Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development

 

 

Archive for Economic Development, Resilience, and Innovation

Agritourism and Recreational Services on US Farms: Data from the 2022 Census of Agriculture

A new data brief by Jason S. Entsminger (University of Maine) and Claudia Schmidt (Penn State and NERCRD) provides a snapshot of the national agritourism landscape and documents recent changes across the industry. The data brief, which was published by the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development (NERCRD), is available below:

AgritourismDataBrief.May2024Download

Authors: Jason S. Entsminger and Claudia Schmidt

Publication: NERCRD Data Brief Series   Date Published: May 7, 2024

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Caregiving data for Northeast U.S. region now available

April 29, 2024

NERCRD partnered with the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (NCRCRD) to deploy a survey in the Northeast on “Caregiving Across the Lifecourse.” The data include responses from 4,480 Northeast households in the Northeast U.S., and is available online.
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NERCRD innovation research featured on Farms.com

A study by researchers at NERCRD and the U.S. National Science Foundation was featured on Farms.com on April 2nd. The article highlights a paper published in Economics Letters that found that U.S. firms actively engaged in creating innovative products or processes are more likely to expand into international markets. Click to read the full article.

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Innovation linked to international exports for both rural and urban firms

March 28, 2024

U.S. firms actively engaged in creating innovative products or processes are more likely to expand into international markets, according to new NERCRD-led research. The findings, which apply to both rural and urban companies, could inform efforts aimed at boosting U.S. exports.

How export performance is mediated by innovation, owner characteristics, and location

Abstract: We investigate how innovation affects rural nonfarm exports, and thus the U.S. trade deficit. Previous European studies indicate a positive link between R&D expenditures, patented innovation, and exports, but no comparable U.S. firm-level research exists. Using data from the Longitudinal Firm Trade Transactions Database and Annual Business Survey, we examine the relationship between innovation and exports for the United States. Employing a two-stage selection model to address endogeneity concerns, our findings suggest a significant connection between innovation and export. The study contributes to understanding the pivotal role of rural nonfarm exports and highlights policy implications for both trade and rural innovation.

Authors: Luyi Han, Timothy R. Wojan, Zheng Tian, Stephan J. Goetz

Publication: Economics Letters   Date Published: March 28, 2024

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New study tests biasedness of self-reported microbusiness innovation in the annual business survey

February 1, 2024

A study published this month in PlosONE and led by NERCRD Postdoctoral Scholar Luyi Han examined whether microbusinesses, which constitute a significant portion of U.S. firms with employees, are less likely to report innovation compared to other small businesses. Their analysis did not detect a statistically significant bias, suggesting that the observed lower incidence of innovation among microbusinesses is not attributable to survey design.

Person setting up display at farmers market stand.

Women farmers quantitatively linked to better community well-being

January 17, 2024

Having more women in agriculture is associated with greater community well-being, according to researchers at NERCRD/Penn State and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Their work is the first to quantitatively assess this link, and their findings suggest that women farmers approach their operations in ways that positively impact their communities.

Testing biasedness of self-reported microbusiness innovation in the annual business survey

This study tests for potential bias in self-reported innovation due to the inclusion of a research and development (R&D) module that only microbusinesses (less than 10 employees) receive in the Annual Business Survey (ABS). Previous research found that respondents to combined innovation/R&D surveys reported innovation at lower rates than respondents to innovation-only surveys. A regression discontinuity design is used to test whether microbusinesses, which constitute a significant portion of U.S. firms with employees, are less likely to report innovation compared to other small businesses. In the vicinity of the 10-employee threshold, the study does not detect statistically significant biases for new-to-market and new-to-business product innovation. Statistical power analysis confirms the nonexistence of biases with a high power. Comparing the survey design of ABS to earlier combined innovation/R&D surveys provides valuable insights for the proposed integration of multiple Federal surveys into a single enterprise platform survey. The findings also have important implications for the accuracy and reliability of innovation data used as an input to policymaking and business development strategies in the United States.

Authors: Luyi Han, Zheng Tian, Timothy R. Wojan, and Stephan J. Goetz

Publication: Plos ONE   Date Published: January 12, 2024

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Linking Health Care Reform and Economic Development in the Agriculture Sector

Researchers and Extension professionals engaged with this project explored how health insurance decisions affect farm and ranch families. Activities included interviewing farmers, hosting webinars, analyzing policy impacts, and developing tools for professionals who work with farm families.

Strengthening Economic Resilience in Appalachian Communities

The economies of many counties and sub-regions in the Appalachian Region have historically depended on a few dominant industries, such as mining or manufacturing. In recent years, Appalachian coal production—particularly in the Central Appalachian coal basin—has plummeted. Coal companies have gone bankrupt, resulting in job losses with devastating effects on families, communities, counties, and states. […]
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