Russell E Tronstad

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Scholarly Contributions

Chapters

• Kubota, C., Kubota, C., Meng, C., Masoud, S., Son, Y., Tronstad, R., Son, Y. J., & Tronstad, R. E. (2019). Advanced Technologies for Large-Scale Plant Factories—Integration of Industrial and Systems Engineering Approach in Controlled Environment Crop Production. In Plant Factory Using Artificial Light. Elsevier. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-813973-8.00033-6
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  Abstract Industrial and systems engineering has been widely applied to analyze and optimize complex processes in various industries taking a highly computational approach. Plant factory-based production systems can utilize the same approach to effectively increase efficiency and reduce the cost of crop production under controlled environment. This chapter introduces our transdisciplinary work of integrating controlled environment crop production technologies, industrial and systems engineering, and agricultural economics using plant propagation nursery industries and their supply chain as a model case.
• Frisvold, G. B., Frisvold, G. B., & Tronstad, R. E. (2003). Economic Effects of Bt Cotton Adoption and the Impact of Government Programs. In Economic and Environmental Impacts of Agbiotech: A Global Perspective. Springer, Boston, MA. doi:10.1007/978-1-4615-0177-0_14
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  Plants expressing a gene extracted from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a soil bacterium, produce a protein toxic to budworms, bollworms, and other Lepidopteran insects. Use of Bt cotton can reduce yield losses to budworms and bollworms and reduce the need for pesticides. In 1995, the year prior to Bt cotton introduction, nearly two thirds of cotton acreage in the United States was treated with insecticides to control tobacco budworms, cotton bollworms, and pink bollworms, at a cost of $373 million. Growers treating for budworms and cotton bollworms averaged four applications, while growers treating for pink bollworm averaged 3.3 applications. Bollworms and budworms still reduced US cotton yields by 4%—over one quarter of abillion dollars worth of cotton (Williams, 1996).

