant funding, and a reallocation of Hatch formula funds to competitive grant funding would lower agricultural productivity. This seems unlikely to be a socially optimal policy. Furthermore, from a cost–benefit perspective, our study shows that the social marginal annualized real rate of return to public resources invested in agricultural research is 49–62%, and to public agricultural extension, the rate is even larger.     

二十世纪中国农业教育的分期研究

我国现代农业教育发端于19世纪末到20世纪初，经历刚刚过去的百年发展，已经初步形成了具有中国特色的农业教育体系。回顾20世纪的发展轨迹，有筚路蓝缕的艰辛，有曲折动荡的苦涩。也有辉煌成就的慰藉。本文以20世纪中国农业教育的思想变革和学制发展为主线，尝试将百年农业教育划分为四个历史发展时期，并研究分析了不同历史时期的发展状况和发展特征。     

英国农业革命及其对工业化的影响

农业革命是英国由农业社会迈向工业化的纽带，它涵盖了技术性和制度性两大因素，历时300年左右，使排他性的个人土地产权最终得以确立，使农业劳动生产效率得以大幅度提高，并从中孕育出了工业文明。     

中日近代农业教育学制的比较

中国与日本在进入近代以前的一段时间，同为封建闭守的落后国家，且日本是以中国为学习榜样。1840年中英鸦片战争与1853年美国海军侵入日本浦贺湾，使两国国门打开。在此后的50年，中国与日本国力对比发生了巨大的变化，差距日益扩大。日本44年明治维新的重要成功因素是教育的成功，农业教育作为其中的重要组成部分，为农业经济的发展打下良好的基础。本文从学制的角度，将日本近代农业教育学制与中国近代农业教育学制进行了比较，试图找出差距的原因。     

美国与近代中国高等农业教育

美国与近代中国高等农业教育的关系极为密切。为了争夺中国市场和资源,争取中国人的认同和亲善,也为了增进中美高等教育交流活动,美国倡导并参与了中国近代高等农业教育建设的几乎整个过程。通过传教士创办的教会大学农科院系、留美中国农科学生的培养等途径,对近代中国高等农业教育体系和模式产生了巨大影响,为中国训练了一批农业教育专家,也为美国势力进一步渗入中国打下了文化基础,并为中美高等农业院校交流与合作提供了借鉴。     

清代四川粮食亩产与农业劳动生产率研究

四川是全国著名的稻作区之一，清代四川粮食平均亩产约为222．58千克／市亩，平均每个成年农业劳动力一年约可生产原粮1423千克，可养活连其自身在内的4口人。18世纪中期，四川一个普通农民全年所得，大约表现为银13．04两，或钱10400余文。清代四川农民以“过密化”为代价，使粮食总产大幅度增长，而清末粮食亩产急剧下滑，折射出重大的社会危机。当时四川余粮、粮食消费、农村基本生活情况，与粮食亩产、劳动生产率紧密相关，并为后两者的合理估测提供佐证。     

Information Sharing and Oligopoly in Agricultural Markets: The Role of the Cooperative Bargaining Association

We study incentives for information sharing among agricultural intermediaries in imperfectly competitive markets for farm output. Information sharing always increases expected grower and total surplus, but may reduce expected intermediary profits. Even when expected profits increase with information sharing, intermediary firms face a prisoner's dilemma where it is privately rational to withhold information, given that other firms report truthfully. This equilibrium can be avoided if firms' information reports are verifiable, and if firms commit to an ex ante contract that enforces participation in information sharing. We show how agricultural bargaining legislation can implement such a contract with the bargained farm price representing a sufficient statistic of all information held by intermediary firms.     

国家农业科技园区土地利用态势分析——以全国36个国家级农业科技园区为例

从土地科学和农业经济科学视角出发,探讨我国国家农业科技园区的运行机制和园区内部核心区、示范区和辐射区三大结构的土地利用规模状况;同时,评价分析了国家农业科技园区土地利用的经济、社会和生态效益状况;最后,提出国家农业科技园土地利用的相关政策建议,引导土地资源的可持续利用.     

全产业链视角下徐州国家农业科技园产业融合研究

基于全产业链的视角,研究分析徐州国家农业科技园产业融合现存的问题。针对该园区缺少组织链、供给链不完善、销售链纵深不足的问题,提出如何从深挖农民增收潜力和增加价值链链条环扣方面发展价值链、如何塑造并完善组织链、如何利用互联网完善信息链以及如何延长和拓宽销售链的发展建议。即从价值链、组织链、信息链、销售链四个链条入手,促进徐州国家农业科技园产业融合发展,得出要让产业链条形成圈式结构,使生产要素在链条上流动增长、互相返哺的结论。     

Agricultural success from Africa: the case of fertilizer tree systems in southern Africa (Malawi,Tanzania, Mozambique,Zambia and Zimbabwe)

In response to the declining soil fertility in southern Africa and the negative effects that this leads to, such as food insecurity besides other developmental challenges, fertilizer tree systems (FTS) were developed as technological innovation to help smallholder farmers to build soil organic matter and fertility in a sustainable manner. In this paper, we trace the historical background and highlight the developmental phases and outcomes of the technology. The synthesis shows that FTS are inexpensive technologies that significantly raise crop yields, reduce food insecurity and enhance environmental services and resilience of agro-ecologies. Many of the achievements recorded with FTS can be traced to some key factors: the availability of a suite of technological options that are appropriate in a range of different household and ecological circumstances, partnership between multiple institutions and disciplines in the development of the technology, active encouragement of farmer innovations in the adaptation process and proactive engagement of several consortia of partner institutions to scale up the technology in farming communities. It is recommended that smallholder farmers would benefit if rural development planners emphasize the merits of different fertility replenishment approaches and taking advantage of the synergy between FTS and mineral fertilizers rather than focusing on ‘organic vs. inorganic’ debates.