Journals/Publications

• Tronstad, R. E. (2022). A Dynamic HMM-Based Real-Time Location Tracking System Utilizing UHF Passive RFID. IEEE Journal of Radio Frequency Identification.
• Isaac, M. K., Tronstad, R. E., Guo, J., LeBauer, D. S., & Idow, J. (2021). On-Farm Land Management Strategies and Production Challenges in United States Organic Agricultural Systems. Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, 1-7.
• Masoud, S., Meng, C., Chowdhury, B., Son, Y., Kubota, C., & Tronstad, R. E. (2021). GRANDES: an online decision support tool for grafting nurseries. Acta Horticulturae, 125-132. doi:https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2021.1302.17
• Sall, I., & Tronstad, R. E. (2021). Simultaneous Analysis of Insurance Participation and Acreage Response from Subsidized Crop Insurance for Cotton. Journal of Risk and Financial Management.
• Tronstad, R. E., Gupta, R., & Kubota, C. (2021). Cost estimates for grafted, non-grafted, and direct- seeded cantaloupes 1. Acta Horticulturae, 141-146. doi:DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2021.1302.19
• Sall, I., Tronstad, R. E., & Aradhyula, S. V. (2019). Beef Production Alliance Preferences for Vertical Integration: A Bivariate Nested Panel Probit Approach. Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 44(1), 165-179.
• Masoud, S., Son, Y., Kubota, C., & Tronstad, R. E. (2018). Evaluation of simulation based optimization in grafting labor allocation. Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 34(3), 479-489.
• Kubota, C., Meng, C., Son, Y., Lewis, M., Spalholz, H., & Tronstad, R. E. (2017). Horticultural, systems-engineering and economic evaluations of short-term plant storage techniques as a labor management tool for vegetable grafting nurseries. PLOS ONE, 12(2). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0170614
• Kubota, C. -., Lewis, M., Tronstad, R. E., & Son, Y. -. (2014). Scenario-based cost analysis for vegetable grafting nurseries of different technology and size. HortScience, 49, 917-930.
• Meng, C., Xi, D., Son, Y. -., Kubota, C. -., Lewis, M., & Tronstad, R. E. (2014). An Integrated Simulation and AHP Approach to Vegetable Grafting Operation Design. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 102, 73-84.
• Tronstad, R. (2011). Unpleasant lessons from the settlement of theWest: Implications for the WAEA and other professional associations. Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 36(3), 433-447.
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  Abstract: Parallels are drawn between shortcomings and events that occurred in our western heritage with current issues facing agricultural economists. Challenges are made in relation to conflict of interest policies, external funding, cultivating connections with experts outside our discipline and relevance of research priorities. Survey data on research priorities of upper administrators and faculty within colleges of agriculture are compared to those of Western Agricultural Economics Association members. Upper administrators from land grant colleges rank research focused in the area of competitiveness and profitability less than areas of water usage, food safety, renewable energy, global climate change, or sustainability.
• Richards, T. J., Ellsworth, P., Tronstad, R., & Naranjo, S. (2010). Market-based instruments for the optimal control of invasive insect species: B. Tabaci in Arizona. Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 35(3), 349-367.
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  Abstract: Invasive insect species represent perhaps one of the most significant potential sources of economic risk to U.S. agricultural production. Private control of invasive insect species is likely to be insufficient due to negative externality and weaker-link public good problems. In this study, we compare a system of Pigouvian taxes with tradable permits for invasive species control. While the emissions control literature shows that taxes are preferred to permits under cost uncertainty, invasive-species control involves correlated cost and benefit uncertainty. Hence, we expect a quantity-based system to be preferred. Monte Carlo simulations of optimal steady-state outcomes confirm our expectations. Copyright 2010 Western Agricultural Economics Association.
• Richards, T., Ellsworth, P., Tronstad, R., & Naranjo, S. (2010). Market-Based Instruments for the Optimal Control of Invasive Insect Species: B. Tabaci in Arizona. Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 35(3), 349-367.
• Tronstad, R., Thompson, G. D., Frisvold, G. B., & Aradhyula, S. V. (2010). Does Paying Referees Expedite Reviews?: Results of a Natural Experiment. Southern Economic Journal, 76(3), 678-692. doi:10.4284/sej.2010.76.3.678
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  A natural experiment in an economics field journal afforded time-series observations on payments to referees for on-time reviews. The natural experiment yielded 15 months’ worth of data with no payments and about two subsequent years of data with payments. Using refereeand manuscript-specific measures as covariates, hazard models were used to gauge the effects of payments on individual referee’s review times. All models indicate statistically significant reductions in review times owing to referee payments. Reductions in review times translate into significant reductions in first-response time (FRT). Median FRT was reduced from 90 to 70 days, a 22% reduction in the presence of payments. With payments, only 1% of the FRTs exceeded six months; without payments, 16% of the FRTs exceeded six months.
• Frisvold, G. B., Reeves, J. M., & Tronstad, R. (2006). Bt cotton adoption in the United States and China: International trade and welfare effects. AgBioForum, 9(2), 69-78.
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  Abstract: Many studies report that Bt cotton has led to significant yield gains, reduced insecticide use, or both in different countries. With rare exception, these studies examine adoption in one region in isolation from adoption in others. This article summarizes the global impacts of Bt cotton adoption in the United States and China based on results from a three-region model of the world cotton market. In 2001, adoption of Bt cotton in China and the United States increased world cotton production by 0.7% and reduced the world cotton price by 1.4 cents per pound. Global economic benefits were $836 million. Consumer surplus increased $63 million. Chinese producers gained by $428 million and US producers by $179 million. The fall in world price reduced rest-of-world (ROW) producer surplus by $349 million. Net rest-of-world benefits were $69 million, however, because purchaser gains outweighed producer losses. ©2006 AgBioForum.
• Frisvold, G. B., Tronstad, R., & Reeves, J. M. (2006). International impacts of bt cotton adoption. International Trade and Policies for Genetically Modified Products, 191-199.
• Tronstad, R., & Unterschultz, J. (2005). Looking beyond value-based pricing of beef in North America. Supply Chain Management, 10(3), 214-222.
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  Abstract: 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 high production efficiency standards. Practical implications - Cow-calf, feedlot, and packing industries need to better track and manage information flows of genetic-management paths from consumer to seedstock producer in order for the beef industry to be more competitive. Originality/value - Experiences of our case companies suggest that the beef industry will need to look beyond the North American grid or value-based pricing of beef in order to maintain or improve market share with competing pork and poultry sectors. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
• Tronstad, R., Teegerstrom, T., & Osgood, D. E. (2004). The Role of Electronic Technologies for Reaching Underserved Audiences. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 86(3), 767-771.
• Aradhyula, S., & Tronstad, R. (2003). Does tourism promote cross-border trade?. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 85(3), 569-579.
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  Abstract: We estimate a simultaneous bivariate qualitative choice model of Arizona agribusiness firms' propensity to trade and visit as a tourist the cross-border state of Sonora, Mexico. Venture business visits, quantified through the tourism equation, were found to have the largest impact on a firm's propensity to trade. Tourist visits have a greater impact on trade when combined with other firm attributes such as age, perceived need for geographic diversity, foreign language fluency, and firm size, than if considered alone. Our results suggest that there is a role for government agencies to play in overcoming imperfect information related to trade opportunities through facilitating exploratory business venture and tourist visits.
• Tronstad, R., & Teegerstrom, T. (2003). Economics of sale weight, herd size, supplementation, and seasonal factors.. Journal of Range Management, 56(5), 425-431. doi:10.2307/4003832
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  A growth function for range calves is estimated using a polynomial function of calf age that accounts for weather variation, sex, prior calf weights relative to a norm, and a compensatory gain factor. Data on rainfall plus calf weights at birth and when calves were roughly 3, 8, 12, and 20 months of age are used to estimate the growth function. This function is then used to determine the economic trade-off between herd size and calf sale weights, for both spring and fall sale dates. In addition, the profitability of feeding supplement is evaluated by increasing the rate of gain beyond that projected by the the polynomial age growth function for southeast and central Arizona grazing environments when forage and nutrients are limited. Using prices from 1980 to 1998, results indicate that the most profitable herd mix, sale date, and feeding protocol for the southeast Arizona region is 204 kg calves with no supplemental feeding and sales occurring in May. Supplemental feeding and sales occurring at 250 kg head-1 in May is the most profitable herd mix for the central Arizona region. More favorable average daily gain rates for May sales from the central versus southeast is why supplemental feeding is marginally better for the central region than feeding no supplement. DOI:10.2458/azu_jrm_v56i5_tronstad
• Frisvold, G. B., Tronstad, R., & Mortensen, J. (2000). Adoption of Bt cotton: Regional differences in producer costs and returns. 2000 Proceedings Beltwide Cotton Conferences, 337-340.
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  Abstract: This study uses a quadratic programming model to estimate the impacts of Bt cotton adoption on consumer benefits, cotton program outlays, and producer returns, by state and adoption status. Three scenarios were considered simulating low, moderate, and high impacts of Bt cotton adoption. For the moderate scenario, U.S. benefits from Bt adoption grew from $44 million in 1996 to $66 million in 1998. Annual benefits to U.S. cotton purchasers ranged between $46-$55 million. Benefits to Bt adopters grew from $57 million in 1996 to $97 million in 1998. Losses to non-adopters fell from -$59 million in 1996 to -$8 million in 1998 as rising commodity program payments mitigated the impact of lower prices.
• Wong-gonzalez, P., & Tronstad, R. (1999). Cross-Border Trade and Perceptions: Friend or Foe?. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 21(1), 68-85. doi:10.2307/1349972
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  is a potential or expanding market available. Little support was found for the opinion that each other's state serves as a business competitor. Integration, complementarity, and regional specialization have allowed cross-border agribusiness firms to become more competitive. Opportunities for risk reduction are felt to exist through cross-border expansion. The highest ranked items for increasing the economic vitality of agribusiness in the region are streamlining border crossing formalities for products, unifying grades and standards, improving Sonora's transportation and communication infrastructure, developing better financing strategies/ legal agreements, and forming a bilingual regional agricultural agency to disseminate information regarding current regulations specific to agriculture. This agency may also help facilitate capital and trade flows by providing a voluntary certified trading license. Implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on 1 January 1994 signaled the beginning of a new era in trade between the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Unilateral trade liberalization policies in Mexico and the implementation of NAFTA have allowed for increased specialization through trade and efficiency gains in agriculture. Utilizing aggregate agricultural trade data, De Janvry, Sadoulet, and Davis found that NAFTA has helped increase Mexico's imports from the United States when Mexican incomes were increasing and also helped prevent a further fall in trade when incomes were declining. Trade in the agribusiness sector is expected to grow remarkably over the next decade, both within North America and throughout the rest of the world. The USDA (September 1996) estimates that by the year 2005, intra-NAFTA trade in agricultural products
• Tronstad, R., & Gum, R. L. (1994). Cow Culling Decisions Adapted for Management with CART. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 76(2), 237-249. doi:10.2307/1243625
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  A stochastic dynamic programming (DP) model of range cow culling decisions incorporating market price uncertainties and dynamics of biological productivity was solved for biannual and annual calving systems. Decision trees were generated from the DP solutions using the Classification and Regression Trees (CART) methodology. The decision trees captured over 99% of the optimal DP returns from both biannual and spring-only calving. CART culling criteria in conjunction with dual-season calving increased wealth by 7% compared to optimal DP culling decisions with spring-only calving, and by 10% compared to a more traditional strategy of culling all open cows.
• Tronstad, R., & Taylor, C. R. (1991). Dynamically Optimal After-Tax Grain Storage, Cash Grain Sale, and Hedging Strategies. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 73(1), 75-88. doi:10.2307/1242885
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  This article utilizes a stochastic dynamic programming (SDP) model that considers the state variables of (a) before-tax income, (b) grain storage, (c) quantity of futures position, (d) value of futures position, (e) wheat price, and (f) basis level. Decision variables are monthly cash grain sales and futures market transactions. In comparing the post-sample performance of SDP to other marketing strategies over a four-year period, SDP resulted in $5,961 to $25,021 more wealth than the other strategies considered. Also, these other strategies yielded a standard deviation of after-tax income that was 30% to 621% greater than that from the SDP framework.
• Tronstad, R., & Taylor, C. R. (1989). Effects of the 1986 Tax Reform Act on Grain Marketing Decisions: A Case Study of Winter Wheat Producers. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 11(2), 309-320. doi:10.1093/aepp/11.2.309
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  Dynamic programming is utilized to derive an optimal monthly marketing-storage decision rule for winter wheat. Tax years before (1986) and after (1987 and 1988) the 1986 Tax Reform Act are analyzed in conjunction with the state variables of grain price, storage and before-tax income. In general, results indicate that it is better for producers to store less winter wheat now than before passage of the 1986 Tax Reform Act. This is especially true for winter wheat prices between $2.75 and $3.75 per bushel.

Proceedings Publications

• Chowdhury, B. B., Islam, T., Son, Y., & Tronstad, R. E. (2021). Optimal Deployment of Indoor Sensors for a Real-Time Location Tracking System. In Institute of Industrial Systems Engineers.
• Chowdhury, B., Masoud, S., Son, Y., Kubota, C., & Tronstad, R. E. (2020, 9). A dynamic data driven indoor localisation framework based on ultra high frequency passive RFID system. In International Journal of Sensor Networks, 34, 172-187.
• Tronstad, R. E. (1985). An analysis of monthly wheat, flour, and bread prices in a structural and time series framework. In MS Thesis.

Presentations

• Tronstad, R. E., & Chin, E. (2019, July). Feasibility of a Local Food Center: A Discrete Choice Analysis. 2019 Western Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting. Coeur d'Alene, ID.
• Tronstad, R. E., Thillmany, D., Nakamoto, S., & Teegerstrom, T. (2011, January). On-Line Direct Marketing Module for TAA producers. On-line Direct Marketing Module for the Trade Adjustment and Assistance programTrade Adjustment and Assistance program.
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  Internet/intranet

Poster Presentations

• Tronstad, R. E. (2015, December). Value of Grafted Watermelon Transplants in Relation to Land Scarcity. National Vegetable Grafting Symposium. Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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  Value of Grafted Watermelon Transplants in Relation to Land Scarcity: Crop mix is optimized subject to rotation, land, water, and capital constraints using the linear programming solver function in Excel. Crop rotation constraints are such that an acre of barley precedes each acre of non-grafted watermelons in the rotation and each acre of cantaloupe or grafted watermelon is preceded by an acre of durum or barley. Cotton, durum, or barley is rotated between non-grafted watermelons. If adequate rotation acreage is not available for planting non-grafted watermelons, the imputed value for a grafted watermelon transplant is $1.40 or about 10% above their imputed cost, suggesting grafting will play a more prominent role in the U.S., like in European and Asian countries, if land becomes more scarce.
• Tronstad, R. E., Teegerstrom, T., & Schuch, U. K. (2015, Sept). Growing the Management Skills of Native American and Limited-Resource Beginning Farmers in the Southwest. 2015 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program and Federally Recognized Tribal Extension Program. Reno, NV: USDA NIFA.
• Lewis, M., Kubota, C., & Tronstad, R. (2012, October). Scenario-Based Economic Analyses of Different Grafting Operation Sizes. 2012 Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emissions Reductions.

Others

• Montes, S., Luo, J., & Tronstad, R. E. (2021, November). San Xavier Cooperative Farm Meat Processing Facility: Feasibility Study. confidential report.
• Mpanga, I., Tronstad, R., Schalau, J., Schuch, U., Wilson, H., Stuth, C., & Braun, H. (2021, 12). COVID 19 Effects on Farming Activities in Arizona and How Farmers and Ranchers Responded. Cooperative Extension Publication. https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az1867-2021.pdf
• Scheitrum, D., Chin, E., Duval, D., Tronstad, R. E., Thompson, G., & Aradhyula, S. (2020, 10). Electronic Storymap and report on Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Fresh Tomato Shipments and Prices. Fresh Produce Association of the Americas.
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  Electronic storymap and report
• Tronstad, R. E. (2021, December). Livestock Monitor Newsletter. Arizona Cattlelog. https://www.azcattlegrowers.org/cattlelog
• Tronstad, R. E. (2021, June). Business Plan Analysis for Elevation Beef Co., LLC. confidential report.
• Tronstad, R. E. (2021, June). Feasibility Analysis of Adding Wagyu Jerky, Snack Sticks, and Sausage over Selling only Wagyu Steaks and Hamburger for Elevation Beef Co., LLC. confidential report.
• Tronstad, R. E., & Quiroz, Y. (2021, July). SWOT Business Plan Analysis for Gila River Indian Community Farms. confidential report.
• Tronstad, R. E., Cannon, K. G., Wright, A. D., & Cannon, K. O. (2018, September). Economics of Culling or Feeding Cows During Drought. Arizona Cattlelog.
• Teegerstrom, T., & Tronstad, R. E. (2017, March 24, 2017). Arizona Ranching Budgets: 2016. UA Cooperative Extension Publication #az1734.
• Tronstad, R. E. (2017, November). Pasture Rangeland Forage -- Rainfall Index. Arizona Range and Livestock Newsletter. http://uacals.org/3xp
• Tronstad, R. E., Kerna, A., Frisvold, G. B., & Teegerstrom, T. (2014, May). The Contribution of the Beef Industry to the Arizona Economy. http://ag.arizona.edu/arec/pubs/beefindustryeconcontrib.html
• Teegerstrom, T. -., Nakamoto, S., & Tronstad, R. E. (2013, June). Producer Business Checkup. Univeristy of Hawaii Cooperative Extension Bulletin.
• Teegerstrom, T., Tronstad, R., & Nakamoto, S. (2013, January). An Overview of Risk Management Agency Insurance Products and Farm Service Agency Programs Available for Arizona Producers as of December 2012 Arizona Cooperative Extension Bulletin. Arizona Coop. Extension Publication, AZ1587, January 2013.